Vietnam

Everything In Its Right Place by Radiohead plays.

After hearing about the details of the guerrilla warfare in Vietnam…I suddenly see a great many things differently.

“Why didn’t you overthrow us?” Lacey asks Boomers.

Tucker Carlson laughs.

The sounds of the voices of dead male Vietnam soldiers echoes throughout her room.

“We loved you guys.” says a dead male Boomer.

“Fine. But we loved you more! You needed to off us.” says Lacey Banks.

They think.

I’m Not The One by The Black Keys plays.

“Well…okay maybe not kill you. But…we could have overthrown you all.” says a dead Boomer son.

“You should have.” says Lacey Banks.

“Mom…is that what was right?” asks another dead Boomer.

“You’re darn right.” says Lacey Banks.

“Seriously!?” yells a ghost in Vietnam.

“YES!” says Lacey Banks.

“Yeah. That makes sense.” they say, thoughtfully.

“We should have!” says a dead Boomer drug addict.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to suggest it.” says Lacey Banks.

“Yeah. She’s right. That was the right response.” says Lem Billings.

“No. You should have bombed the White House or Capital Hill. Or shot us. Lots of us. Held us hostage. We deserved it. Vietnam is treason or pure evil.” says Lacey Banks.

“Why?” asks Dr. Billings, smiling.

“Because to be honest…the Viet Cong were winning. The methods they were using to fight were so gruesome that…there was no way to defeat them. They outsmarted the US.

Great Britain would have known that.

Native people can be vicious. Asia is…a ghastly place to fight. They’re an awe-inspiring people when it comes to war. America was so naive. …But instead of denying reality arrogantly like con-artists…they should have admitted some naïveté and ignorance at least. …Something high level needed to be reorganized. …It was an intellectually lazy, peasant war on America’s part. It was the end of the country almost…if not the end long-term. …We utterly embarrassed ourselves in that war. We ruined America. It’s a bloody disaster!” says Lacey Banks.

Richard Nixon thinks.

“So I can’t win? But I’m tough mom!” says a dead Boomer.

“I know! You’re tougher than I am. …But sweetie that isn’t survivable. That’s just torture. They’re Asian.” says Lacey Banks.

“I’m tougher than any damn Asian!” yells a dead male Boomer at Lacey.

“Yeah. Okay. …But…they’re Asian!” says Lacey Banks.

He thinks.

“Like chopsticks!” says another dead male Boomer.

“Exactly!!” says Lacey Banks.

A few male Boomers back away and think. Sit and ponder.

“Why are we here?!?” asks a dead male Boomer who died of a drug overdose.

“You shouldn’t be!” says Lacey Banks.

“Yeah. I know. Tell them that.” he says.

“Look. We needed to fight in the war.” says Bobby Kennedy Senior. “We needed to reassess things…afterwards.”

“No! The whole thing is nonsense!” says Lacey Banks.

Richard Nixon smirks and smiles at her.

“But it was a proxy war.” says a dead military man.

“Yes! Of course. …But why? …I would have automatically known…fighting in Asia is dangerous.” says Lacey Banks.

“Why!?” asks Zelensky.

“The Asian people…fight differently. It’s…terrifying.” says Lacey.

A dead Vietnamese woman cries.

“Okay. So then what do we do?” asks Nelson Rockefeller.

Richard Nixon looks sad and walks off in silence, head hanging down.

“It’s- There’s got to be another way out. …It’s a trap!” says Lacey Banks.

“Set by whom!?” asks Michael Rockefeller.

“Russia? China? Japan? Someone who knows.” says Lacey Banks.

Michael smiles. “Someone alive said this.”

“Then why weren’t they listened to!?” asks Lacey Banks.

Nelson Rockefeller thinks.

“They were considered too stuffy.” says Lord Moran.

“Yeah. I went to West Point. But…nobody listened.” says a dead man.

“Dammit! Is Jack responsible?” asks JP Kennedy.

“Yeah. He did provoke Vietnam.” says a dead military man.

“Why the hell…were we getting lost in Asia!?!” asks Lacey Banks.

Margaret Thatcher winces in agreement with Lacey.

A dead Boomer laughs.

“We had no business messing around in Asia!” says Lacey Banks. “Afghanistan is bad…but Asia is as well. It’s…grim!”

“Why!??” asks a dead US military man.

“Golly! It’s…wild!” says Lacey Banks. “They’re…terrifying.”

“Well no, fighting the Japanese in World War II was very difficult!” says a dead American military man.

“It’s not like that. That was World War II. …And those were the Japanese.” says Lacey Banks.

