As the Archduke's car was backing up from the small side road Printzip rushed with the huge automatic pistol in his hand. If the bomb couldn't get him the bullets would, thought the young high school boy. He aimed towards the royal couple. Ferdinand was shouting to the driver while Sophia had half hidden her head in her palms sobbing hysterically. They both saw him at he same time. Time seemed to freeze for an eternity. Then Printzip pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. No shot. He tried again and again and again. Nothing. Apparently it had jammed. The car continued its course exiting the alley knocking Printzip while doing so. The police were not far behind.

We were visiting Venice. I know. Not a nice place any more. There were more bombings a day in this city than of all of Jerusalem in a month. Like last weeks one, which blew up to fine small pieces the Austrian Governor of Dalmatia, the Russian envoy to the city and the Ottoman minister of commerce along with their personal bodyguards. But if Dotty said, "We're going to Venice!" there was nothing I could do. I tried to put up a fight but she had put her foot down.

My mom came to Venice on her honeymoon and so did my granny and her mother before her. You're asking me to break the family tradition? she said while starting sobbing. Anything but that.

All right darling, I said. You will get the Venice trip.

Next morning I dropped in cousin Elmer's office. He worked at The Mutual Insurance Inc. and had insured me last year, just before my engagement to Dotty. He was glad to see me since it meant something had to be insured. But when I told him about Venice he frowned.

Italy's not the safest place on the globe. Ever since the Italian Freedom Army ha started the bombings on Austro-Hungarian targets it is not the safest place. He was repeating himself. Not a good sign. He would hit me hard.

So what does that mean? I asked. You won't cover Dotty and me?

No, no. It' just...well look at it this way. It'll cost you far less to take a travel insurance if you visit China. And you know what a hellhole that is.

I know that if you can't give me a decent discount I'll try my hand elsewhere. There must be companies that are willing to take a risk on someone like me. Elmer stood up. He went to the sidewall where a map was hanging. I'd seen it before. Then he pressed a button on the frame and suddenly the map changed colors. That I hadn't seen before.

Cousin Edgar I'll let in a little company secret. What you see is the insurance interpretation of the globe's hotspots. I could see Italy in bright red. The same color was China. Africa was crisscrossed between ruby red and orange and some green, like South Africa. South America was orange and green. West Russia was green and orange while East was red. Europe was green up North. Down south it was either red or orange. I could see Elmer's point.

The same map is reproduced in every major insurance company offices in the U.S.A. Take your pick. They'll all tell you the same thing. Stay clear of Italy. Southern Europe's a cauldron ready to explode. It should have happened in the beginning of the century. Now as we get on to the 21st I don't think it will happen as easy at it would then.

The wall screen blurred in full sound. Images of troops could be seen. An announcers voice boomed. "...Imperial Russian shock troops were moved from Finland Front to the Chinese border in order to repel off a Japanese offensive. The Japanese minister of defense was quoted that the Japanese Army is just trying to stabilize the line in a disputed area, protecting the old Japanese territorial rights established by the late Chinese Emperor…"

See what I mean cousin? Elmer sat back on his chair switching off the wall screen. Take her to Niagara Falls, Reno even Mexico would be a good choice.

I nodded negatively. If Dotty wanted Venice then Venice it was. I took the form Elmer handed me. I signed it. I paid in Newbucks. I know he wouldn't accept dollars. Federal money was worth less than the paper it was printed on. New York Bucks on the other hand was valid money, thanks to the gold backing of Manhattan Banks. It would get you ways. I should know. I invented them, after the Wall Street crash back in '79.

We were getting on the gondola when St. Marks church, across the square, blew up. We must've been the last people to visit it. I don't think I like History in the making.