Conspiracy Theory   They think that we don’t know, that we’re not on to them. If they deny it, that just proves it. They love to crush anything that moves, treat us like we’re dogs. It’s all a big con game — they think that they’re the house and the house always wins. They want us dead — they said so. Even when we catch them red- handed, they still deny it. They allow certain private dispensations — but just for their “friends,” quote unquote. They lie — it’s what they do. If we try to argue, they cut us off. They want what we have. We can’t trust a word they say — it’s all code anyway, kabuki. They’re not fooling us — we know where they get their marching orders. We sow, they reap — but every dog will have its day.     © Michael Fleming Putney, Vermont November 2022