Jessica continues to hold the gun on me. I ask her kindly if she might be willing to aim it at the big guy driving the car. She chuckles and gives me a smile that says, “Fat Chance.” A look out the windshield lets me spot a coffee shop on the next corner. I suggest we all stop in hopes that everyone else in the car is suffering a brain bleed from the lack of caffeine; Jessica scoffs and reminds me that if our destination turns out to be a hoax, I won’t need caffeine ever again.
My mind is racing, trying to figure out a diversion. A well-placed rock thrown with some velocity could be a good diversion. Just as my brain centers on the idea of running for my life, we stop; the guy in front says, “We are at the address.” Jessica looks out the window. “This is a Costco,” she whispers. “How the hell did the statue get into Costco?” She turns to me with fire in her eyes. “This better not be a trick.” To make her point, she shoves the gun under my nose.
My stuttering explanation of the logic of hiding something in plain sight causes her to lower the cannon. She motions for me to get out, and the guy standing outside the door thwarts the thought of running. He opens it and motions for me to step out. Jessica comes around the car, and the gun is hidden somewhere. Her eyebrow lift tells me it is hidden but easy to pull out. “Move it,” she orders. We stroll toward the entrance. When we get inside, a person asks for our membership card. “Show her your card, big shot.” Jessica does not sound pleased.
“I don’t have a card.” My voice comes out in a squeak. Jessica turns a shade of red never before seen by humans. Her snarl causes the Costco person to step back. The big guy comes forward and asks about the next move. Jessica puts her hand to her chin. Her eyes brighten. “Let’s go to the service desk and sign up.” She turns to the Costco person and says. “We can do that, right?” The Costco person nods, and we are off to the desk.
Jessica shoves me to the desk, and the Costco person asks how they can help. I explain I need a membership, and they request my name and address. I tell the employee and start blinking SOS in Morse code with my eyes. The employee looks at the computer screen in a funny way and then says, “I think we have an envelope for you from Linda Hill.”
Jessica leans over my shoulder to see what is in the envelope. She loses interest when she reads Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rock’.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
If you would like to visit Linda’s blog to see how other folks use the prompt, here is the link https://lindaghill.com/2023/06/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-1-2023/
Rock by John W. Howell © 2023
“Who will believe an envelope is waiting for you at Costco?”
“It’s called suspension of belief for the story’s sake.”
“Yeah, but that is ridiculous.”
“You didn’t say that about the bi-plane last week.”
“Cause that could happen. Costco’s not the UPS store.”
“Well, Linda is everywhere.”
“You shoulda found a rock and beaned ole Jessica.”
“I thought of that. But still, there’s the other guy.”
“Use a bigger rock, is all.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work.”
“Is there a literary term for painting yourself into a corner?”
“I think it’s called text Uber.”
“Done. He’s waiting over there.”
“Hold on. I don’t see anything but a Mini Cooper.”
“That’s him.”
“We can’t fit in that thing.”
“He’s got a roof rack.”
“You think I’m going to ride on the roof.”
“Well, I can’t. Arthritis, you know.”
“You rock it well. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
What DOESN’T Costco sell???
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Good question for sure. Since the statue weighs half a ton it fits on the size requirement.
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Definitely.
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😁
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Uber to the rescue.
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For sure. The rescue trope.
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You’ve gotten yourself into quite the pickle. Will be interesting to see how you get out of THIS one!! Happy Saturday, John. We’ll be cin-cinning you tonight!
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Thank you, Dale. Will cin-cin y’all as well.
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Excellent!!
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😊
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“Arthritis” – sounds reasonable to me. 😄 Clever story, John. Enjoy the weekend! 🎇
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You as well, Gwen. Thank you.
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Haha! The prompt in the envelope had me laughing and shaking my head at the same time.
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I know exactly what you mean, Vera. Suspension of belief for sure. 😁
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Great job, John! Happy Saturday!
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Thanks, Jill. Happy Saturday to you * Sung to the tune of Will You Love Me Tomorrow by the Shirelles.
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I hope you don’t end up as a clean up in aisle 5 under a rock. Or are you going to get lucky and find out you are shopping for Roger Rabbit statues at Linda’s Costco ?
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I haven’t figured that out yet. I have a week.
