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[The MacPherson Household: A Geopolitical History ]
by vector_black Background As an economic entity, the MacPherson household at 569 Villanova Drive came into existence on March 4th, 1992-the date Susan and Henry MacPherson first moved into their new home. After a two and a half year courtship in Berkeley, California, the couple was married in March of 1988. Completing her graduate coursework, Susan earned her PhD in mediaeval sociology and politics. Henry had earned his bachelor's degree in computer science the previous year and was employed by the campus' computer science department as an associate professor teaching undergraduate courses. Soon after her graduation, Susan was offered a job in the Mediaeval History department at the University of California, Davis, and she and Henry moved to Davis soon thereafter. From all indications the couple were happily married in their new location with Susan teaching graduate courses and Henry employed in the campus' IT department. It was the beginning of an era. The MacPherson household followed the normal course of development following their initial move-in. From revenue generated at their jobs, the MacPhersons purchased a statistically ordinary assortment of furniture and home electronics. Food purchases and utilities likewise followed statistical norms, and taxes were paid on time and without incident. The Nuclear Family On October 7, 1995 a new member of the house was introduced, and the couple was suddenly a family. Timothy Alfred Mays MacPherson came into the world at 11:35 AM at Sutter General Hospital. For the first few years of his life Timothy disrupted his parents' lives, as small children are wont to do. Regular pediatric examinations indicated his growth was regular and healthy. Besides his higher than average IQ (which was often attributed to the high education of his parents), nothing in either Timmy or his parents' lives distinguished any of them from the vast majority of Davis' population. This, however, was to change after Timmy's sixth birthday. The Opening Volley Though the exact cause still remains somewhat obscure, Timothy began asking for increased independence from the local household government when he was approximately six and a half years old. Though initial requests were denied, Timothy refused to back down. Eventually Susan agreed to experiment with a slightly modified arrangement and granted him a few freedoms. Tensions began when Timothy actually began to exercise some of his independence. Feeling suddenly apprehensive, Susan began to question whether her decision had been the right one. She attempted to clamp down on her son's newly granted independence, but he refused to give them up. Leaving Henry completely out of the loop, Susan decided on a surprise armed incursion to retake power. Analysis of recovered intelligence documents indicates that Timothy's command staff had preliminary contingency plans already in place at the time of the attack. Though preparations had barely been completed, Timothy's forces still managed to hold their ground after a sharp ninety-minute engagement. From that point forward, the region began a rapid slide into chaos as populations on both sides began to polarize. Each day reports of armed incursions became the norm as soldiers on both sides struggled to push territorial boundaries. Henry, slow to realize the extent of the domestic situation, declared neutrality and retreated to fortified positions in the garage. Opening his borders to those fleeing the conflict, his territory was inundated with a flood of refugees. Within three months the situation had worked itself into a standstill. Timothy controlled the guest room and most of the living room, but Susan maintained a death grip on the vitally strategic kitchen area and both bathrooms.
For the next four months each faction remained at a stalemate, and military resources on both sides were gradually depleted in pitched battles that ultimately granted no tactical or strategic advantage. It was, however, the internal situation that was proving disastrous for both Timothy and Susan MacPherson. Riots, car bombs, hyperinflation, and government death squads became staple for people on either side, and life for those caught between the warring factions became ever more miserable and desperate. While the struggle at the MacPherson household went largely unnoticed by the rest of the world, a high-profile hostage situation in which several of Timothy's stuffed animals were eventually killed suddenly brought 569 Villanova Drive into the world's limelight. As stories of atrocities against civilians on both sides and the wretched mass of refugees in the garage filtered out into the outside world, the United Nations eventually brought pressure to bear on both Timmy and Susan. It wasn't until well after Timmy's seventh birthday, however, that both sides were willing to come to the negotiating table. Tensions ran high from the very beginning, and virtually every issue became a major bone of contention. Several times diplomats from one side or the other walked out in protest, and it was feared that talks would break down completely and hostilities would resume. Negotiations proceeded over the course of five trying weeks with agreements eventually being reached on the topics of bedtime, veggies, dessert, territorial boundaries, and division of power.
At the time of this writing, the permanent cease-fire has held thus far in the face of resentment and hatred on both sides. Though the long awaited end to hostilities has finally become a reality, the denizens of the MacPherson household face a grim short-term future. In addition to the re-integration of tens of thousands of people who fled to safer locations under Henry's protection in the garage, efforts must be made to account for thousands more who are listed as "missing." In all but the most fortunate areas, even the most basic infrastructure such as roads, power lines, and water pipes have been destroyed. In urban areas crime rates have soared to unprecedented levels, and modern economy has been virtually eliminated due to rampant hyperinflation. On a more personal level, there also exists a permanent rift between mother, father, and son. All of these point to a long, difficult climb back to normality in the MacPherson household. |
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