The state of Tennessee, USA, officially ceased to exist on March 4, 1953. In a legal loophole brought about by new legislation from the justice department, Governor William T. Hickson completely failed to notice a typing error which claimed the state would be dissolved by the aforementioned date. Successive governors have blatantly overlooked the mistake and it was played down in the local press, who were threatened with closure should the story break. The matter is only now coming to light, much to the shock and amazement of the rest of the world. Tennessee inhabitants are maintaining a stiff upper lip, however. "I guess you just have to get on with things, as best you can," one woman remarked. "Yeah," agreed a man. "These things happen. So what if we've been officially declared non-existent? You muddle on as best you can."