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Have a Rolling Rock or two for me.
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Use to love Rolling Rock when I lived in Ohio
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I always get in trouble at Costco but usually because I buy something I did not know I needed. 😉
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I know what you mean, Maggie. 😁
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I’m sure you’ll find something in Costco, but I also hope that employee is really intelligent and knows Morse code, although that might be a hard wish.
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I think that is a tall wish too, Noelle. But with this story you never know.
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Your stream is gurgling as it flows over those rocks, John, and will need a wondrous happening to continue its flow past the impediment it’s up against.
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A great metaphor. Tim.😁
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One of the most enjoyable “Jessica” adventures. The “Morse Code Eyes” had me snickering thinking of you batting those baby blues. One thing l do want to mention…I do take significant umbrage if you were trying to stealthily code me as ”Fat Chance”. Knock it off…
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Ha ha ha. Good one 🐳
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This was great!! The Costco episide of the Jessica story was sheer genius!
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Oh my. Maybe genius is too complimentary a word. Let’s go with nuts.
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Ha ha ha!
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😊
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Lose her in the bakery section, people are always getting lost there.
I loved, “Use a bigger rock, is all.” Clear answers for difficult questions.
I hope you have a great weekend, John.
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Thank you, Dan. I hope you do as well.
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Saturdays and Ubers… day drinking comes to mind! Ha. Let’s go!
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I loved day drinking. I especially used to love it when there was a critical problem to solve.
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Kinda my strong suit. Critical problem solving. Day drinking is in the rear view mirror but a couple here and there is nice in the summer.
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Yes I’m the same.
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Ha ha ha! I think you’re building suspension bridges! Until next time…
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Stalling maybe.
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Well done!! I’d have been still stuttering and sputtering with the prompt.
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I do that behind closed doors. 😁
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Costco…😅 Well done, John!
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Thank you, Jennie. Should we get a hot dog while we are there?
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That’s a good plan! It might buy you more time with Jessica. Who doesn’t like a good hot dog? If only Costco had cold Voodoo Ranger to go with it…
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I know. They should have VooDoo Ranger in the gallon size
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Yes!!! And cold would be wonderful. 😎
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We are asking a lot of poor Costco.
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We are. 🙂
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😁
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Cool twist, John. Looking forward to seeing where it leads next.
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Thank you, Deborah. I’m right with you on that.
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Loved this John. Well done 👍
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Thank you so much, Holly. I hope you have a super rest of the weekend.
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Thank you, you too John.
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😊
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Good one! You rock, John!
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Thank you, Jo. 😁
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Bet that rock would be good against Jessica! Not sure about the other guy though. Hopefully, Yosemite Sam or someone will come to your rescue!
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I’m not holding out much hope. The Morse code thing didn’t work so well so who knows.
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I’ll bet the statue is in the section where everything is super size!
I just hope no one buys it before you guys get there.
Um, so you are going to be strapped to the roof of a Mini Cooper? Before you do the Voodoo?
OH, and don’t worry about painting yourself into a corner.
Paint dries. Eventually.
🐰❎ 🐰❎ 🐰❎ 🐰❎
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I had to laugh out loud at the eventuality of paint drying. 🌺X 🌺X 🌺X 🌺X
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Yay… it will you know… dry. Eventually.
I painted myself into a corner once. Now I have footprints.
Things always have a way of working out!
🌺𝖃 🌺𝖃 🌺𝖃 🌺𝖃
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I believe that as well. ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠
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👣⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠👣
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🩴👣⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠 ⚙️🛠👣
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Ha! Ha! Nice Costco twist, John. Can’t wait to see how he gets out of this one. And where the heck is the statue anyway? Inquiring minds. Good one!
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I wish I knew where it was. In fact I didn’t know the address I gave the guy was a Costco. We’ll see what happens.
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That hole is getting deeper and deeper, John.
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I feel the same Robbie. 😳
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Another great adventure, John 🙂 I believe the envelope would be at Costco, they really do have everything there.
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Thank you, Denise.
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I love the Costco bit, John, and mini cooper, that’s a bit small but doable!
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[…] Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/07/01/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-prompt-rock/ Jessica continues to hold the gun on me. I ask her kindly if she might be willing to aim it at the […]
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Thank you for the link, Traci.
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