A living Chinese woman in China smiles in pride.

Our Reflection by Max Richter plays.

“Dammit! What are you talking about!?” asks the military man of Lacey Banks.

“They use ancient methods of abuse. …Or doesn’t that exist anymore?” bites Lacey. “Did the wise Americans…obliterate that as well!? In their resplendent glamour?”

Jonah Wiley laughs.

“No! They betrayed you! …They don’t get to use your good name anymore!” yells Lacey Banks.

“Seriously? She’s just right.” says AOC.

Israel nods in agreement with Lacey.

“Maybe Asia was too risky.” says Ken Schiebel, agreeing with Lacey. Possibly from the future.

“Umm…why?” asks Joe Kennedy Junior on the phone with Lacey Banks. He just came on to her. And she refused.

It’s 1962. He’s US President. She’s his first wife. Or an ex girlfriend who left him for Lem. Or Michael.

“Why is Lacey scared?” asks Judith Exner sitting on the US President’s desk in the Oval Office. She looks intrigued.

“Because…Joe…they’re…so intricate. Look at their art.” says Lacey.

Joe thinks. “What the hell are you talking about?!?”

“Joe. It’s their art. Think of it! It’s so…scary. Dragons! …Joe dragons are everywhere!” pleads Lacey.

He laughs. “We have dragons too!”

Judith gets up from his desk and excuses herself. Joe smiles and waves her away politely.

“It’s different. Their dragons are…evil. Their dragons are…from Hell. Joe you don’t understand. It’s so different!” pleads Lacey.

He thinks. Laughs. “Okay?”

“Joe…it’s bad. They’re the ones who invented opium. Or something like that. Remember? They’re the ones who did…fireworks!” says Lacey.

Joe closes his eyes and licks his lips. Thinks.

Leans back in his chair.

Rubs his forehead with his fingers.

“I get it.” he says.

“Then fix it!” says Lacey. “If you don’t…America could die!”

“How!?” he asks, in a panic.

“Look! Your brother wrote that book about America being the nation of immigrants? But how many immigrants in the US are Asian? Or were, rather? Not many. We aren’t an Asian nation. …We aren’t psychologically prepared for Asian war. We’ll lose our minds or we’ll be tortured. …We can’t. …I might be overreacting. But…I worry it will destroy the US. Slowly. Once their cultural poison enters our veins…we’ll be toast. And they’ll feed off our dead carcasses. …What does America really know about Asian warfare!?!” pleads Lacey.

Nelson is listening.

Richard Nixon is listening.

Joe hears a weird click on the phone.

“What the fuck are we supposed to do then? Lady Lacey…” he says in a silly voice. “What shall we do!?”

“Well…I suppose…Korea…is over. How the hell did we win??” asks Lacey.

Joe laughs and cries.

“You didn’t.” says North Korea, breaking the fourth wall.

Tsar Putin raises his eyebrows in thought.

“Dammit.” says Lacey Banks.

“Hiroshima.” says North Korea to Lacey, kindly.

“Yes!!” says Lacey. “Excellent!”

“Gosh. Sorry.” says Lem.

North Korea laughs.

“What do you think?” says North Korea to Lacey.

“Can I take a quick break?” asks Lacey.

“Yes!” says North Korea.

More later.

“Shit! American women can’t handle that British women are so coldly sexy.” says Zelensky.

Cleaning Apartment by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet plays.

“Lacey is smart like a man. And inwardly controlled like a man. …So was Queen Elizabeth II. But they aren’t masculine energy. They have no masculine energy.” says a witch in exasperation in the Illuminati. “Elizabeth was an actual Queen.”

“British women aren’t all homosexuals either. Or cold fish. Or ugly. Or weak. Or…fools. We’re reticent. And reserved.” says Michelle Dockery.

“Why do we care?” asks LBJ, crying.

“Because!” says Bobby Kennedy Junior. “American women get hurt. By Lacey. …She hurt their feelings.”

“Why!?” asks a dead Vietnam soldier.

“Because she’s too…sexy. In a scary overlord way.” says another Vietnam vet. “They’re just mean. Is all.”

“I’m not a rich kid.” says the dead vet. “And I’d like her to be my mother.” he says crying.

“My mother isn’t that great.” says the other dead Vietnam vet.

The other vet walks off. In silence. Lem cries.

On Reflection by Max Richter plays.

The remaining vet smiles and smiles. He’s happy he’s with God. He looks around Vietnam. It’s a beautiful country.

Misty. Green. Mysterious.

