This story is by Moe Vrban and was part of our 2017 Summer Writing Contest. You can find all the Summer Writing Contest stories here.
Welcome to Hall of Presidents
Back in the late 1950‘s, when the idea was presented for the first time, a man of great wealth, good character and values, was tasked for this project. Then as now, the committee members listened with closed ears and minds. He sat in the shadows in silence, never speaking and making notes when he thought prudent. He realized early on that the project as it was, “would never be,” per these politicians. Today, in the year 2017, it was still the same ignorance and ego. No one ever knew that this man himself, was the reason they met!
In a dimly lit building inside the park, the man, his younger brother and I arrived at the annual meeting regarding the project. Though the committee members had changed over the years, then as now, they never saw beyond their own ignorance. Never appreciating that sharing past mistakes and successes, strengths and weaknesses could provide for the future. Tonight, was yet another worthless meeting. Ego’s, money and their own re-elections stood in the way.
As the meeting ended, we left the room in complete silence; one following the other outside. The tall nondescript gray building the meeting was held in, stood in the shadows as we got in the car. “Take him home first”, the elder brother said and the driver drove us away. Continuing he said, “They don’t change nor will we. It’s the only way to keep total autonomy!” Riding in silence for a while, the driver stopped outside the younger brother’s residence. “What time today? “the younger brother asked. “I’ll call you,” was the reply. The brother got out of the car and walked away, slowly.
With the doors closed, the driver asked “to the park?” The man nodded and said “yes, I need to meet with the men, and it’s almost seven- thirty. The park opens in an hour.” The driver proceeded and silence ensued.
In the dawns early light ,the castle gleamed and I knew the park was close. As the driver pulled up to a side entrance, we got out. The man told his faithful driver that he’d call him later, for a ride home. “You just keep making this the happiest place on earth, sir!”, and sped away,
I was hired exclusively by him a long time ago, after a career in bio-mechanics. My job was to oversee our remote locations which included France, Hong Kong and Japan to name but a few. I had to sign an exclusive non-disclosure agreement. Everyone did! If an employee was caught talking about the secret facility, they were fired.
We walked through the entrance and down Main Street, lined with many quaint shops. Once inside the park, he seemed to relax, breathe a little easier. At a certain street lamp, he pressed a button and the sidewalk opened. It was part of huge underground work facility, where floats, cast members and others could be safely and quickly taken down from specific areas in the park. It was also the central location for secret developments on the project. We got in the elevator, he placed both his finger and eye on the scanners, all needed to access the hidden second floor, under the Hall!
It was here that the project became a reality. Only a handful of people knew what took place in the facility or had access. Ironically, the project was on public display daily inside his park! The theater’s attraction was about the past, present and future of the United States. Entrance was through Main Street where the Hall was located. There, life-size “animated” former Presidents of the U.S. acted on stage. Everyday people came by the thousands to see them. All in his park! No one ever caught on!
As the Halls door opened, all forty-four men ended their conversations. They looked at us and one asked, “How did it go?”. He sat down in the theater where these men were assembled and sighed, “like always,”. One of the men, sounding frustrated said aloud, “maybe it’s time to reveal the truth!” Washington, as he is known, continued “if they only knew what we are, what we could do, not the puppets we have to portray every day!” Walt interrupted and said, “I’m afraid that deception must continue.” Stating further, “if truth ever leaked out, they’d take us all away, close the park and we’d never be seen again.” Continuing, “each President, upon his retirement, will continue to be cloned, stand with you and contribute to this great nation of ours. We will get the other locations with their leaders running, you just have to be patient.” He added, “once we are ready… humans won’t have a choice.”
Motioning to the control room behind the wall, he lowered his head, and said “it’s truly an honor and privilege to be in your presence. The curtains that hid the stage, closed. Each president assumed his position begrudgingly, as the theater doors opened to the first of many shows that day! We walked out of the Halls theater, into the crowds that had amassed up and down Main Street. No one ever knew that the brothers were who they were- clones! These men before their deaths were the products of their own idea. The government would never know the truth nor the public!
As Walt and I merged into the crowd, he stopped for a moment when he heard employees greeting people with his phrase “welcome to the happiest place on earth!” Smiling we shook hands, he winked and we parted. I felt sorry for him for a moment, but only a moment. “A storm is brewing,” I thought to myself “and only I know his future and the future beyond, without him.”
