I fixed a nice cup of coffee and wandered out the front door to walk to the mailbox. I was expecting a delivery of this week’s prompt from Linda Hill. Unfortunately, I had completely forgotten about the box from the Acme fireworks company sitting on the porch. The package also reminded me about the key which fell from Linda’s envelope last week. This box has been sitting a whole week, and I’m sure Mr. Coyote is frantic by now. The key was still lying on the porch as well.
My first thought was to figure out how to contact a cartoon character about the missing box. It was only a second thought about the key. Second or not, I picked up the key and put it in my pocket. While walking the short distance to the mailbox, I happen to see a quick flash of light like when a mirror hits the sun. In this case, it was a chrome bumper on a 1953 white Cadillac convertible that stopped in front of me. The driver was dressed in black and wearing a chauffeur hat and sunglasses. “Hey, big boy.”
It was a very colorful person in the back seat, seemingly talking to me. “W-who me?” was my erudite reply. She nodded and beckoned with her finger. Then, moving to the car, it was terrific to see Jessica Rabbit. She was wrapped in a feather boa and wearing a red dress that contrasted with the grey leather interior of the vehicle. She handed me an envelope and then ordered the driver to pick up the box. He got out and, with ease, moved the box to the front seat of the car. All the while, Jessica fussed with the boa and kept checking herself in a pocket mirror. Finally, she said no more as the vehicle made a sweeping turn out of the cul-de-sac and disappeared around the corner. Jessica did give me a four-finger wave on her way out. I think I’m in love.
I opened the envelope, and here was the Linda Hill message. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “black, gray, and white.” Use one, use ’em all. Bonus points if you use all three. Have fun! If you would like to have, fun go to Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2021/11/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-20-2021/
Black, Grey, and White by John W. Howell © 2021
“What about the key?”
“Oh yeah, I keep forgetting the key.”
“You can’t keep forgetting the key. You are torturing us.”
“Who?”
“Me and the readers.”
“Well, the key has to fit something. So it’s safe in my pocket.”
“‘Well, the key has to fit something.’ No kidding. Your mind always goes to the black and white of things.”
“What does that mean?”
“You don’t operate in the grey area of uncertainty. Like your statement, ‘The key has to fit something.’ We want to know what is the something.”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“A grey area for you. For us, we would hope you would find out.”
“How am I going to find out?”
“Tell that goofball behind your persona to figure it out.”
“He’ll tell me to head to the pub.”
“Yeah, that will help. Not.”
“But he will give me the words.”
“What words?”
“I’m buying.”
“Okay, then a different situation. I’m in.”
“Not sure you’re invited.”
“What did I just say?”
“‘I’m in.'”
“Who wrote those words?”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
Let me get this right. Is the key there to open something, to gain access to somewhere or something or; and I accept that this may be too radical for a Saturday morning; is alcohol the key? How to get black and white in that? Simples – Guinness!
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You should have done the story. Of course, a black and tan could have been explained as well. Yes, the key opens something and like you I need to figure out what. 😁
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I’d love to, John, but I have a couple of races at loggerheads to deal with; to say nothing of Tarquin’s baby son!
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😳 I’ll let you get back to it then.
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🙂
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Another fun one, John. Lots of morning smiles. 😁 Have a great day!
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Thank you, Gwen. Have a great one as well.
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Ha ha Ha! I apologize for repeating myself but… Brilliant! I love your preamble. They’re always fun but this one was exceptional and I believe it hit the mark as well. Guess I’m just waiting for your keynote speaker.
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Ooooh. I like the idea of a keynote speaker, Pamela. I love your repeats so no apologies necessary. 😁
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This was fun, John. You’ve made progress – you got rid of the fireworks, and you scored some bonus points. Bonus points are the key 😉
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They are Dan. Thank you. See you at the bar shortly. (Don’t call me Shortly)
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Haha!
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I can’t remember if it was airplane or another.
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Airplane. Don’t call me Shirley
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Yes. Thanks.
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“Pour every light we have on that runway”
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Oh yeah. All the lights hit the runway 🤣
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WVU hung on! I hope I’m replying to the right comment. This time I am at the bar.
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Any old comment will do. It was a good game. WVU looked good. You watching Pitt and Virginia?
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I am. I need for Pitt to break loose and give me some room to breathe
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Good luck.
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It was close but they won.
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Excellent
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[…] “Coming right up, Dan. David are you ready for another John Howell’s Special?” […]
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Thank you for the link, Dan
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LOL! I liked this, John! Happy Saturday!
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Thank you. Happy Saturday to you , Jill* Sung to the tune of Against the Wind by Bob Seger
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Thinking of all the keys I’ve had without knowing what they went to. Seem to remember random keys being given to me as makeshift toys too.
