YOUR

PERSONAL
PRESIDENT

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 1

YOUR%PERSONAL%PRESIDENT
The%year%is%2018.%
Television%is%obsolete.%Everything%is%webCbased.%Watch%any%show%whenever%you%want.%And%thanks%to%
massive%computer%databases%and%powerful%processors,%all%data%is%now%saved.%
Place%your%grocery%order%online.%You%dont%have%to%specify%what%you%wantthey%already%know.%
Fries%with%that?%They%dont%even%need%to%ask.%
Everything%can%be%personalized.%Even%The%President%of%the%United%States.
NOTE%FROM%THE%AUTHOR:%The%eerie%thing%about%this%story%is%that%I%wrote%it%in%2008ve%years%before%
Edward%Snowdens%revelations.%And%although%I%have%done%a%reCedit,%I%made%no%substantive%changes%to%the%
story.

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 2

YOUR%PERSONAL%PRESIDENT
Robert'Burton'Robinson
October%2014%Edition
Copyright%%2008%Robert%Burton%Robinson
This%ebook%is%licensed%for%your%personal%enjoyment%only.%This%ebook%may%not%be%reCsold%or%given%away%to%
other%people.%If%you%would%like%to%share%this%book%with%another%person,%please%purchase%an%additional%copy%for%
each%recipient.%If%youre%reading%this%book%and%did%not%purchase%it,%or%it%was%not%purchased%for%your%use%only,%
then%please%return%to%your%favorite%ebook%retailer%and%purchase%your%own%copy.%Thank%you%for%respecting%the%
hard%work%of%this%author.
Cover%image%credits%via%Flickr.com:
Left%male%avatar%by%Steven%Perez
Right%male%avatar%by%Richard%Winchell

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 3

The%story%in%this%book%is%a%work%of%ction.%The%characters%and%events%described%in%this%story%are%imaginary%and%
any%resemblance%to%actual%persons%living%or%dead%is%purely%coincidental.

Books'by'the'Author
Deadly%Commitment
Dream%Tunnel
Rebecca%Ranghorn%C%Texas%P.I.
Ginger%Dead%House
Sweet%Ginger%Poison
Fly%the%Rain
Illusion%of%Luck
Hideaway%Hospital%Murders
Bicycle%Shop%Murder

Visit'the'authors'website:
http://www.robertburtonrobinson.com

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 4

Liz%unlocked%the%door%of%her%new%apartment,%swung%it%open,%and%tried%to%push%her%suitcase%through%the%
doorway.%It%got%hung%on%the%threshold%and%stopped%abruptlybut%she%didnt.%She%tripped%over%the%suitcase%
and%rolled%to%the%oor.
When%she%realized%she%wasnt%hurt,%she%began%to%laugh.%The%three%jumbo%Margaritas%still%had%her%a%bit%
loopy.%Shed%just%completed%the%rst%week%of%her%rst%job%out%of%college,%and%it%had%been%stressful.%So,%when%a%
group%of%her%female%coworkers%had%invited%her%to%join%them%for%dinner,%she%happily%accepted.%By%the%third%
round%of%margaritas,%the%language%and%the%jokes%were%raunchy,%and%the%laughter%was%raucous.%They%nearly%got%
thrown%out%of%the%place.%But%it%was%all%great%fun.
Her%phone%rang.%Hello?
Hey,%its%me.
I%just%walked%in%the%door,%Marci.%She%laughed%at%herself%for%claiming%to%have%walked%in.
What%are%you%laughing%about?
Oh,%nothing.
Youre%at%your%new%apartment?
Yeah,%I%just%dropped*in.%She%hiccuped%and%started%laughing%again.
Youve%been%drinking.
How%can%you%tell?%Liz%giggled.%Okay,%Im%sorry.%She%stood%up,%pulled%her%suitcase%inside,%and%closed%the%
door.
So,%whats%your%apartment%like?
Liz%began%to%walk%around%the%apartment%as%she%talked.%Well,%lets%see:%small%living%roomsmall%
bedroomtiny%kitchen.%All%of%the%walls%and%ceilings%are%painted%metal.%But%the%oors%are%carpeted.%It%looks%
exactly%like%the%model%they%showed%me%when%I%signed%the%lease.
How%about%the%bathroom?
She%opened%the%bathroom%door%and%turned%on%the%light.%Oh,%wow.%I%dont%remember%it%being%this%small.%
But%I%do%have%a%place%to%sit%while%I%put%on%my%makeup.
Oh,%thats%nice.
YeahIll%just%have%to%remember%to%put%the%seat%down.
Marci%laughed.%Well,%at%least%youve%got%your%own%place.
And%my%own%pot.%She%giggled.%
Liz?%Are%you%okay?
I%mean,%you%knowmy%own%toilet.%And%I%wont%be%mooching%o%my%parents%anymore.
And%it%must%feel%great%to%nally%have%your%freedom.
Yeahso%I%can%do%stupid%things,%like%getting%drunk.%Stupid.%She%tried%to%shake%o%the%grogginess.%So,%
when%are%you%making%your%move,%girl?
I%dont%know.%But%my%dads%been%hassling%me%about%getting%my%own%place.%And%he%says%if%I%dont,%hes%
gonna%start%charging%me%rent.%Maybe%I%could%get%an%apartment%in%your%complex.
Im%sure%you%couldits%cheap.
But%its%government%housing,%right?
Yeah,%its%a%Federal%POD.
Podthats%sounds%icky.
Well,%its%not%that%kind%of%pod,%silly.%POD%stands%for%Personal*Occupancy*Dwelling.%Theyre%superC
ecient.%They%started%building%these%things%four%or%ve%years%ago.
So,%youre%stuck%with%outdated%electronics?
No,%theyve%updated%everything.%Theres%a%thirtyCinch%screen%in%every%room%except%the%living%room,%and%
its%got%a%sixtyCincher.
Hey,%thats%not%bad%at%all.%So,%even%if%you%cant%aord%to%go%out,%you%can%at%least%watch%all%your%shows
assuming%youve%got%good%bandwidth.
Well,%you%know%I%wouldnt%have%rented%an%apartment%without%highCspeed%internet.
So,%youll%have%to%invite%me%over.%We%can%do%a%C.S.I.*Mars*marathon.*You%buy%the%wine,%and%Ill%bring%the%