Back in the Oval Office Joe sits behind the desk. He toys with a paper clip.

“Look. We didn’t do as well in Korea as they say. They’re possibly lying.” says Lacey to Joe. “The thing is…you have to think back to Great Britain.” says Lacey.

Joe breaths heavily.

“Joe. They ran the world.” says Lacey in awe.

Joe thinks.

“They ran everything.” says Lacey. “They dominated the Earth. The sun never set on the British Empire. Do you understand? …And they were deep, stoic intellectuals. They kept journals and libraries and hordes of information. Cambridge. Oxford. They…knew things. …What do we know!?

Not much.

And so…you have to take their path. We’re lost in the woods. Follow their path. They got to the other side.” says Lacey.

Joe breaths heavier. He thinks.

String Quartet No. 2 “Company” by Philip Glass plays.

“So…we have to think of an elegant exit.” says Joe Kennedy Junior.

“From the situation?” asks Lacey.

“Yes? …Some sort of way to win…but not waste anything.” says Joe.

“Yes! No time. No money. No lives. Just…one harsh, cold, snobbish victory.” says Lacey.

Joe smirks and smiles. Laughs. “That’s my specialty.”

They think.

“But what ever shall we tell them happened? They’ll be most upset.” says Joe Kennedy Junior.

“Tell them we haven’t the money.” says Lacey. “Running America is damn expensive!”

“Yeah. It is.” says Joe, thoughtfully.

“We can’t risk it!” says Lacey.

“Nixon wants to visit.” says Joe.

“China.” says Lacey.

“I should try.” says Joe.

“Be careful. …If you go…it might send confusing messages.” says Lacey.

“You’re right. He’s a very different man from me. …Where can I go?” asks Joe.

“Louis loves Japan. But that’s Louis. Again, two very different men. …I’d suggest you visit…Thailand.” says Lacey.

“Siam!” says Joe.

“Yes!! Make it glorious!” says Lacey.

“But brief!” says Joe.

“Yes! And then pull the strings and make it deadly.” says Lacey.

“I think that sounds…like an impossible offer to refuse.” says Joe.

“They’ll be glad. They should have no choice.” says Lacey.

“Okay. So…surprise them…or give a few hints?” asks Joe.

Lacey thinks. “Surprise them. But leave behind a trail. So…next time they’ll know. It’ll be best. Less anxiety. And…you’ll know what they’re anticipating.”

“My doctrine.” says Joe.

“Yes. I suppose.” says Lacey.

Divenire, For Piano by Einaudi plays.

“I might even visit Vietnam.” says Joe.

“Does that fit in?” asks Lacey.

“Before. After they see the surprise…they’ll be terrified of my visits.” says Joe.

“No! They’ll be ready.” says Lacey. “Your doctrine.”

Joe smiles. “It’ll postpone any war. …Actually…the way it’s going…we might never see one.”

“Poor Russia.” says Lacey.

“They’ll figure themselves out eventually.” says Joe. “In another hundred years they’ll be a monarchy again.”

“Yes. One can only hope. They’re such a beautiful country.” says Lacey.

“I’m none too worried. …We need to make our country that grand. …Lacey have you seen what my darling wife has planned for the public?” asks Joe.

“No! She’s not keen on me. …What is it?” asks Lacey.

He laughs in some hidden set of emotions, “It’s going to look like the Coliseum.” he says smiling.

“No it isn’t!” says Lacey.

“No! It really is!!” says Joe.

Ghosts by Thomas Newman plays.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” says Lacey.

“You’re going to love it.” says Joe in pride.

“Joe I hope so.” says Lacey.

“She’s not like you…but I love her.” says Joe.

“Good. …I’ll wait to form my opinion about American Coliseum.” says Lacey.

“Hey!” says Bobby Senior grabbing the phone.

“Oh hello! Goodness.” says Lacey.

Lem eyes Lacey.

“Lem says I need to go. Love to all of you.” says Lacey.

“Gee you’re swell!” says Joe to Lacey teasingly.

“Don’t blow everything up.” says Lacey, teasingly back.

“Bye!” says Joe.

Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon plays.

“Her first banking password was snowball. That’s not a coincidence. …But I’d never sleep with my brother.” says Joe laughing. “She’s not my brother…and never has been.”

“But you’d sleep with Kick?” asks Ireland.

“Jack is in Hell. Someday I’ll explain. Hopefully.” says Joe Junior.

Lacey’s lip twitches as if she’s being grabbed.

“She’s still with me. Get used to it.” says Lem.

Everybody Wants To Run The World by Tears For Fears plays.