Tapping my fingers on the counter has no effect on the speed of delivery of the only elixir that can be considered by me as lifesaving. The machine must make the frothy, full-flavored coffee in its own time. That is understood but it does not make it any easier to wait or understand the wait when every nerve is screaming for caffeine. The mind is strong, but the flesh is weak. To quote the flesh, “Give me coffee or someone gets hurt.”
Finally, the machinations are over, and my cup runnith full. One sip and the insurrection going on inside the body is put down. All the minions go back to work, and the day has begun. During the second sip, a slight sound is detected by the Arlo security system. A quick phone check shows the message, Movement, at the front door. Snapping on the two-way communication system, the question of who is there is transmitted to the outside. The response is surprising. Special Delivery. A signature is required.
A huge sigh escapes just at the thought of disarming the security system. But since there doesn’t seem to be an alternative. The tower machine guns are deactivated, the moat screen rolled, the concertina wire retracted, the boiling oil set to standby, the claymore mines detached, The trebuchet reset, the iron gate opened, and the locks and bolts thrown. Easing the door open, no one seems to be on the porch. There is a buzzing like a hive of bees. In a flash, a drone drops down and meets me eye to eye, so to speak. A metallic voice asks for my signature, quickly scrawled on a glass plate. An envelope is thrust at me from somewhere inside the drone. I take it, and the drone shoots straight up and disappears.
I can see the envelope is from Linda Hill. I open it and read the message inside. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “envelope.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy! To see how others handle the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here’s the link: https://lindaghill.com/2023/08/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-aug-12-2023/
Envelope by John W. Howell © 2023
“Well, that was easy.”
“It was like it was made for me.”
“You use the word ‘envelope’ every week.”
“I know, right?”
“Maybe Linda decided to give you a break.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“So now that the prompt is nailed, what do we do now?”
“We could go to the library.”
“Um, why?”
“To pick up some books.”
“Books to read, you mean?”
“Yeah, that’s what you do with books.”
“Is there a chance it is on the way to the pub?”
“If you ask if we can stop at the pub after the library, the answer is yes.”
“How about before?”
“You’re pushing the envelope.”
“Okay, after is fine. I can hold out. Got Uber ordered.”
“Great. What kind of mess did you order this time?”
“Tell me you didn’t enjoy the other rides?”
“The road grader was a challenge.”
“Only cause it rained, and there was no room in the cab.”
“There was that too.”
“So the guy is here.”
“Where?”
“Over there.”
“All I see is a Good Humor truck.”
“That’s it. I must warn you he has a couple of stops before we arrive.”
“Did I ever tell you how much I dislike bells?”
“No, never. He going to throw in a Dreamsicle, too.”
“Just can’t wait.”
Fiction Favorites 
You can never enjoy your Saturday coffee in silence, can you?
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As Gilda Radner said,”It’s always something. If it’s not one thing it’s another.” Thanks, Charles.
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Saturdays do tend to go any which way, don’t they?
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More or less, GP. That’s what makes them so special.
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We do only get one a week.
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That is so true.
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I don’t know that Good Humor sells Dreamsicles, but they should.
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You are right, John. It is a creamsicle.
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Right: Dreamsicles are made from ice milk, Creamsicles from ice cream.
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Good to know.
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Was the drone playing “What’s the buzz during the delivery ?” You are here by granted literary licensee on the letter delivery by drone. Though it might as well been a baseball card clipped to a bicycle wheel you were trying to grab. You are free to consider the plot fails as you sip your Voodoo Ranger. Bonus points : you can sip or quaff as many as you like whilst you sort it all out.
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Thank you, John. Will do.
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Dreamsicles are my favorite! Good one, John. Happy Saturday!
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Thank you, Jill. Happy Saturday to you *sung to the tune of Mother-in-Law by Ernie K-Doe
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Sounds like a good day to me. A Dreamsicle, the library, and a pub.