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 5

chips%and%dip.
Its%a%deal,%Liz%said.%Have%you%seen%that%new%show,%Law*and*Order:*HC?
No.%I%havent%even%heard%of%it.%What%does%the%HC%stand%for?
Hard%Core.%Miley%Cyrus%plays%this%superCtough%judge,%named%Willa%Flushem.
Ha!%Love%the%name.
I%know,%right?%And%its%so%fun%watching%her%go%after%these%creeps.%One%time,%after%shed%sentenced%this%
pedophile%to%seventyCve%years,%he%promised%to%track%her%down%when%he%got%out.%He%said%hed%start%by%cutting%
o%all%her%ngers%and%toes%with%a%bolt%cutter.
Gory.
Yeah.%But%you%cant%scare%the%judge.%She%told%him:%By%the%time%you%get%out,%Ill%be%long%gone,%resting%
comfortably%in%my%grave.%But%you%can%come%dig%me%up,%if%youve%still%got%the%balls.
Marci%laughed.%I%love%it.
The%screen%on%the%living%room%wall%came%to%life,%causing%Liz%to%inch.%What%the?
Whats%the%matter?
The%living%room%screen%just%came%on%all%by%itself.
Maybe%you%sat%on%the%remote.
Im%standing.
Weird.
Well,%I%need%to%go,%Marci.
Wait.%Did%you%remember%to%vote?
I%remembered,%but%I%havent%done%it%yet.
Come%on,%Lizzy.%You%still%havent%voted%even%one%time,%have%you?
Look,%Marci,%youre%a%political%activist.%You%live%and%breathe%this%stu.%But%Im%just%not%that%into%it.
Well,%you%should*be.%The%things%they%do%in%Washington%and%in%the%state%capitol%have%a%direct%impact%on%
your%life.%And%there%are%so%many%more%opportunities%to%vote%now
Because%of%the%oneCyear%presidential%terms.%Yes,%I%knowyoure%right.%And%Im%planning%to%vote%this%
time.%I%just%havent%decided%who%to%vote%for%yet.
Well,%youd%better%gure%it%out%soonthe%deadline%is%midnight.%You%want%me%to%tell%you%who%I%voted%for.
No,%thanks.%Ill%make%up%my%own%mind.
Well,%its%important,%Liz.%Its%our%right%and%our%duty.
Enough.%Goodbye,%Marci.
Sorry,%Liz.%Call%me%tomorrow.%Bye.
The%animated%avatar%on%the%screen%had%paused%midCsentence%while%Liz%was%on%the%phone.%Suddenly%he%
began%to%talk.%and%I%want%to%continue%be%your%president.%But%this%time%I%want%to%go%even%further:%I%want%to%
be%your%personal%president.%
President%Alfa%was%running%for%reCelection.%Liz%had%seen%and%heard%his%campaign%slogan%a%bazillion%times:%
I%want%to%be%Your%Personal%President.
The%screen%went%black.%
Good,%thought%Liz.%She%would%take%a%quick%shower%and%then%try%out%her%new%bed.%Tomorrow%was%
Saturday.%No%alarm%clock%needed.
The%screen%came%back%on,%and%Senator%Baita%went%into%his%spiel.%A%vote%for%me%is%a%vote%for%the%future.%
There%are%only%two%hours%left%to%cast%your%vote.
This%ad%must%be%live,%she%thought,%because%Senator%Baita%was%referring%to%the%deadline%in%her%time%zone.%
But,%of%course,%they%could%easily%do%that%now%that%campaigns%used%avatars.%They%could%target%regional%areas
or%even%neighborhoods%since%the%ads%were%computerCgenerated.
And%because%they%were%created%on%the%y,%the%latest%polling%data%or%other%pertinent%information%could%be%
incorporated%into%the%message.%The%only%limiting%factor%was%the%cost%to%get%the%message%to%the%right%ears%and%
eyeballs.%So,%it%was%still%true%that%the%side%with%more%money%had%the%advantage.
Remember,%its%all%about%the%future%of%our%country,%Senator%Baitas%avatar%said.

