It is Saturday and time for Stream of Consciousness. This week’s prompt is “accumulate.” Linda Hill says we can use the word any way we want. I was thinking of naming a piece of furniture Accumulate given it has been in the way for a while. I don’t believe that use was what Linda had in mind. If you would like to see what this prompt is all about you can visit Linda’s post here.
Accumulate by John W. Howell © 2016
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to figure out how I managed to accumulate all this junk.”
“What junk? I see a garage full of things but no junk.”
“Well to you it may be things to me it’s junk. Look at this saw for instance.”
“What about it?”
“It is not sharp. Look I can run my hand along the teeth and not get . . . oops.”
“What happened. Oh my gosh you’ve cut yourself.”
“I would say so. Hand me that towel.”
“Here. Is it serious? It’s not supposed to be serious.”
“Nah. This is nothing. See its stopped bleeding already. What do you mean it’s not supposed to be serious.”
“I’m glad it’s not serious. I intended to say I hope it’s not serious. So what other junk are you talking about?”
“Look at this old bike. It needs new everything.”
“You could fix that if you had the time, and it would be like new.”
“Who has the time. Look at this tennis racket and all this other stuff.”
“Okay, I’ll admit that you have quite an accumulation of things and time is a premium.”
“Ha. See.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about it, though.”
“Why’s that and by the way. Who are you?”
“Who am I? They call me the grim reaper and I have come for your soul.”
“You’re kidding right?”
“Nope. That’s who I am.”
“I’m sorta relieved.”
“How so?”
“Look at this accumulation. Who wants to deal with that mess?”
“As I said.”
Fiction Favorites 
Somebody’s wife is going to be angry when she meets up with him later. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
She told him to get rid of that stuff months ago. 🙂
LikeLike
Guess we know how he died then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha.
LikeLike
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!! 🙂 Good one, John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jan. 🙂
LikeLike
John… (chuckling). Sometimes your stories leave me speechless. It makes me think of the anime, Black Butler and the outrageous “reaper” characters. “It’s not supposed to be serious…” LOL. Well done as always. Have a sensational Saturday. Mega hugs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Teagan. 🙂
LikeLike
LOL – accumulation of stuff says so much about a person! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. Thanks, Jan
LikeLike
I love this. I actually laughed out loud about the idea of the Reaper being better than the need to deal with all the stuff. I have chores I feel the same way about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Craig. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice one John! That’s a scary twist (and I have to clean my garage today). To get from that prompt to that ending is the work of genius.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, Dan. You are too kind. (but I love it) 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you still here?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How fortunate, to be called on by the grim reaper and saved from the task of having to clean out the garage and gasp! the prospect of having to organize a yard sale. Bring on the white lights. . . pump up the volume on the Pink Floyd . . woohoo!
You’re the master of timing, Sheriff, no doubt about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Pilgrim. I have had moments when I thought about wishing for a lightning strike. Cleaning the garage is one of those moments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Nice job, John! I’m curious about this piece of furniture you mentioned. Happy Saturday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, well, I had not better say too much. Thanks, Jill. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! That’s one way to get out of cleaning up a mess… A bit drastic though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true. I would say drastic. Thanks Phillip. 🙂
LikeLike
Nice twist! I probably won’t be able to get rid of all my stuff before I die either!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Me too. 🙂
LikeLike
Well, that was unexpected!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
John, you are the master “twister!” Love the quick read and surprises along the way! Happy Saturday! 💛 Elizabeth
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Elizabeth. Love to twist.
LikeLike
Yikes, I didn’t see that coming! Nicely played, John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Debbie.
LikeLike
The Grim Reaper?? Really, John! Oh my… I’m still laughing. Thank you so much for the smile!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the comment.
LikeLike
😇
LikeLike
Your stories always leave me laughing. Now that your thriller trilogy is completed, how about a comedy?
LikeLiked by 1 person
My wife has said the same thing. I have to think on it a while. 🙂
LikeLike
I like this one. Very good. The Reaper comes and it is his time to go, and his accumulation becomes another person’s headache. It says something about holding on.
Excellent, John,
Shalom aleichem,
Pat
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or maybe not holding on. Thanks LOL. Aleichem shalom
LikeLike
From Douglas Adams’ invaluable Meaning of Liff:
“Nottage (n.)
Nottage is the collective name for things which you find a use for immediately after you’ve thrown them away. For instance, your greenhouse has been cluttered up for years with a huge piece of cardboard and great fronds of gardening string. You at last decide to clear all this stuff out, and you burn it. Within twenty-four hours you will urgently need to wrap a large parcel, and suddenly remember that luckily in your greenhouse there is some cardb…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grim reaper makes nottage a thing of the past.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rather an extreme solution, but I do hate decluttering…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now you know the alternative
LikeLike
Yep, ask the grim reaper to clear out the shed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha.
LikeLike