Let's write a short story about, well, spies!

Let’s write a short story based on the current news situation especially as a certain highly charged word beginning with the letter B has been heard less times on the news tonight than even a phrase like ‘the admired US president’.

Ben’s a press advisor addressing some government leaders in the innermost room of the prime

minister’s quarters – offices, that is.

Can we describe them as leaders? Oh, yes, this is a fictional tale.

Eyebrows rise

Ben, the advisor, asks what’s been decided over the word beginning with the letter B. The leaders look fearfully from one to the other. Eyebrows rise noisily.

‘Let’s get rid of it for a while,’ says Ben. A hearty cheer follows. One asks, ‘But how in heavens name?’

‘What do novelists resort to when they’re stuck? Why, the Soviets.’ An even louder cheer follows.

Ben concedes that it’s not entirely a new government approach.

They did hide the B word with talk of pesky Ruskies who sneaked into a highly suspicious city to zap one of their turncoats.

You don’t ask questions

No-one asks why foreign spies really would bother because everyone knows that people don’t ask questions like that in espionage novels, so of course real people shouldn’t either.

Ben wants to involve other countries in this news story about, um, er, what about cyber interference. The meeting loves it. It’s topical, everyone agrees, and a great subject especially as no-one actually knows what it means. Therefore, they never ask.

Ben plans to include the US in the scandal - yes, a spy scandal - because, he taps his nose knowingly, they’ll agree to anything that keeps the antics of the, er, elected buffoon out of the bulletins.

And include a Euro country, someone prompts. Ben approves and pats his nose again. He announces ‘Holland.’

Someone raises a hand. ‘Call it Netherlands and the electorate’ll swallow it. I mean, the name alone sounds suspicious.’

‘Good idea,’ says Ben. ‘The electorate’s lost with geography.’

Another cheer follows. ‘So that’s it,’ says Ben. ‘The Ruskies are spying on us through, well, Windoze, that’s what, and determined to wreck peoples’ online movies.’       

Continues on the blogs for my ocean-travel adventure book, Sailing to Purgatory, at SailingToPurgatory.com