Our dear leader sits at a long dining table eating a bowl
of black bean soup. No one else sits at the table, only
the dear leader. He detests the soup, but he rather likes
the contrast of black beans against bright white ceramic
bowl. Zoom in on the beans, he tells the camera operator,
not on my hands! He’s the only actor in this film, of course,
and he’s also the director, even though there’s some toady
quietly telling the film crew what to do. As soon as
the scene is over, he tells a gopher, Get this soup away
from me, now. Then he wipes the table with his white
linen napkin, attempting to erase the scent of black bean
soup. He smells the napkin, his hand, his suit sleeve.
Everything stinks of black bean soup! He starts taking off
his suit coat, shirt, shoes, socks, trousers, boxers. Soon,
he’s standing naked before the film crew. Get a bowl
of hot water and lots of soap, he tells a bodyguard,
and scrub me down. I’m about to direct the National
Men’s Liberty Choir. I can’t be reeking of black bean
soup. Taken by a hidden camera, this leaked scene
[a crime to view or possess] ends here, with three
body servants scrubbing the dear leader’s pale, bloated
body, as he inspects a sketch made for his daily portrait.
.
John Bradley
.