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Yup. The trifecta of good days
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A dreamsicle with a chaser gives me a queasy feeling. I think I need another cup of brew. 🍵
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Ha ha ha. I don’t think you are a god day drinker, Gwen. 😁
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A Dreamsicle and a cuppa heaven? Whoa…you sure know just how to get the weekend started!
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Yes indeed. Cuppa heaven first.
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Cool one, John, not droning on at all, even bringing some good humor to us. 🙂
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Oh my. You just won the pun award for the week. Well done, Tim.
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😉
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Well done on the prompt, John! I’m enjoying your different Uber rides. Maybe one day a Bentley will show up. Well, maybe not. 🙂
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I won’t hold my breath, Jennie. 😂
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Haha!
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😊
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Good things come to those who wait (and all that crap). Sniff… the scent of that beautiful elixir has just reached my nostrils.
Tell you what… I hope to hell you never have to exit quickly with all the steps needed 😉 Happy Saturday and we shall Cheers! you tonight!
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Thank you, Dale. I will cheer you both as well. 😁
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😁
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😊
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Ha ha ha! I didn’t see that Good Humor truck coming! Ding, ding!
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Thanks. Jingle jangle.
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Ha, ha, ha! I didn’t see that Good Humor truck coming. Ding! Ding!
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Thank you, Liz. You came through as someone on this comment. Jingle Jangle.
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You’re welcome, John. (I was commenting on my phone, not a smooth process.)
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Ah ha,
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Haha, John, this was great. You really did push the envelope.
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Thank you, Robbie.
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Oh I can hear those bells in my head, from my memories, and it makes me smile!
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Me too, Pam.
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Oh, boy! Young me was on the street with the rest of the kids shouting, “Sam! Sam! The ice cream man!” You did ring the bells, right?
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I did ring the bells. There are six of them and they all ring at once.
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You don’t always know what you’re going to get with Uber! Good decision to to to the library first!
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I thought you would like that idea. Thanks, Barbara.
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Well done, John. I knew you’d nail this one 😊
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Thanks, Dan
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Opening the envelope and the winner for best imagination writing is…John. I agree, this one was right up your alley. Good job. And, good night.
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Aw. Thank you, Steve.
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A Saturday morning without coffee is horrible. Best wishes, Michael
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Yes indeed. Not only horrible but life threatening. 🤣
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Normally I’d put on my thinking cap to respond, but today I’m putting on my envelope hat.
Now listen up, John!
Seeing as how you’re infiltrating a Good Humor truck, I’ll need one lime popsicle, still brutally frozen, sticks in and wrapper on.
I need this done to the letter.
Once the mission is completed, you will be enveloped by gratitude.
🪀𝖃 🪀𝖃 🪀𝖃 🪀𝖃
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Okay since the lime Popsicle is not made by Good Humor I had to go to the store that had dry ice and buy one. I bought it. Here it is brutally frozen, stick in and wrapper on. Whew. 🍏X (I hope you can accept a green apple symbol. Can’t find a lime)
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NO LIME! Stupid emojis.
Your efforts go noticed.
The green apple is wonderful, and if there was such a thing as a green apple popsicle, I’d probably like it.
🍏X 🍏X 🍏X 🍏X
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🍏X 🍏X 🍏X 🍏X glad you liked them. Here is another substitute. 🌵🍀
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Thank you, dear John.
I’m not sure how delish a cactus popsicle would taste, or a shamrock popsicle, but for you, I’ll give it a whirl!
💋💋💋💋
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These are symbols of green.
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Yes! OX!
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Too bad we don’t have a green OX
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Well, we have a green OX in our hearts!
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We do for sure. 🐂
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🐂
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😊X
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I’d say the Good Humor truck is an upgrade from the road grader. 🙂 Great one, John!
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Thank you, Jan.
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Glad the day started out right and sounds like a good finish.
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Thank you, Denise.
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I love your . . . wait for it . . . delivery.
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Ah ha ha ha.
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😉
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