. . a car? Well, sort of. It's actually a plane AND a car. It's called the Terrafugia, the flying car, and it may actually be on the market next year.
Spoof reporter Gail Farrelly has gotten access to company records, which identify four specific groups being targeted as potential customers:
1. Celebs, who often have to make a quick getaway from the paparazzi. No longer will there be dangerous on-the-ground chases, punches in the face, camera grabs, etc. Celebs can simply make a quick getaway in the air!
2. Politicians, after an unpopular vote, can quickly take off and not be available for pesky questions, press conferences, and explanations. "Constituents are great," one politician says, "as long as you don't have to talk to them."
3. Action heroes -- Superman, Spider-Man, etc. -- will no longer have to put a lot of stress on aging bodies. They can let their vehicles transport them. Superman, for example, reports that, although he used to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, that's becoming increasingly difficult. He explains, "The buildings have gotten a lot taller and my leaps have become, well, let's just say they're not what they used to be. With the Terrafugia, though, my power will be fully restored. No problem, no problem at all."
4. Ordinary folks caught in traffic jams. Why sit and stew in a miserable sea of humanity when you can turn your vehicle into a plane and be "up, up, and away" in a matter of minutes.
Ain't technology great?
Gail Farrelly is the author of three mystery novels. The latest is "Creamed at Commencement: A Graduation Mystery." One of her short stories is published online: "Get Yourself a Face" (about a Mafia princess who buys herself a face transplant and a lot of trouble). Her story "Even Steven" was a finalist in the 2007 Derringer Award competition.