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 6

President%Alfa%took%over%the%screen.%Dont%listen%to%him,%and%his%hollow%promises.%RememberIll%be%
your%personal%president,%Liz.
A%cold%chill%run%up%her%spine.*How*did*he*know*her*name?%
Liz%had%never%seen%an%ad%this%targeted.%The%presidents%campaign%was%apparently%mining%public%records%
databasesright%down%to%whose%name%was%on%a%lease.
President%Alfas%avatar%continued,%Youre%a%beautiful%young%woman,%Liz.%You%just%graduated%from%college%
and%youve%got%your%whole%life%ahead%of%you.%So,%what%you%need%is%someone%in%the%White%House%who%will%look%
out%for%your%own%personal%interests.%My%challenger,%Senator%Baita,%makes%vague%promises%about%the%future.%
But%what%I%oer%is%a%personal%relationship.%What%do%you%think,%Liz?%Will%you%allow%me%to%be%your%president?
Her%jaw%dropped.%Her%lease%application%didnt%contain%that%level%of%detail,%did%it?%They%must%be%tapping%
into%everything,%she%thought.%They%probably%had%the%guest%list%of%her%Sweet%Sixteen%party%from%ve%years%ago.
Dont%be%shy.%Tell%me%what%you%think,%President%Alfas%avatar%said.
Liz%snatched%up%the%remote,%turned%o%the%screen,%and%walked%out%of%the%room.%She%went%into%the%
bathroom%and%shut%the%door.
This%was%crazy.%Her%mind%was%playing%tricks%on%her.%Shed%had%those%three%drinks%with%dinner,%butjust%
relax,%she%told%herself.
She%needed%to%pee%anyway.%But%no%sooner%than%she%sat%down,%the%mirror%above%the%sink%that%was%directly%
across%from%her%lit%up.%It%was%a%mirror/monitor%combo.
Im%counting%on%you,%Senator%Baitas%avatar%said.
President%Alfas%avatar%broke%in,%and%now%the%two%were%together,%in%split%screen%mode.
Do%you%mind?%Liz%screamed.%Im%kinda%busy%here.
Well,%normally%I%wouldnt%mind,%the%senators%avatar%said.%But%this%is%critical.%The%survival%of%our%nation%
could%depend%on%your%vote.
Hes%right%about%that,%the%presidents%avatar%said.%This%could%be%very%close,%Liz.%Your%vote%could%decide%
this%thing.
Can%you%see%me?%Liz%asked.
Yes,%the%presidents%avatar%said,%I*can.%But%Senator%Baita%cant.%He%doesnt%have%access%to%Department%of%
Defense%technology,%thank%goodness.
But%I%can%hear%everything,%the%senators%avatar%said,%and%Mr.%President,%I%plan%to%launch%a%congressional%
investigation%into%your%abuse%of%power.
Cool%it,%Baita,%or%Ill%appoint%you%Presidential%Fisherman%to%Antarctica.
Theres%no%such%post.%And%even%if%there%was,%I%wouldnt%accept%it.
You%wont%have%a%choice.
Liz%screamed.%Get%out%of%here.%Get%o.%Leave%me%alone!
While%its%true%that%I%can%see%you,%the%presidents%avatar%said,%Im%not%a%real%person.%Im%just%electrons%in%
a%computer.%So,%please%dont%be%oended.%Were%both%just%political%avatarsadvocates%for%our%candidates.
I%know%what%you%are.%Get%out!
The%screen%went%black.
When%she%got%back%to%the%living%room%to%get%her%suitcase,%the%screen%came%on%and%a%female%avatar%
appeared,%saying,%You%will%now%test%your%remote%to%make%sure%the%voting%buttons%are%working%properly.%
Please%press%either%A%or%B.%This%is%only%a%test.
Im%not%participating%in%any%test,%Liz%shouted.%Just%leave%me%alone.
The%screen%went%black%and%Liz%heard%the%womans%voice%say,%You%have%successfully%cast%your%ballot%for%
Senator%Baita.%Thank%you%for%participating%in%this%presidential%election%test.
I%didnt%even%push%a%button,%Liz%said.
The%two%candidates%reappeared%and%began%to%argue%with%each%other.
Liz%ran%to%the%kitchen%pantry,%opened%the%breaker%box%and%began%frantically%tripping%the%breakers,%one%by%
one.%All%of%the%lights%went%o.%Then%the%air%conditioning%stopped%running.%Finally%the%screen%went%o.
The%apartment%was%completely%black%and%dead%silent.%Liz%took%a%deep%breath%and%exhaled%slowly.

