No tale of inspiration from Max or Miles for this prompt? I feel slightly saddened....
The running of the Turtles "Harry Turtle," said Manguy. On the projector screen at the end of the room was a picture of a middle-aged man with a gentle smile and a hint of wrinkles around grey, bright eyes. His hair was carefully brushed back and he was wearing a comfortable-looking blue wool jumper. Manguy tapped a key on his laptop and the image changed to a slightly younger-looking woman who was very definitely not wearing a lot of makeup, just enough to enhance her eyes and lips. Her eyes were blue, her teeth were white enough for a toothpaste commercial and her auburn hair cascaded down onto bare shoulders. "Megan Turtle," said Manguy. "Husband and wife?" Sat around the table were four people: two men and two women. Moving clockwise from Manguy they were the Chairwoman, the CEO, and the CFO of American Revolutionary Guns-for-all Healthcare; and Manguy's colleague Jeronica. The CEO, Damian Brightbeard, asked the question. "No. They've in fact never even met, but for the purposes of political office they will exhibit a loving relationship of twelve years." Jeronica's voice was firm and slightly echoey. She sounded like she was used to command. "Our analysis team recommend that there should be a couple of small upsets in the second year, and a slightly bigger one in the fifth year so that Harry and Megan can talk about how that brought them closer together and made them realise their love for each other." "We are thinking miscarriage for year two," said Manguy. He tapped the laptop, and the CFO, an older man with grey hair and jowls, visibly flinched. He looked extremely relieved when the new screen proved to be a bullet-pointed list that Manguy was working through. "Followed three months later by delayed complications. That introduces a certain amount of strain into the relationship and sets up the birth of a son one year later, who is then killed after a local council fails to maintain a day-care facility properly." "That's year five," said Jeronica, ignoring the look of pain that crossed the Chairwoman's face. "This has the effect of getting the need for family out of our way, explains the entry into politics, and the specific interests in juvenile health-care and the need to equip public workers with appropriate weapons." Damian nodded. "So the Turtles run for office in...?" "We'll start with Arkansas," said Manguy. "There are some options there if you have a preference; they've been sent to you through our secure system. But Arkansas has an 82% chance of success if we approach along these lines. After that we think Georgia would do well, which should give us enough access to Washington to be able to start adjusting the attitude of Congress towards these... noble... aims." The Chairwoman coughed gently. "I like this very much," she said. "Guns-for-all Healthcare--" "We need to change that slightly too," said Manguy. "You can change it back after we've had some initial successes," said Jeronica. The two spoke so smoothly it was though it was rehearsed. "We recommend referring to yourselves as ARG Healthcare initially," said Manguy. "And then when it's clear that all nurses should be armed we return to Guns-for-all," said Jeronica. "It'll look prescient," said Manguy. There was a moment of silence, and then Damian leaned forward: "Here's to the running of the Turtles!" he said.
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No tale of inspiration from Max or Miles for this prompt? I feel slightly saddened....
The running of the Turtles
"Harry Turtle," said Manguy. On the projector screen at the end of the room was a picture of a middle-aged man with a gentle smile and a hint of wrinkles around grey, bright eyes. His hair was carefully brushed back and he was wearing a comfortable-looking blue wool jumper. Manguy tapped a key on his laptop and the image changed to a slightly younger-looking woman who was very definitely not wearing a lot of makeup, just enough to enhance her eyes and lips. Her eyes were blue, her teeth were white enough for a toothpaste commercial and her auburn hair cascaded down onto bare shoulders.
"Megan Turtle," said Manguy.
"Husband and wife?" Sat around the table were four people: two men and two women. Moving clockwise from Manguy they were the Chairwoman, the CEO, and the CFO of American Revolutionary Guns-for-all Healthcare; and Manguy's colleague Jeronica. The CEO, Damian Brightbeard, asked the question.
"No. They've in fact never even met, but for the purposes of political office they will exhibit a loving relationship of twelve years." Jeronica's voice was firm and slightly echoey. She sounded like she was used to command. "Our analysis team recommend that there should be a couple of small upsets in the second year, and a slightly bigger one in the fifth year so that Harry and Megan can talk about how that brought them closer together and made them realise their love for each other."
"We are thinking miscarriage for year two," said Manguy. He tapped the laptop, and the CFO, an older man with grey hair and jowls, visibly flinched. He looked extremely relieved when the new screen proved to be a bullet-pointed list that Manguy was working through. "Followed three months later by delayed complications. That introduces a certain amount of strain into the relationship and sets up the birth of a son one year later, who is then killed after a local council fails to maintain a day-care facility properly."
"That's year five," said Jeronica, ignoring the look of pain that crossed the Chairwoman's face. "This has the effect of getting the need for family out of our way, explains the entry into politics, and the specific interests in juvenile health-care and the need to equip public workers with appropriate weapons."
Damian nodded. "So the Turtles run for office in...?"
"We'll start with Arkansas," said Manguy. "There are some options there if you have a preference; they've been sent to you through our secure system. But Arkansas has an 82% chance of success if we approach along these lines. After that we think Georgia would do well, which should give us enough access to Washington to be able to start adjusting the attitude of Congress towards these... noble... aims."
The Chairwoman coughed gently. "I like this very much," she said. "Guns-for-all Healthcare--"
"We need to change that slightly too," said Manguy.
"You can change it back after we've had some initial successes," said Jeronica. The two spoke so smoothly it was though it was rehearsed.
"We recommend referring to yourselves as ARG Healthcare initially," said Manguy.
"And then when it's clear that all nurses should be armed we return to Guns-for-all," said Jeronica.
"It'll look prescient," said Manguy.
There was a moment of silence, and then Damian leaned forward: "Here's to the running of the Turtles!" he said.
Greg - nope, this one was all me. As in, me thinking 'what would be a funnier version of running of the bulls?'.
This... is an amazing take on the prompt. Horrifying, obviously, but I am deeply impressed.
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