Rhyme or Treason
A collection of darkly humorous stories and columns. In “The Twilight of the Clowns” a traditional way of life ends as clowning ceases to be a viable way of life; In “Everybody Loves a Little Elf” elves save a man’s business but they create a literal stink about property rights and slave labor; In “More than One Day in the Life of Igor Igoravitch” a KGB agent is caught up in a web of intrigue that is his own creation; Australians move to take over the world with their national food, the hot dog; The web of lies in Charlotte's Web is exposed; and the price of the simulacra in the window is finally laid bare.
this red insurgency, one-hundred percent of America will be communist, and we will have lost the cold war."
"Chaplin?" asked Jones.
"In Switzerland," replied Cohn, after checking his pad.
"We can't get at the bastard," growled Hoover, his fists clenched, his face glowing bright red.
"Look," said Jones, "Surely you're having me on. You must know how silly this is. This is happenstance, coincidence."
"You," intoned Hoover, "are a fool."
"Just like Truman," added Cohn.
With this, Jones left the office.
Hoover turned to Cohn and said, "Have that man followed. Full surveillance. Tap his phone. If he's not a red he's a pink. Put our best man on him."
"Matt Cvetic?" asked Cohn.
"He's not entirely trustworthy," said Hoover. "Put him on it, but have a man tail him also."
"In fact, if this 'Jones' character is indicative of the kind of man employed by the CIA, I want a man with the FBI on each CIA agent, whether at home or abroad. In fact, I