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Keys are great prompts to stories too. Thanks, Charles.
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The pub is a key that always fits, and more often than not, everybody knows your name.
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So true, pilgrim.
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Salud!
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Always a fun read on the prompt, John. Love it!
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Thank you, Laura.
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Good one, John. I guess the key to the black and white of fact is sometimes gray and fuzzy. 🙂
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It seems to be, Tim
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Excellent! I like the suspenseful buildup to they purpose of the key. And Jessica Rabbit? Va va voom!
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I know right. Thanks, Maggie.
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You made the challenge look sooo easy. Well done, John. Happy weekend.
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Thank you, Monika. Happy weekend to you as well.
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Love your preamble!! Gotta love Jessica Rabbit. Another good one. Guess we’ll have to wait to see what the key fits. 🙂 Happy Saturday!
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Yes, we have to wait. Thanks, Jan
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Do you still have the key ? Well get back to the porch ! It is the key to the new sequel of not one but two movies in one. Blazing Spaceballs ! Both Princess Vespa and Lili von Shtupp are about to cruise by in convertrables. If you have the key you get to ride off into the sunset and meet Yogurt. …escorted, the rose between Lili and Vespa. Who needs merchandizing when you have that ?
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You don’t need merchandising when you have that. Thanks, John
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Never know where your intros will lead us but we always get there in the end, then there’s the post! Brilliant John just Brilliant 👍
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Thank you, Willow. You are so nice to say that.
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Just telling it as it is 💜
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❤️
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You’ll probably find out what the key belongs to after it goes missing! lol. Enjoy your Saturday beers, John. Just don’t come out feeling gray 🙂
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Thank you, Jacquie. I’ll try to stay away from grey. 😁
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I love the comment about “that goofball behind your persona”!
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guilty
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😀
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😂
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I always love the deliveries and now mystery of the key.
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Yes the key. What shall we do with the key? Don’t answer that.
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Better to ask than answer I’ve found out …lol
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Good policy
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Just being YOU! Always enjoyable!
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Thank you, Billy Ray.
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Maybe it’s the key to that Bentley.
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Yesssssss. Good one, Craig.
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What a fun intro, John, as always, but loved the key mystery, too! And “I’m buying” always seems to work. 🙂
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Two magic words
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😄
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You clever writer you… Way to keep us coming back (not that we need an excuse, of course)!
I’ll take a pint while we figure out just where this key fits!
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Here you go. 🍺
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You’re the best! 🍻
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Hope you like VooDoo Ranger.
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Been wanting to try it since you first mentioned it 🙂
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Well there you go. Only one though
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OK then!
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9% ABV. Don’t want to see you knocked on your butt.
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You might have forgotten I’m Canadian… but I do thank y ou for the warning. In a beer, that is a hefty number.
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Yes it is.Molson is 5.5% and Guinness is 5.0% except for Foreign with is in the 6s
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Right. You are absolutely right!
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A fun SOC, John. It sounds like a regular conversation at my house:
“What’s this key for?”
“I’m sure it goes to something.”
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We just had a conversation on why the builder gave us so many keys. In checking we find that the locks are all standalone. They are not the kind where one key opens all. I feel like a jailer now. Of cours we decided that the only door we need to lock from the outside is the one we will lock. The rest will be from the inside.
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That’s so strange that they didn’t key alike the locks. Just leave the keys in the doors. That way you won’t mix them up. Lol
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They have dead bolts so we don’t need to lock them
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All our keys are stand alone special non-pickable locks keys and we have millions of them for every door including the rape gate to our bedrooms section. I don’t carry them about in my pocket and they are not all on my keyring either as 1. my bag would break my shoulder, and 2. if my keys are lost or stolen it costs to much to replace them all.
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The key!!! Maybe it’s made to unlock Tiny’s WWF gold metal belt.
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there you go. Or maybe Tiny himself.
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I like that thought!
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Hahaha.
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Well, that key is a mystery! If Jessica Rabbit needs it to open the box then she’ll be back…maybe. 😂
Good take on the prompt, John! I hope we get to know what was in the box!
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Thank you, Deborah. That box contained fireworks meant for Wile E. Coyote. The key fits something else. I hope Jessica comes back too. 😁
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These “Stream” posts are always fun, John.
I got a huge chuckle out of you having a crush on Jessica Rabbit.
By the way, who did you think was better looking, Betty or Wilma?
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I thought Betty and Wilma coud have done better than Barney and Fred.
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ROFL ing!
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😁
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And the imagination just keeps on rolling… nice work, John.
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Thank you, Steve. 😁
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