Out of coffee beans was the message on the machine. Time to switch from Columbian to French Roast. Filling the reservoir brought a tweak of excitement in anticipation of a new dark roast flavor. Sure enough, when the process is activated, the machine seems to be in a similar frame of mind. No hesitation, and within seconds, the 10 ounces of life-saving Elixer was delivered into the cup.
With a shaking hand, the cup reaches the mouth for the first sip of the unique blend. Slowly the brain picks up the cues of deep taste, aroma, and mind-altering chemical rush. Yes, indeed, this is heaven on Earth.
Sitting with the coffee and laptop and just starting to go through the day’s mail, there was a crash sound that seems like what a falling bus would sound like if it landed in the backyard. Why that sound is familiar is a piece of irony and a story for another time.
Getting up from my comfort and hazarding a look into the backyard, there was no surprise in seeing a big yellow iron bus buried up to the hubcaps in the turf. A sigh escaped my lips since it appears that an investigation would be necessary. “First finish the coffee” was an order from the brain department. A second or two after returning to my seat, the doorbell rings.
What the hell good is it to put a sign on the doorbell not to ring it when every Tom, Dick, and Harry ignores the sign? Theseare the thoughts as I pull Twiggy and Lucy from the ceiling. The front door requires a disarming procedure which takes a few minutes. The door finally gives way, and a stranger asks. “Have you seen a bus anywhere around here?”
“Elmer Fudd?” The question shoots out of my mouth before the brain can catch it. The answer is a surprise. The character declines to admit he is Elmer Fudd but hands me an envelope and tips his hunting hat. “That Waskely Wabbit took my bus, and if you see it or him, tell him he is on the menu for tonight.”
Rather than get involved, I thanked Elmer for the envelope and slowly shut the door. The bus will have to wait while the envelope receives full attention. No surprise, it is from Linda Hill with a message inside. The message reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “iron(y).” Use “iron,” use “irony,” or use both. Use them any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use both. Have fun!
If you would like to have fun, just go to Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link.
https://lindaghill.com/2022/06/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-4-2022/
Iron(y) by John W. Howell © 2022
“So you burned up all our time with that silly story.”
“Had to be told.”
“Iron bus in the backyard.”
“Funny visual, wouldn’t you say.”
“Good thing there is no fact-checker on this blog.”
“It’s fiction, remember.”
“Yeah, but a falling bus.”
“The irony here is how do you get a bus out of your backyard?”
“Let’s not even go there. so the prompt is iron?”
“Iron and irony. Got em both. Bonus cha-ching.”
“Which reminds me.”
“Of what.”
“Iron City beer. Ever hear of it?”
“Of course. The producer is from Pittsburgh.”
“Think we can get some?”
“The pub master can certainly tell us.”
“The irony is we need someone to tell us if the beer is available.”
“Rather than what?”
“Sitting drinking it.”
“Good point. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
Our bean-to-cup machine ran out of Colombia’s finest yesterday, mid-grind. No message, just a change in tone coming out of the mill from a graunch to a scream. Took me ages to find a new bag of beans. Doesn’t affect me; I use an Italian ground blend that I feed straight into the hopper. Had to refill the bean reservoir though – the loss of brownie points could be disastrous. Just an aside. Carry on.
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Excellent aside touching on various elements of interpersonal relations between humankind, machine, and humankind again. 😁
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Elmer Fudd must be a much better tracker than his screen personality makes him out to be. Ironic. 🙂
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He didn’t locate the bus though so I think his reputation is intact.
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Now there’s a great use of half the prompt, John. I have a six-pack of Iron City. If we were closer, I’d bring it to the bar. Good luck getting that bus out. Is that the one you need for tomorrow?
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I think it is the one for tomorrow. There is a crane working right now. It is a bout a foot out of the hole.
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Good luck!
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You should get to the pub before the Producer gives you some ironing to do.
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Good one, Craig!
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😊
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🤣 good one, Craig.
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I wanted to comment on the coffee beans, but TW’s comment made me laugh and I wished I could top him.
off topic – have you noticed that Texas has been picking up on the hurricanes that look like they’ll FL, so it takes a cyclone from the other direction to sneak into our backdoor and get us!! Is that irony?
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I think Texas is the new hurricane central. You guys got a lot of rain out of that cyclone. Hope all is well now.
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Yup, tons of rain, but it is dissipating now.
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That’s good.
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Well, now I’m curious about why the sound of a falling bus is familiar!
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Story for another day. 😁
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I’ll be patient. (More or less.)
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Thank you. (more or less)
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Ha ha! You got me!
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😁
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you for sharing, Michael.