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 7

A%loud%knock%at%the%door%startled%her.
She%carefully%felt%her%way%over%to%the%door%and%looked%through%the%peephole.%It%was%Maik,%the%PODs%
autobot%leasing%agent.%She%opened%the%door%and%looked%up%at%him.%He%was%at%least%seven%feet%tall.%Liz%was%veC
footCfour.
President%Alfa%is%very%disappointed%that%you%did%not%vote%for%him.
Are%you%kidding%me?%This%is%ridiculous.%I%havent%voted%yet.%It%was%just%a%test.
Did%you%believe%him%when%he%told%you%he%wanted%to%be%Your%Personal%President?
Uh,%yeah,%I%guess%so.
Then%why%didnt%you%vote%for%him?%What%are%your%reasons?%Please%be%specic.
I%havent%voted%for%anybody%yet.
His%electronic%eyes%stared%at%her%intently%as%he%stood%perfectly%still.%Not%like%a%human%stands%still.%There%
was%no%beating%heart%in%his%chest.%Certainly%no%soul.%He%remained%eerily%motionlesslike%a%steel%mannequin.
Finally,%Liz%said,%HeyIm%not%gonna%discuss%this%with%you.
She%tried%to%close%the%door,%but%Maiks%foot%was%blocking%it.
I%need%to%know%why%you%did%not%vote%for%President%Alfa,%he%said.%You%must%give%me%an%answer.%You%
assert%that%you%have%not%yet%voted.%This%is%correct?
Yes,%thats%correct.
And%do%you%promise%to%vote%for%President%Alfa?
Sure,%whatever.
Good.
So,%now%will%you%please%move%your%foot?
I%must%watch%you%vote.
HeyIll%vote%when%Im%good%and%ready.
No.%You%will%vote%now.%He%pushed%the%door%open,%knocking%her%back.
She%ran%into%the%short%hallway%that%led%from%the%living%room%to%the%bedroom.
He%walked%inside,%closing%the%door%behind%him.%His%eyes%lit%up%like%lasers,%scanning%%the%living%room.
She%wondered%whether%he%could%detect%her%breathing,%or%sense%the%warmth%of%her%body.%Hopefully%he%was%
a%lowCend%model.
I%am%not%going%to%harm%you%in%any%way,%he%said,%removing%his%pistol%from%its%hidden%compartment%as%he%
continued%to%scan%the%living%room.
He%was%blocking%the%doorway,%making%it%impossible%for%her%to%get%out,%so%while%he%was%looking%the%other%
direction,%she%ran%into%the%living%room%and%leaped%onto%his%back.
You%have%miscalculated,%Liz.%He%began%to%spin%aroundfaster%and%faster.
She%was%barely%able%to%hang%on.%If%he%was%a%lowCend%model%like%the%ones%who%work%at%Walmart,%she%
thought,%there%should%be%a%power%switch%right%abouthere.%
She%clicked%it.
His%spinning%slowed%and%then%came%to%a%halt.%Thank%goodness%he%was%programmed%to%shut%down%
gracefully%rather%than%to%just%collapse.%If%his%heavy%body%had%landed%on%top%of%her,%she%would%have%been%a%
goner.
Liz%climbed%down.%Consider%my%lease%cancelled.
She%shoved%him%in%the%back,%and%he%tipped%over%and%crashed%to%the%oor.
*%*%*%*%*
Oh,%Im%sorry,%honey.%I%didnt%know%you%were%home.%I%thought%you%were%spending%the%night%in%your%new%
apartment.
Liz%rolled%over%in%bed.%Good%morning,%Mom.
Just%go%back%to%sleep,%and%Ill%leave%you%alone.%I%know%you%had%a%hectic%rst%week%on%the%job.%You%can%tell%
me%all%about%it%later.%She%closed%the%door.
What%a%nightmare,%Liz%thought.%Her%dreams%werent%usually%so%vivid.%Maybe%it%was%all%that%Mexican%food%
she%ate%for%dinner.%Noit%must%have%been%the%three%jumbo%Margaritas.%Normally,%she%only%drank%one.

