At the Fossil Fuels Summit in Dover, Delaware, Bellinda looked around and kept going with her high heels and three-thousand-dollar suit. It featured grey and red with flecks of blue that wrapped around her body as if frozen. She, however, moved. Her hand reached out to shake that of CEO of Delaware Oil Company, Sigmund Colben. 

“It’s a pleasure to see you here again, this year,” Colbern said with his bleached teeth and tar black skin. 

“I am so honored to be here once more.”

Bellinda looked perplexed. “What’s going on, Sig?”

“Smartystan is for New Castle County. Down here in Lower Slower Delaware (LSD), we have to fight like dogs in the street just to get to the greatness that I know you all enjoy. Solar and wind are at the forefront for making new products and to fuel our cars and machines.”

Bellinda’s mouth sort of drooped in a slight way. “Goddamn.” She managed to say. 

“They’ve voted down here to get rid of all of the facets of the fossil fuel industry. That means, clothes, cars, homes, cement, everything. This whole thing,” he waved his hand, “all of this will be a relic of the past in the coming months.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. It’s up to the votes of the people. That is still a hallmark of freedom. But we must remember that it’s about the universities that produce green gunk that must be taken away from the scene. No one ever says just how much oil and natural gas and even nuclear power has launched us from the muck of darkness to the glorious light.”

“I know, I know,” Colben said. “You put it much poetically, but as far as I know, we should be part of the entire country-state and that whole idea of Smartystan being a beacon for freedom and rights, we have to respect the ideas of those even though they are corrupt and ugly.”

Bellinda and Colben walked around the convention center. Farmers with their gleaming tractors had been put onto display. Concept cars with sharp edges and smooth curves showed the last of the vehicles to be made with refined petroleum. The amount of power behind the top level executives felt like they stood next to open caskets. It seemed as if they knew that this would be a disturbing chapter in the history of Smartystan. With notes on how this could all become a wider disaster if every sector of the fledgling State were to adopt such Draconian laws. 

“Take every piece of this and hold it, Bellinda,” Colben said, anguish and a bit of astonishment crept into his voice. “This is all we have. Hundreds of years of innovation based on fossil fuels and we’re now looking at the corpse of what once was.”

Bellinda shook her head. They headed over to the One Drop Rule Cafe and had espressos and cappuccino. 

“This is black gold,” Colben pointed out. He looked at the coffee and savored its suggestive and hypnotic scent. “Oil is black gold. It should be around for another two hundred million years. When people talk about ‘renewable energy,’ they should be talking about coal, oil, and natural gas. They are the cornerstones of progress. They lift people out of poverty, raise standard of living overall, increase life expectancy, and create a world of greatness in their wake.”

Bellinda sipped her espresso. The warmth on her tongue allowed her to at least enjoy this specific moment. Even through this tough spot in the world, in Kent County, she knew that this could somehow be reversed.

“I know Covey can do something about this.”

“Covey? Is that old man still doing well?” Bellinda sipped and nodded her head yes. “If there’s someone who can fix this problem, it’s him. I only contributed the sections of the new Declaration which pertained strictly to business. I know fossil fuels are gigantic business, but I could only discuss how the separation from ideas, science, economics, and education would promote more enterprise in this country-state.”

“That’s about right. It’s like a shell in my shoe. I can’t shake it. I mean it’s cute to think of solar panels and wind turbines, but what about the role of traditional fuels powering the future?” Colben thought.

“I know. My machines run on gasoline. I’m going to need as much fossil fuels that are allowed to me in order to continue with my business with Keija.”

“They’re fine. I know you’ve heard we merged together. Her synths require oil to run smoothly. Vestin’s opening up shops for his skateboarding venture.”

“That’s great. I still can’t believe it’s been this long since Declaration 2.0. You fantas–– you fabu–– you four did a lot of good for the world at large. I’m glad I got to see you again. It remains a sore spot in my mind to realize that there is no one who can come up with excellence the way you all did.”

“Nothing…if we can get you four to include a clause in the Constitution 2.0….”

“We don’t do amendments, but we can address the problem of the disappearance of fossil fuels with the aid of people who will vote again once there is a new president. Glenn has not had the power to override any election and will never be able to do so. He could campaign for fossil fuels. There’s a chance in that,” Bellinda shrugged slightly.

Colben snorted. “I don’t know. I think he’s doing an okay job. He’s the first so history might treat him better. Hell, we’re the First State and look what that got us,” he snickered.

“I know. If there is a way of getting used to the idea of phasing out fossil fuels, it’s more of a nightmare. We must stand firm in our resolve in regard to speaking up for them and against alternative, unsustainable, and expensive ‘fuels.’ I don’t like the fact that there is no one looking out for the big man,” she said.

“The big man. Everyone talks about the ‘little guy’ or ‘little people.’ Who’s going to speak up for you? Who’s going to be blasting away any notions of fraudsters and those who wreak danger on the world?”

