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Melon City’s Entertainments



People want a different entertainment once in a while. The King knew it. That’s why he constructed the arch across the Raj Path. He also made sure that a marble slab was affixed at the foot of the arch with his name emblazoned on it so that posterity would remember him as the builder of the arch. It was a monumental arch, the biggest and tallest of its kind so far.

When its construction was over, the King announced its grand inauguration on all TV channels controlled by him. There were very few channels that were not under his control and such channels were breathing their last anyway. The offices of those channels were raided frequently for one reason or another.

On the day of opening the grand arch to the public officially, the King rode on the Raj Path standing on an elevated platform in an open jeep waving at his admirers who stood on both sides of the Path. The ride and the inaugural address were telecasted live to the entire admiring nation.

The arch was decorated in multi-colours. Pretty young girls stood on either side of Raj Path holding pom-poms whose glitter matched the King’s royal robes. Republic TV had been given the exclusive rights to the live telecast. Its anchor seemed to reach orgasm again and again with the description of each thing from the pom-pom to the royal robe.

And then the unthinkable happened. The King’s crown fell down to the dust. It touched one of the frills was hanging from the arch decoratively.

The King instantly ordered the arrest of his chief critic accusing him of antinational conspiracy.

“Burn him alive.” “Hang him.” “Lynch him.” The citizens shouted.

"The nation wants a hanging," Republic TV roared.

The King was happy. The nation chooses its own entertainment. This is democracy. This is Melon City.


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