Robinson / YOUR PERSONAL PRESIDENT / 8

She%remembered%feeling%tipsy%when%she%left%the%restaurant.%It%was%a%wonder%she%had%been%able%to%drive%
home%safely.%How%careless%of%her.%She%would%never%get%behind%the%wheel%in%that%condition%again.
Liz%sat%up%in%bed%and%tried%to%visualize%her%drive%home.%But%her%memories%were%confusing.%She%pictured%
pulling%out%of%the%restaurant%parking%lot%and%getting%on%the%highway.%But%waitshe%was%going%the%wrong%
direction.%Then%she%saw%herself%stop%at%the%Federal%POD.%But%that%was%just%a%dream,%wasnt%it?
She%tried%to%block%the%false%memories%and%see%herself%driving%to%her%parents%house,%and%then%walking%into%
her%old%room%and%getting%into%bed.%But%no%matter%how%hard%she%tried,%she%could%not%do%it.
Liz%shook%her%head%like%an%EtchCaCSketch,%hoping%to%erase%what%shouldnt%be%there.%Its%a%scary%thing%when%
dreams%seem%more%real%than%reality,%she%thought.
None%of%it%made%sense.%Maybe%she%just%needed%more%rest.%Yeah,%that%was%probably%it.%She%lay%back%down,%
pulled%the%covers%over%her%head,%and%tried%to%turn%o%her%mind.
She%was%just%beginning%to%doze%o%when%she%heard%the%screen%on%her%bedroom%wall%come%to%life.
So,%today%I%begin%another%productive%year%as%your%president.
Liz%spun%around%in%bed%and%yanked%the%covers%o%her%face.%It%was%President%Alfas%avatar.%Couldnt%the%
actual%human%at%least%give%his%own%acceptance%speech?
I%would%like%to%thank%all%of%you%who%live%on%Maple%Street.%Each%and%every%one%of%you%voted%for%me.
She%knew%her%parents%had%voted%for%Alfa.%And%the%name%of%their%street%was%Maple.%How%creepy.%And%how%
could%he%know%who%voted%for%him?
And%thanks%to%those%of%you%who%live%in%the%local%POD.%All%of%you%voted%for%me,%with%the%exception%of%one%
man%who,%unfortunately,%had%a%heart%attack%last%night,%and%YOU,%Liz.
She%gulped.%Her%entire%body%began%to%tremble%uncontrollably.
But%I%know%youll%vote%for%me%next%year,%wont%you,%Liz?%I%mean,%why%would%you%vote%for%anyone%else?%You%
need%a%voice%in%the%White%House%that%speaks%for%you.%And%that%voice%is%mine.%Because%now,%Liz:
I%am%YOUR%PERSONAL%PRESIDENT.
THE%END