In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (Below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”
The photo
The Walk by John W. Howell © 2018
“What did you do?”
“Me? Nothing.”
“Where did all this steam come from?”
“How do I know? I was just taking a picture of that crawly thing when it came up from the grate. Wait. Don’t walk on it.”
“I wasn’t going to walk on it. I wanted to see if it is hot.”
“With your foot?”
“I don’t want to stick my hand in it.”
“Get back away. Of course, it’s hot.”
“How do you know?”
“I can feel the heat from here.”
“What crawly thing were you taking a picture of?”
“You didn’t see it?”
“No what did it look like?”
“Sorta like a centipede.”
“Ew. I’m glad I didn’t see it. Where is it now?”
“It jumped into the grate just before the steam came out.”
“Where do you think it went?”
“I’m sure I don’t know, but I’ll tell you one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Where ever it went I’m sure it is dead. That must be a thousand degrees down there.”
“Should we be worried?”
“About what?”
“I don’t know. Maybe an earthquake or volcano?”
“Oh please. This is a little disturbance is all. Nothing ever happens like that here.”
“That’s a relief. How about some lunch?”
“I heard they have a great place around the corner.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I bought a guidebook.”
“Let me see it.”
“Okay, here on page 45 starts the list of the top restaurants in Pompeii.”
“You feel that?”
“Whoa, I sure did.”
Fiction Favorites 
Makes me think there had to be at least one unlucky tourist who was simply passing through when the volcano went off.
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I know right? Ha ha ha. Thanks, Charles.
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You’re welcome
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🙂
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I’ve got the Jimmy Buffet song in my head now…” I don’t know where I’m going go when the volcano blows.” 🌋 Great job, John!
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“Lava is soft and hot.” Thanks, Jill. Now I have it in my head too. “Don’t want to land on no Three Mile Island.”
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LOL! Great song!
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😀
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does look like a Pompeii lol cool photo ✌️😁
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Check out Keith’s explanation, “The picture was taken at the entrance to Vulcania theme park in the area of the dormant chain of volcanos in France’s Central Massif. ” Thanks, Ray.
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😃 oh i see :))
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🙂
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Very good, John. I love the way you twist us around on these. Checking the heat with his foot reminds me of so many stupid things…but let’s not go there.
Have a great day!
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Like touching the paint next to the Wet Paint sign.
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I think the man might be saying, “I don’t think you’re going to have the same effect as Marilyn Monroe did standing over the grate, Mildred – but go ahead and give it a go!”
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LOL. Perfect, GP. 😀
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Nice one, John. The picture was taken at the entrance to Vulcania theme park in the area of the dormant chain of volcanos in France’s Central Massif (about 40kms south of here).
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Very interesting photo. I felt the volcano vibe.
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I’m dyin up here, John… Pompei!! Great imagination, good sir.
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Thank you, John 😀
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Always follow the animals. Growing up on a farm taught me when the horses go in so do we.
Great write, Butch
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Thank you, Audrey.
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Welcome
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🙂
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Perfect explanation. Quick throw clams all over the grate, we’ll have lunch.
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Great idea. I’ll bring the chablis.
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LOL! 😛
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Thanks, Jan
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Another great story. Makes you wonder if residents in Pompeii had warnings such as this. 🙂
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Given the fact that most were buried I think it was pretty sudden. Thanks, Gwen.
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LOL! That was a lot of fun, John. As always, you are so clever 😉
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Thank you, Mae. Always nice to hear you enjoyed it.
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LOL You did a great job with this John.
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Thank you, Andrew.
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Lol…that is the one place we didn’t visit in Italy that I wanted to. Great take on pic but of course, now I’m curious about this steam….
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Keith sent me this. “The picture was taken at the entrance to Vulcania theme park in the area of the dormant chain of volcanos in France’s Central Massif” Might be worth a visit as well.
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I’ve never heard of this. Will have to go on my list! Thanks:)
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Yes, for sure.
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Your mind is a scary place, John Howell. 🙂 Love this…that “crawly” thing may not be dead after all.
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I agree. I think it lives in Illinois. Thanks, Jan
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Could be. 🙂
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Nice job, John! I’m sort of feeling sorry for the poor scorched centipede, though.
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He actually was not taken, Debbie. He survived and produced offspring that are now living in Illinois. Oh! What was that behind you?
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HaHa, I’m shivering. He probably turned into a bat!!
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True enough
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You’re so good at this! Okay, silly question of the day: if the chain of volcanos are dormant in France’s Central Massif, why is the volcano still producing steam? A (runner-up to the first silly question of the day: do dormant volcanos normally produce steam? If dormant volcanos do normally produce steam, that makes me pretty dumb re France’s Central Massif! AND, I don’t like being dumb! SO, just stop it! (I could go on, good John, but this is your blog! But, then, you know that!
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I would hope Keith would weigh in. I have no idea of the steam quotient on a volcano. You are always welcome to comment as much as you wish on my blog. You know that. 😀
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HEY, I got cut off! I didn’t get to leave my, ), and my trademark, ♥! (Thanks for putting up with me, JW, I get ‘stir crazy’ a lot!) One more HEY, I thought a mastiff was ‘a dog of a large, strong breed with drooping ears and pendulous lips’… Aw, heck, I’m just a ‘rambling man’! Always, rambling! Julie Anne’s picking up the phone — I’m scared she might be calling those ‘green people’! Nah, she just handed me the phone: “Talk to your son, Billy Ray, and give that poor man some space!” Uh-oh, she’s unplugg…… ♥
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Ha haha. You should talk to your son. I think Julie Anne knows you too well. 😀
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Now THAT’s a grill!
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ha haha.
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Ha ha! Pompei. Really funny, John.
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Thanks, Jennie. 😀
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You’re welcome, John.
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🙂
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LOL! Good one John!
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Thank you, Deborah.
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Another great take on the photo, John, and something tells me that crawly thing is still crawling. Like in Hollywood, they never die. 🙂
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That is true. What is that behind you, Lauren?
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Haha! Just what I was afraid of! 😁
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😀
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[…] The Walk by John W. Howell © 2018 […]
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Thank you, Keith.
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