The secretary walked quickly along the line, yanking shirts, skirts and trousers off those who resisted. Most of the people stayed still, keeping their place in line. Most were already undressing themselves. It was an indignity, but they worked in a national office, and this was better than getting fired.
He ordered, “Everything off. Even the thongs.”
“Can't we just take off the headscraves?” one woman asked, though she seemed hesitant to part even with that.
“No. That's offensive, but so too could a crucifix or a scullcap,” he said, yanking a yarmulke off a Hebrew. No one moved to stop him. “All clothing can potentially offend somebody, so the government's banned every scrap of it. No slutty micros, no nun's habits.”
At the back of a line a naked man shuddered, clutching his catheter bag. The secretary glared at him.
The old man asked, “This too?”
The secretary nodded sternly. “Might offend somebody.”
Ooooh, it stings. Yeesh, what an example of carrying something to its logical end.
ReplyDeleteHave I mentioned how grateful I am you update daily? It's so nice to know that even if I can only squeeze out three paragraphs a day, someone else is making three (or one, or ten) paragraphs really count. Inspiring as well as a pleasant brain boost.