1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the ten Minute Storyteller. That's me Bill Simpson, 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: your host, narrator, and author. We hear at the ten 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Minute Storyteller endeavor to entertain you with tall tales or 4 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: rendered swiftly and with the utmost empathy. We pledge to 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: pack as much entertainment, emotion, and exploration into the human 6 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: condition as ten minutes will permit. Mini novels on steroids. 7 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: This week we meet Jane. Jane has been kind of 8 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: overlooked her whole life. A combination of mediocre looks and 9 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: a rather flat personality has left Jane long buried in 10 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: the middle of the wood pile. But Jane has plans, 11 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: big plans, flamboyant plans, fiery plans to change all that. 12 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: Jane is ready to once and for all hit the 13 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: big time, just another day at the Supreme Court. All 14 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: her life. Plaine, Jane, Vanilla, Jane, Skinny Jane, Brainy Jane, 15 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: Jane and Smith Competent, reliable, trustworthy, but just so plain 16 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: never noticed, never wooed, never a single moment when the 17 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: spotlight shone on Jane and only Jane. Well, now she's 18 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: going to show them. Now, She's going to make her 19 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: mark Lincoln, in his famous address, said the world would 20 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: not remember what was said there, but it would long 21 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: remin remember what they did there, And so it will 22 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: be with Jane. She wants to be long remembered for 23 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:13,119 Speaker 1: what she did here today, this morning, and to that end, 24 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: she drives her Honda CRV along Independence Avenue and parks 25 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: in the lot of the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, where 26 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: she works part time as a curator. From the back 27 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: of the CRV, she retrieves her American flag cape, her 28 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: uncle Sam hat, her half dozen placards, her two large 29 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: thermos bottles, and the small disposable bit lighter. Jane doesn't 30 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: bother to lock up the Honda before setting off along 31 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: Fourth Street at a brisk pace. All the planning and 32 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: dithering are over. Today is the day Action Day, Independence Day. 33 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: She turns left on East Capitol Street and a few 34 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: minutes later reaches the plaza on the west side of 35 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court of the United States. It's a lovely 36 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: May morning, with pleasant tempts, a few high white clouds, 37 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: and birds singing in the nearby trees. A few other 38 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: protesters have already arrived and set up shop several vets 39 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: in camo jackets hold up signs demanding better care and 40 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: more benefits. A man in an old fashioned morning suit 41 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: with tails and a top hat sings America the Beautiful 42 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: and then demands an immediate end to capital punishment, calling 43 00:03:54,360 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: it barbaric and un American. A small group of women 44 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: voice their approval for a national abortion ban. Two college 45 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: aged men protest the decimation of the Department of Education. 46 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: Civil servants and tourists come and go. The tourists stop 47 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,799 Speaker 1: and take photographs of the lovely old neo classical structure 48 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:28,799 Speaker 1: faced with white marble. The protesters, too, wind up captured 49 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: on various nikons, cannons, and iPhones. Jane takes it all 50 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: in and after a few minutes, decides to take up 51 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: a position on the north end of the plaza, just 52 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: at the bottom of the long and imposing bronze and 53 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: marble stairway. She sets the two Thermos bottles on the 54 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: ground and pulls on her cape and her uncle sam hat. 55 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: Jane picked today to protest because she knows there is 56 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: an excellent chance the court will hand down a decision 57 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: regarding a woman's right to control her body, which means 58 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: the media will soon be arriving to cover the event. 59 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: It's still a little early, so Jane does not hurry. 60 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: She opens the one thermos and pours herself some fuel 61 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: high octane black coffee with loads of sugar. The other 62 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: thermist contains fire, which she'll use later, fuel and fire 63 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: to keep herself going. Jane finishes up her coffee and 64 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: holds high her first homemade placard, The Patriarchs Must Fall, 65 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: and then her second placard, The Matriarchs Must Rise. Jane 66 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: holds both placards up at the same time. She thrust 67 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: some high in the air. A few people glance Jane's way, 68 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: but no one pays much attention. A few print journalists arrive, 69 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: then the first camera crew, then the first network crew 70 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: with their blonde, blue eyed rock star reporter. All eyes 71 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: fall upon her and stare with awe and envy. Jane 72 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: sighs and props the two placards against the stairs. She 73 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: picks up two more and holds them high. Time to 74 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 1: set women free and time to crush male domination. Jane 75 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: waves the placards. A young female reporter crosses to Jane. 76 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: She takes a few pictures with her phone, then turns 77 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: the phone into a recording device and asks, what's it 78 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: all about? We are free falling into chaos, says Jane, 79 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: a bit nervous, but as always prepared, and we will 80 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: continue to fall into chaos until we destroy the patriarchs 81 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: and promote the matriarchs. The blonde, blue eyed rock star 82 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: reporter overhears. She crosses the plaza, motions for her cameraman 83 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: to follow. Jane props the two plecards against the stairs 84 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: and picks up her final pair, and she raises them 85 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: high into the sky. One reads till women hold the 86 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: reins of power, and the other reads no more sex, 87 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: no more marriage, no more babies. The blond, blue eyed 88 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: rock star reporter sizes up the scene and says to 89 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: her cameraman, let it roll, will let it roll. Let's 90 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: see where this goes, and Jane knows this is her moment. 91 00:07:55,320 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: Her moment has finally arrived. Who are the patriarchs you're 92 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: out to destroy? Miss miss Jane Smith? Jane enunciates perfectly. 93 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: She wants there to be no mistakes. The blonde bombshell nods. 94 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: Are you referring to Trump and Musk and their ilk? 95 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: Are those the patriarchs you wish to destroy? A decent 96 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: crowd has gathered. Now they follow where the rock star 97 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: reporter leads. Jane says, men have failed us. It is 98 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 1: time for women to rule the roost. Time for women 99 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 1: to just say no. No to sex, no to marriage, 100 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: no to babies. The crowd murmurs and draws closer, especially 101 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: the women. No to sex, repeats Jane, no to marriage, 102 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: and no to babies. The cameraman zooms in on the 103 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: crazy lady with the American flag cape and the oak 104 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: sam hat. Until men cowtow to women. Jane shouts for 105 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: all the world to hear, no more sex, no more marriage, 106 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: no more babies. Jane repeats the matra over and over 107 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: until the crowd takes up the chant. In one voice. 108 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: They shout, no more sex, no more marriage, no more babies. 109 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: Jane smiles and picks up her thermos. She screws off 110 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: the top and pours the contents over her head. The 111 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,719 Speaker 1: liquid runs down her hair and face and onto her 112 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 1: arms and chest, her stomach and legs. The crowd goes 113 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: dead silent, but the camera rolls on and Jane flicks 114 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: her bic and in an instant is engulfed in flames. 115 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this original audio presentation of Just 116 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: Another Day at the Supreme Court, narrated by the author. 117 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed today's story, please take a few seconds 118 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 1: to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast, and then 119 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:24,479 Speaker 1: go to Thomas William Simpson dot com for additional information 120 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: about the author and to view his extensive canon. The 121 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: Ten Minute Storyteller is produced by Andrew Bliglisi and Josh 122 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: Kalani and is part of the Elvis Duran Podcast Network 123 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: in partnership with iHeart Productionists. Until next time, this is 124 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: Bill Simpson, your ten Minute Storyteller.