I just read about a book by Stephen King on a time travel effort to prevent the assassination of JFK by Lee Harvey Oswald. I have not read it yet but it is only $2.99 at Amazon. So I decided to write my own story about such an unlikely event in which Kennedy may have lived instead of being killed. What would the world be like had Kennedy lived we can only wonder.
*********************************************************************************If I were to imagine such a thing as a means to prevent the shooting tragedy I would zero in on the sharpshooter who is supposedly hidden in the building which lines the street upon which Kennedy and itinerary traveled.
A scowl lined the face of the fox like young man who carried a high power rifle in his right hand as he walked into the book store. He walked up five flights of stairs to take his position beside a window that looked down on the street where the president and his entourage were to travel. He studied the layout of the street, looked through the gunsight to see if he could fix on an object, and then laid the gun carefully down on the floor.
He studied his exit plan carefully. He checked to see that nobody was in the room or any of the rooms below. Seemingly, everyone would be out on the street waiting for the president to pass in front of them.
He studied the pair of gloves that he would wear to leave no fingerprints. He had thought this plan out very carefully. He had worked weeks ahead to make certain that he could carry this plan through. He had discussed it with none because he did not trust anyone to share his plan.
He recognized that he was a very nondescript character, that he had few distinguishing features to make anyone notice him. He was determined to keep his mission secret so that nobody could influence him one way or the other from achieving his goal.
His goal was to kill the president of the United States. The red haired president was either very much beloved or hated, but his actions to deter the Russians from building a base on Cuba had incensed him. He was furious with both Kruschev and Kennedy for their roles in the Bay of Pigs disaster. He had wanted the Russians to be successful in building a base to pin America into a trap. He hated the very rich, the capitalists who had managed the government of the United States for such a long time. Capitalism had ruined Cuba and Fidel Castro had been successful in eliminating the sins of the greedy and the decadent.
He himself was not a zealot but he did blame Kennedy for his having been successful in making Kruschev pull his battle ships back away from the Cuban island. Kennedy was a problem who must go. He determined to take him out.
He had gotten wind of the trip to Dallas and realized that he could use that trip to achieve his goals.
So while he stood staring out the widow to see if he would be able to shoot the president as he had planned, he failed to hear movement on the stairs.
"Hey," called out the janitor." What are you doing? Nobody is supposed to be in here now."
Lee turned to see the tall lanky boy yelling at him. "What? I am just waiting for the parade to begin. I thought it would be a good location free from the crowds."
"No, sir. I cannot let you stay here," responded the lanky janitor. "You can't be here now...you must leave."
Lee looked at his rifle, decided against revealing himself, and just nodded." Yes, sir!" I will get out as soon as the president has passed by."
"No. You must leave now. My butt is on the line if you stay here...Out! Now! the young man ordered.
Lee shrugged. "All Right. I will be on my way." He left his gun and slowly walked down the stairs, his plans having now been aborted. Damn. I thought sure this would be the day.!
As he walked down the stairs, he heard shots ring out...Slowly, he walked down the stairs, and as he left the building he ran into a man who stared him in the eye. He walked out the door, and listened to the sirens as the shrill sounds penetrated the air. Someone had beat him to his own plan...but he walked on.
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