The Patriot:Flash Fiction Entry

He had not been expecting a letter. Fred had pondered the likelihood of a visit from the "Gestapo" but kept telling himself that in America such things could never happen. Now the letter with the official-looking return address came as a surprise.

It had all started with the election of a new president. Fred was unhappy with the voters' choice, to say the least, and as time passed, he became more and more afraid of what the new president's decisions might lead to.

It seemed the man had ideas he intended to push through regardless. He had the perfect opportunity to do so, as many of his radical associates had been elected to Congress in recent elections, giving his party the majority vote on every issue.

His first major project was to bail out many of the big banks whose faulty business practices had contributed greatly to the financial collapse of the country.

Next he bailed out auto manufacturing companies. He even had the audacity to demand that one of their executives be fired and replaced with a man of his choosing.

Next came the bold idea to fund a program that would pay generously for older cars considered gas guzzlers, when traded in on new ones. The cars were then destroyed, rendering them useless even for salvage parts. With unemployment rampant in the country, many felt fortunate to have any vehicle at all. Now the price for used vehicles would skyrocket, due to the huge number of those destroyed while still useable.

How would Fred's children's and grandchildren's generations deal with the damage this president was doing to the country? He had put America so deeply in debt that generations of sensible leadership, should any ever actually be elected, could not dig the country out.

Yet, inside he felt they probably would not have to deal with it at all; as the country would soon be controlled by those countries to whom the president had sold America during his uncontrolled spending spree.

Fred especially feared for the spiritual condition of his country. The new president seemed to value the country's relationship with Muslims above all else, although some radical Muslims had vowed to "see America burn." He "apologized" to other countries for American policies with which he disagreed. How could the man betray his country in so many ways?

Now Fred pondered the situation of the president's proposed health plan. He was determined to push it through against the better judgment of the majority of Americans. Radical politicians were virtually hiding from their constituents to avoid being confronted with opposition. When crowds turned out in protest, politicians claimed it was all orchestrated by the opposing political party.

Now the word was out that the president planned to create a "civil" army, and who could doubt that he planned to be its supreme leader? Would they oppose America's loyal armed forces? The thought made Fred's blood run cold.

Fred decided enough was enough. He would start an aggressive campaign to overthrow the president. True, in America, such things had never before happened. But hard times call for drastic action.

In the coming months, Fred lost his auto salvage business, followed by his house. His health insurance was gone, but it was no longer worth much anyway, since the passage of the president's health plan.

Then Fred's wife left him, and his health failed from worry over his other losses and grief for the condition of his country. How soon would America be taken over by the countries who now owned the majority of it?

With little left to lose, Fred decided he would use his remaining resources to try to rid the country of this tyrant. No, he would do no physical harm to the man. But surely there were legal ways to approach the problem.

Alone in his shabby apartment, he spent hours online researching the subject. He approached groups that shared his convictions, and sent hundreds of emails to people he knew shared his feelings on the matter.

Finally, after months of diligent research and talks to many groups who shared his concern, it seemed Fred was making some progress. He might actually succeed in this endeavor that he felt could make all the difference in the lives of so many loyal Americans.

Now, just when things were looking up, here was this letter bearing the president's return address. Fred knew word of his intentions had reached the president.

With trembling fingers, Fred tore open the envelope and pulled out a card on which was written:

"You are cordially invited to join the president on the White House lawn for beer and conversation."