Charlie Simpkins

Charles Raymond "Charlie" Simpkins was a citizen of the West Coast Democratic People's Republic. He, his wife Lucille, and their children Nikita and Sally resided in a one-bedroom apartment in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.

Simpkins had lived his whole life as a citizen of the WCDPR, and by the age of 38, had developed a deep cynicism about the whole system. He'd even done a month on a labor gang after punching a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the WCDPR in the nose. Despite this cynicism, he was fairly content to go along with the system, even managing a state-owned grocery store.

However, one day, as a new political season got underway, Simpkins realized he'd reached the end of his rope. After greeting Manuel Gomez, who ran the shop next door, Simpkins entered his shop and found that the Party had sent him a poster proclaiming "Workers of the World, Unite!" Disgusted with being stuck with what he considered the "stalest chestnut on the tree", Simpkins had an epiphany: for all its proclamations of unity and equality, the WCDPR was not unified or equal, and he'd had enough. Realizing he'd likely get in trouble, Simpkins the poster in the trash, and opened for the day.

His customers didn't notice. Vissarion Gomez, Manuel's son, did notice. After Simpkins confirmed that he'd received a poster and just hadn't put it up, the incredulous Vissarion told Simpkins it was his funeral and left. At closing time, Manuel Gomez came over to see for himself. He, too, warned Simpkins that this was a bad idea, but Simpkins was resolute, so Gomez simply wished him luck.