January 18, 2006
Week 36 - Impossible Dreams 17
Episode 4
Harry sits in his office and talks with Powell. "I was able to get the revision of your Coyote Man article into the new issue before it went to press," he says. "It wasn't easy, but it's worth it. That's hot stuff."
Powell nods. "Um... It finally has the right ending now."
"Lamont was something! It's too bad..." He looks at Powell. "I know he meant a lot to you. I'm sorry..."
"No... Don't be... He... Mr. Lamont... he passed away, but... He died the way he would have wanted to... As a superhero!"
Harry glances at the display case on the wall and then turns back to Powell.
Powell walks to the window and looks out. "If Lucy had gotten her way... He would have been shipped to Sleepy Meadows and they would have... would have drugged him up and shoved him on a couch in front of a TV... and he would have sat there for twenty years... But this way... He went down fighting! And he... he defeated his arch enemy's greatest plot! He saved the country from the Illusion Ray Satellite!"
"But that was all imaginary..."
"It doesn't matter! It was real to him!" He shakes his head. "They didn't get it at the funeral either... I listened to all those speeches... It was like they were talking about a completely different person. And that tombstone. Just this... this generic piece of crap! None of them knew... none of them knew Mr. Lamont at all. None of them understood... I don't think anyone does."
Harry looks at him. Then he opens a drawer in his desk. "I spoke to Tommy the Tinkerer again. Gave him another full page ad in exchange for some custom action figures." He pulls out two small dolls and hands them to Powell. "Check 'em out..."
Powell examines them. One figure brandishes a frying pan and wears a mask that spells out the letters "P" and "B". The other, larger one, swings a wrench high above its head. Its face is covered with a dog-like mask and a flimsy cape flows behind its body. On its chest is emblazoned a large letter "C". Powell stares at Harry. "These are... These are wonderful!"
Harry walks over to the display case and Powell follows. "I've prepared a place of honor," Harry says. "Top shelf, right between Superman and Batman... Go on, put 'em in!"
Powell carefully places the figures. He looks at Harry and grins.
"Don't worry about any useless funeral or idiotic tombstone, kid." Harry points to the case. "This is all the monument Coyote Man needs!"