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With a great pleasure, and also many thanks to you, John! Have a beautiful weekend! xx Michael
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😊
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Ha Ha! I like this one. Hubby was at the airport one day and over the intercom, he heard, “Paging E. Fudd. E.Fudd, if you are in the airport please come to the reception desk.” He waited but no one stood up and went to the desk. But he did hear a few muffled giggles and no one made eye contact with anyone!
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We used to like to page Charles Roast. Was always good for a laugh. Thanks for sharing, Darlene.
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This was great, John. It brought back memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons.😍Happy Saturday!
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I’m glad, Jill. Happy Saturday to you. *Sung to the tune of That Don’t Impress Me Much by Shania Twain.
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That seemed like a tough one to do. Irony is always tricky.
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Irony is tricky It is one of those ironic words that can bit you in the butt.
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A falling bus in the backyard?? Your creative energies have no limit, John. I can’t imagine anyone matching this post. Well done!! 🤣🤣🤣
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I’m glad you liked it, Gwen. I’m not sure anyone would want to match this post. 🤣 Thanks you for the kind words.
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I was wondering how Elmer was holding up, what with the move towards all things impossible in the way of foods we once went caveman over.
Glad you got things . . . ironed out. 😉
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Elmer looked like he had lost a little weight to me.
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Times are tough all over.
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I know right?
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Hahaha I love the irony of it! Thanks for the smile!
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You are so nice to let me know you liked it.
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Entertaining as always, John. Thank goodness it’s fiction or Twiggy and Lucy would have a time exploring an iron bus buried up to the axle in your turf. 🙂
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Yes they would hope to have a bus drop from the sky. Thanks, Jan
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How ironic that you would bring up Iron City Beer! Great, as usual.
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Thank you, Noelle. 😁
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Is it just Texas or does LH use the looney tunes crew to deliver her prompts all over ? Happy Saturday John
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I think it is just to me.
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Coffee first – always. That way we can actually deal with doorbells ringing (despite signs) and buses dropping from the sky into our backyards. Somehow, things always look better after that first cup. Happy Saturday, John!
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I agree. After the first cup I can handle anything.
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Oh! John your garden must be a disaster area it’s a miracle your house is untouched 💜
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I know, Willow. It will be back to normal tomorrow after the rain.
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Thank goodness for that 😌
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You should either be writing jungles for Maxwell House or screenplay lines for a re-hatch of Looney Tunes! lol
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Jingles! Though the beans do come from the jungle 🙂
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Hahaha.
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Thank you, Jacquie. Glad you liked the post. 😁
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Glad you got your coffee in before dealing with Elmer. That bus must have been quite a sight. I can only image Bugs is nearby.
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I’ll bet he is too. Thanks, Denise.
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HaHaHa! Oh there’s an easy way to get rid of Elmer Fudd’s school bus in your backyard… Use an eraser. You make me smile, you make me chuckle and you make me laugh out loud! No irony there.
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I like the eraser idea, Pamela. The guy with the crane wants too much money to get it out. I’m glad you liked the post.
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Good take on the prompt, John, and I love the intro. You’re evoking some fun memories with these cartoon characters 🙂
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Thank you, Marie. Boyhood favorites
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Terrific use of the prompt. Sounds like a second cuppa of paradise should be strongly considered for the hero of your story. P.S. I share your dread of the doorbell being activated. It’s always chaos with the 4-legged security system at my house too.
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Thank you, Monika. On the doorbell, it makes me wonder why some folks can’t seem to read. Twiggy and Lucy go ballistic when it is rung. Thanks for the visit and comment.
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Your post seems to proves there are illiterates apparently everywhere. The “the rules don’t apply to me cohort seems to be growing by the day. 🙄 You have my deepest empathy. I know how maddening it is when dealing with the clueless.
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The other one I like is the deliver person who flings the package so it sounds like a cannon when it hits the porch. 😊
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Oh yeah. Hopefully there’s a special hell for those people. 😵💫
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Ha ha ha.
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Too bad you had to peel Lucy and Twiggy off the ceiling. 😂 So that Waskely Wabbit stole an iron bus? There’s more to the story. Elmer Fudd needs to spill the beans.
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He is not very friendly though. Maybe I can get him to talk. 😁
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I know you can! 😀
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Haha! Nicely done, John. 🙂
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Thank you, Linda. I’m glad you liked it. 😊
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LOL!!!
So, irony has nothing to do with ironing?
Huh!
You do realize that in Victorian days, irons were made of iron?
There’s got to be a connection!
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That is indeed irony that irony has nothing to do with ironing.
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Makes my brain hurt!
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I know what you mean. 😊
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