Challenge #01806-D345: A Mundane Permanence

You see them everywhere, sausage sizzles, Craft Stalls, selling stuff to passers by - raising funds for Good Causes. Making the World a better place a few dollars at a time. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Less and less as various peeps reduce the abilities of these folks to do so]

When they came for the cake stalls, I said nothing because I was on a succession of diets. When they came for the sausage sizzle, I said nothing because vegetables were meant to be better. When they came for the craft stall, I said nothing because I had no interest in crafts...

If there's anything a government despises, it's the very concept of people making money at the polls. Or, for that matter, the common throng making money at all. But they had to pretend that they wanted the common throng to do better in their lives, or they wouldn't get elected.

But, nevertheless, the little stall under a dollar shop shade is the perennial thorn in the side of wealthy politicians everywhere.

They tried to legislate the stalls away from the entrances of the polling booths, and the schools that hosted them suddenly and co-incidentally had art, craft, and book fairs springing up on the nearest oval. With associated stalls that would sell a sausage on a slice if one were interested in that sort of thing.

They tried to legislate the fairs, but the schools were well within their rights to have them happening. Besides, there was a fruit and veg kitchen right next to the patriotic snag tent so that one could choose one's particular non-poison. They did, however, successfully eliminate the seemingly obligatory lamington stall.

They tried to legislate the things sold at the fairs. No new books. No surplus books from the library. No second-hand toys or clothes. No pre-loved items. Nothing that had not been made by authorised machines in authorised factories. Not on government land.

So the school rented a neighbour's front yard and sometimes their back yard and did it all over there on private land. Where the land-owner was allowed to do whatever the heck they liked, and the sausage sizzle moved to a kitchen if the homeowner didn't mind.

They tried to legislate commerce on private property, and the CEO's of the country began to object.

But by that time, there was no-one left who was willing to speak for them.

[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Shaiith]

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