“Remember, remember, the fifth of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why the gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot.”
Gonga stared at the flat-screen, watching the scenes of blackness and fire swirl around each other. Indeed it was the fifth of November, and he for one was not forgetting the treason Guy Fawkes had almost perpetrated on the British Parliament over four hundred years ago.
It was a fascinating story to Gonga. How could a person manage to smuggle over a dozen barrels of gunpowder into the cellar underneath Parliament and then not quite detonate them?
Now children all over England burned their own bits of gunpowder every fifth of November in celebration of the British version of the US’s 4th of July. Well, almost their version of the 4th of July. There were some notable differences, but Gonga decided not to parse it out right now.
It was enough to stare into the flickering screen and enjoy the newly Holywoodized version of the story behind Guy Fawkes’ Day, “V for Vendetta”.
Then he paused. It would be awful fun to make an effigy of Guy Fawkes. Find some old clothes and stuff them with paper. Maybe even grab one of those “V for Vendetta” masks that the protesters downtown often wore. Then take him to the middle of campus, on Speaker’s Circle and light him on fire.
Gonga started chuckling. It would probably draw a crowd.
Children in England may get away with burning stuffed “Guys” on this day, but it was hardly accepted cultural practice on the United States. People could get away with flag burning…but Gonga wasn’t so sure about this.
Still, he had to give it a try.
He hit the second speed dial on his phone, “Derrick?”
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