Martian V.F.W.

Martian V.F.W., by G.L.
Vandenburg

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Title: Martian V.F.W.
Author: G.L. Vandenburg
Release Date: July 20, 2007 [EBook #22110]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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V.F.W. ***

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MARTIAN V. F. W.
By G. L. VANDENBURG

There's nothing like a parade, I always say. Of course, I'm a Martian.
Mr. Cruthers was a busy man. Coordinating the biggest parade in New
York's history is not easy. He was maneuvering his two hundred
pounds around Washington Square with the agility of a quarterback. He
had his hands full organizing marchers, locating floats, placing the
many brass bands in their proper order and barking commands to
assistants. But Mr. Cruthers approached the job with all the zeal of an
evangelist at a revival meeting.
As he approached the south-west corner of the square he saw
something that jarred his already frayed nerves. He stopped abruptly.
The mass of clipboards and papers he was carrying fell to the street.
There before him were one hundred and fifty ants, each of them at least
six feet tall. His first impulse was to turn and run for the nearest doctor.
He was certain that the strain of his job was proving too much for him.
But one of the ants approached him. It seemed friendly enough, so Mr.
Cruthers stood his ground.
"My group is waiting for their assignment." The ant's voice seemed to
be coming from the very core of its thorax which was a violent red.
"Good Lord!" Mr. Cruthers' mouth opened up as wide as an oven door.
"Mr. Cruthers, I believe the parade is about to start and my group--"
Mr. Cruthers managed to blurt out. "What the devil are you anyway!"
"This is the parade marking the International Geophysical Year, is it
not?" The ant had a pleasant, friendly voice.
"Well, yes, but--"
"And you are Mr. Cruthers, the manager of the parade, is that not
correct?"
* * * * *

Mr. Cruthers rubbed his eyes and took another look at the strange
creature. Its head was a brilliant yellow. It had two large goggle eyes
which rolled like itinerant marbles when it spoke. The low slung
abdomen was a burnt brown. It was bad enough, Cruthers thought, that
these ants were six feet tall, but it was nightmarish to see them in three
colors.
"Mr. Cruthers," the ant continued, "haven't you been instructed by the
National Academy of Sciences that the Martian V.F.W. is to participate
in this parade?"
"The Martian--!!" Mr. Cruthers' mouth was open again. Then he
realized that when the ant spoke its mouth didn't move. He picked up
his clipboard and papers from the street. His voice was hostile now.
"What the hell is this, some kind of a gag! What are you trying to do,
scare a man half to death!"
"Oh, we're not joking, Mr. Cruthers. The National Academy--"
"They didn't say anything to me about a bunch of clowns dressed up
like ants!" Mr. Cruthers' indignation became intensified. He was loathe
to admit that he'd been taken in by such obviously animated costumes.
"Now look here, I'm a very busy man."
"The arrangements have been made, Mr. Cruthers. If my group is
refused a place in this parade we shall file suit immediately. As
manager you'll be named co-defendant." The ant was gentle but firm.
The thought of being sued softened Mr. Cruthers' attitude. "Well, I'm
very sorry, pal, but every contingent in this parade is listed on my
clipboard and you're not. I know this list by heart. What did you say the
name of your group was?"
"The Martian V.F.W."
Mr. Cruthers was amused. "Those sure are the craziest outfits I've ever
seen," he chuckled. "Where'd you get them? Walt Disney make them
for you?" He followed his own little joke with a long throaty laugh.

The ant was impatient. "About the parade, Mr. Cruthers, there isn't
much time."
"Oh, yes, the parade. Well, let me see," he thumbed through the
clipboard, "I guess there's always room for a few laughs. How many in
your group?"
"One hundred and fifty. And we also have a float with us. Not a very
large one. It measures twenty by twenty."
"Tell you what. You move your group to the corner of Thompson
Street and Third Street. Get behind the Tiffany float and follow them,
okay?"
The ant