In Keiths 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.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
The Photo.
Tea Time by John W. Howell © 2020
“Look out for that cart.”
“Yeah, I’m clear of it. Thanks for the warning, though.”
“I’m telling you these folks heading for their tea are downright dangerous.”
“Don’t you think it ironic the woman is in a cart, and the Tea place is named the Tea Caddy?”
“It sort of caught my funny bone, yes.”
“Next, we’ll be seeing golf balls dropping on the street.”
“Yes, and men in golf shoes click-clacking all over the place.”
“Good thing we are pretty far from the golf course, or this could be a reality.”
“So where to now?”
“How about we head over to the fabric store. There are some tweeds that I have been dying to check out.”
“Tweeds?”
“Yeah, I might want to have a jacket made.”
“For what occasion?”
“Nothing special. Just to have it.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything but a t-shirt.”
“I know. I think it’s time to upgrade a little. I might want to have something that doesn’t have advertising on it.”
“Boy, that just doesn’t sound like you. Everything okay?”
“Just because I want a jacket?”
“How are you and Steve getting along?”
“Just fine. It’s just a jacket.”
“You having an affair?’
“Oh please. Never mind. Let’s just go to the t-shirt place and see if there is anything fun there.”
“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay. I’m just your best friend is all.”
“There is nothing to tell.”
“I might want to look at some tweeds.”
“Is Ralph cheating on you?”
“No. Me looking at tweeds is normal. You not so much.”
“How about some ice-cream?”
“You depressed?”
“For gosh sakes.”
“I got it, right?”
“It’s just ice cream.”
“Sure,”
Fiction Favorites 
What can beat a bit of retail therapy?
Background – taken at Epcot last December. My piece describes what happened to me when I helped the scooter occupant up the kerb. Incidentally, we looked around that store mainly because I worked in IT for Twinings in the UK for nigh on twenty years and had close relationship with the NJ sales outfit when I ran the company’s web sales.
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Interesting background. Looking forward to reading it.
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She sure asks a lot of questions! I can tell you had fun with this one. Nice job, John!
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Thank you, Jill. This was a riff on those who look for hidden meanings in any behavior. Yes I did have fun with it.
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Well, that conversation took a strange turn. 😀
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Yes it did. The hallmark of my stuff is strange turns. Thanks, Liz.
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Oh my, where’s the rest of this? You’ve got me suckered in like a National Enquirer headline, John. Well done!
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Hahahhaha. Sorry about that but this conversation won’t go too far without you.
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You had me looking for an ice cream parlor!
And Nosey Nelly sure is an instigator!
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She is for sure, Dale. One of those friends who tries to see gossip in everything.
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And there are so many out there…
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“It is never just ice cream,” says my muse.
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So I’ve been told. Thanks, Greg.
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That’s one suspicious friend.
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We call a person a pot stirrer. (there is another word that could be used instead of pot but this is a family blog. Thanks, Charles.
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Ah. Sadly, I’m well aware of that type of person.
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It’s never JUST ice cream! (Oops, I just noticed Almost Iowa said the same exact thing) oh well.
My thought for a caption was, “It’s your fault we got thrown out! Did you really have to ask for coffee?”
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Hahahaha. That is a good one, GP. “Just Ice cream” is like when is a cigar just a cigar?
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Great dialogue, John. The bantering made me think, I’d find a different shopping friend. 😀
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Me too. Thank you, Gwen.
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These two rival Larry and Andrew. I think they should meet up for ice cream.
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Tweed or t-shirt ? And raining golf balls. Where is the mostly dead Norwegian Blue ?!? Good one John.
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Spoken like true best friends. They may need a glass of wine in lieu of the ice cream to get her loosened up and talking. 🙂 Good one, John!
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The ‘Dialogue King’! Hands down!
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Now that’s reading between the lines, LOL.
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Nicely done, John. Be good when we can safely do retail therapy again — I’ve missed that!!
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Who needs enemies when they have a best friend like Nelly? Loved this banter, John. Great take on the prompt.
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So true, Soooz. 😀
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Nice to see a “Life inside the time of WE ARE OPEN” post, 🙂
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Thank you, Marc.
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🙂
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Women make everything way too complicated… said every man.
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…..To himself in the forest with no one within a hundred miles.
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Hahaha! That is so funny, and of course true.
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😊
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[…] Tea Time by John W. Howell © 2020 […]
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