Bellinda took in the word. She stopped sipping her coffee and looked Colben straight in the eyes. 

“You’re going to advocate for the fossil fuel industry as well as nuclear power and make it clear to the people of within and without Smartystan, that you are focused on completely preserving the notion that business, small or big, must face challenges and win them.”

She peered again at him. She noted the seriousness in his voice and the calmness, too. Her ideas had never changed. In her purse, she slid the .22 pistol and picked up the smartphone. 

“I’m going to record our conversation from here on out if that’s okay with you….”

“Good. Here it goes.” The red light illuminated her device.

“So, like I was saying, we have to be vigilant and ready to combat the irrationalism that is so prevalent in other parts of the US and even here in Smartystan. I know that when you and  the other three sat down to draft that Declaration, you didn’t––”

Suddenly, a blast sounded from one of the cars. An assailant had placed a box of kerosene drenched rags and set it ablaze. The fire reached a few of the cars and caused them to burst into flames. Bright spots of yellow and orange swirled about and great plumes of black smoke arose to the aire of the large arena. Screams and shouts streaked through the room. Bellinda and Colben ducked under the table and then looked at each other. They resolved to get up and aid in any way they could. Sprinkler systems engaged and the fire department came to the rescue. 

The first responders put out the fire and captured the miscreant, respectively.

The sprinklers drenched everyone but no one reported any fatalities or serious injuries. Bellinda and Colben looked at each other and laughed. They felt glad nobody received grievous injuries or died and that this exact moment exemplified the nihilism of the people who promoted a way of life far different than their vision.

“Well, this certainly changes things,” Colben remarked, brushing off his suit. A line formed to go out of the convention hall. There still remained a bit of smoke around the area of the concept cars. They may have been destroyed, but the spirit, the resolve for the idea of fossil fuels continued to spur Bellinda and Colben to continue on their journey of selfishness. They walked outside into the glaring light and the beautiful blue skies ahead.

“We’re in a crisis. That is known,” Colben said to her. “If low life scum can come through and try to terrorize––”

“Don’t give them that much credit. They’re nobodies and nothing. We still prevail. We still fight. We still win,” Bellinda asserted.

Soon, Mr. Colbens aids came to him and he introduced them to Bellinda. They couldn’t have been more than twenty-three. Bellinda saw they had guns a bit bigger than hers. She smiled at the fact that Colben had security. She never thought she needed it. With her own protection, the woman knew how to safeguard herself.

“I say we pick our conversation up again on a monitor call, no?” Colben suggested.

“Of course, that’d be great,” Bellinda wrung her hair. Colben’s crew escorted him to a large SUV and the CEO had vanished from sight. All the CEO’s vanished like flickers of sparks dancing in the night. Vehicle after vehicle, they brought away the c-suite members and ushered them into safety. Bellinda used her vaporizer. A cool rush on this spring day gave way to a feeling of a jolt from what just happened and a greater sense of peace that followed. She found her latest speed wagon and drove back up to the place with pearly gates and golden streets. The thoughts Colben expressed to her made her even more driven. As she returned to her home, she showered and dressed  and put on a skirt and shirt. 

“What we just went through is just a fraction of the disgusting things that have happened in the past. If we are able to make it out of that, we can do all things through reason which strengthens us,” Bellinda announced.

“I know,” He had had time to shower and change and he wore another four thousand dollar suit.

“Where’re you headed, if I may ask, sir?” Belinda queried.

“I have to go to a press conference regarding the event. I’m going to clue you in on everything they talk about.”

“Thanks. I just wanted to share my idealism towards you. I appreciate the way you maneuvered out of what could have been an even more dire situation,” Bellinda acknowledged. She looked at the screen and saw Colben almost bow in respect to her words. 

“I needed to know you were going to be safe. I know Roger is glad you pulled through all of this,” Cloben mentioned.

“And Zadie’s glad to have a man in her life who is still capable of doing his part in saving the world.”

Their thoughts aligned to form a shield. It was a shield against unreason and faith. It was a shield against the collective minds huddled together that couldn’t be broken. This shield had been forged a long time ago when the two business leaders first met. When Colben had forged relationships with everyone from Dr. Strong to President Goshen, he knew just how important it was to know them and see that this whole situation could be more beneficial than a hindrance. 

“I will let you know and I hope that we can get together soon,” he called.

“That I’ll do, sir,” she answered. 

Chintan Jani

Smartystan

The Big People

At the Fossil Fuels Summit in Dover, Delaware, Bellinda looked around and kept going with her high heels and three-thousand-dollar suit. It featured grey and red with flecks of blue that wrapped around her body as if frozen. She, however, moved. Her hand reached out to shake that of CEO of Delaware Oil Company, Sigmund Colben. 



Smartystan

The Big People

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Businesswoman Chapter 2

Smartystan

The Big People

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Businesswoman Chapter 2

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