Liberty Hardback - 2008

by Garrison Keillor

A nationalholiday in LakeWobegon isalways gaudy andjoyful. But what isgoing on betweenClint Bunsen andMiss Liberty?Clint Bunsen is one of the old reliables in Lake Wobegon the treasurer of the Lutheran church and the auto mechanic whostarts your car on below-zero mornings. For six years he has runthe Fourth of July parade, turning what was once a line of pickuptrucks and girls pushing baby carriages that hold their cats into anevent of dazzling spectacle. Blazing bands, marching units, cannons,horses, a fireworks show, and the famous Living Flag onethousand men and women wearing red, white, or blue, standingin formation have attracted the attention of CNN and promptedthe governor to put in an appearance as well. The town is dizzywith anticipation. Until, that is, they hear of Clint's ambition torun for Congress. They're embarrassed for him. They know himtoo well his unfortunate episodes involving vodka sours, hisrocky marriage. And then there is his friendship, or whatever it is,with the twenty-four-year-old girl who dresses up as the Statue ofLiberty for the parade. It's rumored that underneath those robesshe is buck naked, and that her torch contains a quart of booze.It's Lake Wobegon as it's always been good loving peoplewho drive each other crazy.