Unlike the long awaited Segway, the long awaited invisibility cloaks are proving to be as popular as predicted. Amazon, who started taking pre-orders 10 months ago, have clogged up national shipment arteries on the first day of official availability. Stores lucky enough to stock them are seeing crowds and stampedes not seen since the cabbage patch days. What is driving interest in this miracle clothing? Some interesting stories are accompanying its release...
As many stores opened at midnight to meet the anticipated demand, they learned early not to let shoppers "try them on" or even open the package. Word quickly spread between stores to "get the money first", lest the customer and cloak disappear without paying.
Police are also reporting some disturbing trends. As midnight moved across the country incidences of convenience store robberies increased accordingly, as did rape, murder, and dog-knapping. Police caught one unlucky cloak prankster
who was later released as it was learned he was only following his ex-girlfriend and not casing the local nuclear plant. When asked, the prankster had this to say "If Cindy didn't freak out so much when they pulled the cloak off me, I'd probably be on my way to Gitmo".
But invisibility is a two way street. Adopted early by law enforcement, serious fears of terrorism have now been abated. Since distribution to national and state agencies two months ago our leaders have assured us the new technology has made us safer. Now with general distribution it is ever easier than ever for family and friends to become the invisible eyes for the common good.
The cloaks are so popular the privileged few who got them early seem to prefer life under them. Olbermann, Huffington, Harry Reid, where are you?
But a word of caution to cloak wearers: injuries are being reported as the invisible forget they cannot be seen. A number of "hit-and-run" accidents have been reported. As well as mystery car dents from causes unknown. Similarly, and more sinister, paranoid "visibles" have taken to swinging sticks or chains around their vicinity to clear the area of unwanted listeners. So beware, you are invisible, not none-corporal.
Despite the initial hiccups of any new technology release no one can doubt the benefits, and just plain fun, invisibility.