Fantasy is a phenomenon that affects all of us more than we consciously recognize. Are we not constantly daydreaming or dreaming of the future-pondering our wishes and desires? Or, do too many people accept things as they are-readily to concede all appearances as gospel? Stranger Than Fantasy is a collection of forty fantasy short stories. Each story should be taken for what it is-for the most part, an entertaining excursion of fiction that challenges one's thoughts, one's acceptance of reality. Hopefully, after reading my stories, the readers will look at their lives, their life situations a little differently and finally stand up and exclaim, "That which is, is not and that which is not, is! And if that happens, then I think the world will be a little bit better off today than it was yesterday. George Mauro

Stranger than Fantasy

By George J. Mauro, Jr.

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 George J. Mauro, Jr.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-1873-0

Contents

Author's Foreword.......................................xiIntroduction............................................xiiiI "Strange Occurrence in the O. O.".....................1II "Mother Is Calling"..................................7III "He Sang for His Life"..............................11IV "Old Is Old and Young Is Young"......................17V "Fried Fred Frittle"..................................23VI "Zeus's Creation"....................................31VII "Allhallows Even"...................................35VIII "The Man Who Never Complained".....................43IX "Manmaid"............................................51X "Eat at Joe's"........................................57XI "Century Chasers"....................................63XII "Hail to The Robot".................................71XIII "Gobble, Gobble"...................................79XIV "He Almost Had It All"..............................85XV "Take The Low Road to China".........................91XVI "Plain Disaster"....................................95XVII "Time Is On His Side"..............................103XVIII "Mister TV".......................................109XIX "I'm In Heaven".....................................115XX "On Comet"...........................................123XXI "Point of View".....................................127XXII "It's Just Routine"................................133XXIII "The Professional"................................139XXIV "Which Way Is Up?".................................145XXV "Paperpusher".......................................153XXVI "Double Jeopardy"..................................159XXVII "A Discussion With God"...........................165XXVIII "A Caddy and His Golfer".........................171XXIX "Once Upon a Time".................................177XXX "The Voice".........................................183XXXI "Monster Party"....................................187XXXII "He Knows The Score"..............................193XXXIII "When I Was Young"...............................203XXXIV "You're The Boss".................................209XXXV "Whose Idea Was It Anyway?"........................215XXXVI "The Execution"...................................221XXXVII "Another World"..................................225XXXVIII "The Assembly Line".............................231XXXIX "The Tables Are Turned"...........................239XL "It's Alive".........................................249

Chapter One

"Strange Occurrence in the O. O."

Landslide, it was a landslide. President Denton Taylor, conservative Republican from the great State of Kansas, had won sixty percent of the plebiscite over his main liberal rival, Senator Ben Kingsley, who had only managed to get thirty-three percent of the vote.

It was a day President Taylor would not likely forget as he thought to himself while sitting on his throne in the Oval Office. It was January 20, 1993, two hours after the Chief Justice had sworn him in as the forty-second President of the United States.

President Taylor remarked to Connors, his Chief of Staff, "You know, this is an awesome responsibility-getting elected President."

Connors replied, "Well you better get used to the feeling, sir. Just think of the power you can now wield. After all, it was this power that you've been searching for ever since you entered this crazy game of politics."

"Yeah, this investiture is humbling. Just imagine the history that has taken place right here within these hallowed walls. If only the walls could talk."

Connors smiled. "Yeah, you almost get the feeling that they are observing you as they did past Presidents-one by one, conversing with each other and judging you as they judged the others trying to predict if you will be a strong or weak President."

"I can tell you this, Connors, as well as these walls that no tougher President will ever occupy this office."

"I hope, Mr. President, that the Soviets get the same message."

"You better believe they will. That's what we're here for."

"Sir?"

"To kick the crap out of those Russian commies!"

"You know I'm behind you, Mr. President, and at least sixty percent of the American electorate supports you as well."

* * *

As Connors walked into the Oval Office, he wished the President good morning and remarked, "It sure is a beautiful day for March. Kinda warm for this time of year."

The President, unfazed, replied, "Even more beautiful than the weather, Connors, listen to this. I was just informed by our chief scientists working on the top secret Pentagon Project that success has been achieved."

"That's unbelievable!"

"Not anymore, Connors. Do you know what this means?"

The incredulous Chief of Staff simply uttered, "Oh my God!"

"That's right, Connors. With this new S.O.I. program, we now have the capability to render internecine nuclear war obsolete. We can destroy Russia and all her allies with our nuclear missiles and not even fear the remote threat of one retaliatory missile getting through our defense system."

"But, is it foolproof, really foolproof, Mr. President?"

"Yes, Connors, yes. I feel sure except for that one eccentric Democratic scientist, whom I was forced for political reasons to put on the S.O.I scientific team, who keeps telling me that S.O.I. is a canard, that the technology isn't fail-safe. Out of a commission of twenty members, this leftist scientist and Nobel Prize winner, notwithstanding, is the only expert who feels that S.O.I. won't work. Hell, I've got six other Nobel Prize winners telling me he is dead wrong. And Connors, six against one is a majority in my book. In fact, I question his loyalty to the principles of this country."

"Sir, are you referring to Dr. Rothchild's testimony that was given before Senator Tom McNulty's famous Red Scare witchhunt committee? Wasn't Rothchild exonerated?"

"So what, I think he was guilty of being a practicing Communist and so did the majority of the American people at the time. It is still maintained by many that Rothchild got off because he won the Nobel Prize for curing arthritis with the advances he made in laser beam technology. Public opinion was behind him."

"Especially the senior citizens, right Mr. President?"

"Very funny, you always did have a wit about you, Connors."

Connors proudly replied, "It's in the blood, sir."

President Taylor rose from behind his desk with a newfound fire in his eyes. "Yes, Connors, I'm going to give the Soviets and their allies an ultimatum that they surrender to me. And if they do not surrender, I will blow them all to kingdom come. They'll have no choice. If they try to launch a nuclear missile attack against either the United States or our allies, our satellites will just blow their missiles easily out of the sky. Heck, it would be like picking cherries."

"Think of it, Mr. President. Finally, America has the leverage it needs to eradicate the fetid and parasitic ideology called communism from the face of the earth."

"Right Connors, but it's one thing to have this power and another thing for a president to use it. And Connors, my boy, are we going to let down the sixty percent of the people who voted for me? Hell no! Either Russia capitulates to my will, or I'll never give those Russian bastards the choice again."

* * *

Now, President...