Welcome to Hall of Presidents
Back in the late 1950‘s, when the idea was presented for the first time, a man of great wealth, good character and values, was tasked for this project. Then as now, the committee members listened with closed ears and minds. He sat in the shadows in silence, never speaking and making notes when he thought prudent. He realized early on that the project as it was, “would never be,” per these politicians. Today, in the year 2017, it was still the same ignorance and ego. No one ever knew that this man himself, was the reason they met!
In a dimly lit building inside the park, the man, his younger brother and I arrived at the annual meeting regarding the project. Though the committee members had changed over the years, then as now, they never saw beyond their own ignorance. Never appreciating that sharing past mistakes and successes, strengths and weaknesses could provide for the future. Tonight, was yet another worthless meeting. Ego’s, money and their own re-elections stood in the way.
As the meeting ended, we left the room in complete silence; one following the other outside. The tall nondescript gray building the meeting was held in, stood in the shadows as we got in the car. “Take him home first”, the elder brother said and the driver drove us away. Continuing he said, “They don’t change nor will we. It’s the only way to keep total autonomy!” Riding in silence for a while, the driver stopped outside the younger brother’s residence. “What time today? “the younger brother asked. “I’ll call you,” was the reply. The brother got out of the car and walked away, slowly.
With the doors closed, the driver asked “to the park?” The man nodded and said “yes, I need to meet with the men, and it’s almost seven- thirty. The park opens in an hour.” The driver proceeded and silence ensued.
In the dawns early light ,the castle gleamed and I knew the park was close. As the driver pulled up to a side entrance, we got out. The man told his faithful driver that he’d call him later, for a ride home. “You just keep making this the happiest place on earth, sir!”, and sped away,
I was hired exclusively by him a long time ago, after a career in bio-mechanics. My job was to oversee our remote locations which included France, Hong Kong and Japan to name but a few. I had to sign an exclusive non-disclosure agreement. Everyone did! If an employee was caught talking about the secret facility, they were fired.
We walked through the entrance and down Main Street, lined with many quaint shops. Once inside the park, he seemed to relax, breathe a little easier. At a certain street lamp, he pressed a button and the sidewalk opened. It was part of huge underground work facility, where floats, cast members and others could be safely and quickly taken down from specific areas in the park. It was also the central location for secret developments on the project. We got in the elevator, he placed both his finger and eye on the scanners, all needed to access the hidden second floor, under the Hall!
It was here that the project became a reality. Only a handful of people knew what took place in the facility or had access. Ironically, the project was on public display daily inside his park! The theater’s attraction was about the past, present and future of the United States. Entrance was through Main Street where the Hall was located. There, life-size “animated” former Presidents of the U.S. acted on stage. Everyday people came by the thousands to see them. All in his park! No one ever caught on!
As the Halls door opened, all forty-four men ended their conversations. They looked at us and one asked, “How did it go?”. He sat down in the theater where these men were assembled and sighed, “like always,”. One of the men, sounding frustrated said aloud, “maybe it’s time to reveal the truth!” Washington, as he is known, continued “if they only knew what we are, what we could do, not the puppets we have to portray every day!” Walt interrupted and said, “I’m afraid that deception must continue.” Stating further, “if truth ever leaked out, they’d take us all away, close the park and we’d never be seen again.” Continuing, “each President, upon his retirement, will continue to be cloned, stand with you and contribute to this great nation of ours. We will get the other locations with their leaders running, you just have to be patient.” He added, “once we are ready… humans won’t have a choice.”
Motioning to the control room behind the wall, he lowered his head, and said “it’s truly an honor and privilege to be in your presence. The curtains that hid the stage, closed. Each president assumed his position begrudgingly, as the theater doors opened to the first of many shows that day! We walked out of the Halls theater, into the crowds that had amassed up and down Main Street. No one ever knew that the brothers were who they were- clones! These men before their deaths were the products of their own idea. The government would never know the truth nor the public!
As Walt and I merged into the crowd, he stopped for a moment when he heard employees greeting people with his phrase “welcome to the happiest place on earth!” Smiling we shook hands, he winked and we parted. I felt sorry for him for a moment, but only a moment. “A storm is brewing,” I thought to myself “and only I know his future and the future beyond, without him.”
Leave a Reply