The Business, As Usual

"The Business, As Usual" by Jack Sharkey is a humorous science fiction tale set during the Cold War period. It revolves around the United States' outlandish plot to use a unique operative, a radar-resistant stuffed teddy bear named Agent X-45, to infiltrate Soviet territory. The mission's goal is meant to disrupt the communist regime by exploiting the Russians' expected overreaction to such an absurd intrusion, emphasizing their notorious reputation for paranoia. The plan backfires spectacularly, showing the foolishness of the strategies employed and the risks of taking an adversary for granted, leading to unexpected outcomes that satirize governmental overreach and the ridiculous lengths to which nations will go to assert dominance.