by Neal Von Flue
Most people forgot about the project until they announced the date to switch on the third Thomas Jefferson. His exoskeleton was mostly titanium and they had invited an artist known for his homages to mid-century automobile design to create his outfit. Or at least the appearance of his outfit, which was actually a chrome and candy apple red, navajo white and cornflower blue four-story veneer that hid the three-foot thick walls that really contained the third Thomas Jefferson. There were pathways in to the central chamber and all afternoon on the day before the godawful business they allowed notable cultural figures to carry offerings into the antechamber. In the main room they installed cameras in every corner, equipped with scrolling plastic lens-covers like you see on Nascar driver cams, just in case things got messy again.
This short story has been temporarily removed from this page because it can be found in the regional print anthology “El Segundo Writes” by Blue Mariposa Media.
If you are interested in thinly veiled social sarcasm wrapped up in retro-futurism and fantasy, then order a copy from their website or visit local retailers.
