Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Last Thing that Broke/ You Had to Fix

~ John W. Howell

The sound and aroma coming from the machine give hope that the cup of soothing syrup will soon be filled. It is done, and the first sip is installed through quivering lips. Sure enough, the liquid has reached the brain in a short time, and the nerve endings have all stopped screaming like the audience at a Taylor Swift concert.

There is time to contemplate the prognosis on the day. Like a steel hammer hitting a horseshoe on the blacksmith’s anvil, the thought returns. That cursed box from ACME is still on the back patio. Weak knees follow the thought like a sled behind a team of dogs.

Reluctantly, I approach the box. At least there is no need to disarm the security system since the patio is inside the secure perimeter. Whoever dropped it there knew the layout, so there is a strong suspicion whoever did knows me. With that chilling thought, my ear quickly goes to the side of the box. There is no sound inside, which is a good sign that there may not be a character to deal with today.

A small parachute lands beside me as I pull my ear away from the box. Attached is an envelope. Of course, it is from Linda Hill, and inside is this message.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “last thing that broke/you had to fix.” Think about the word that best describes the last thing that stopped working for you, and use that word any way you’d like. Enjoy!

If you want to see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Lindas bloh. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/10/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-14-2023/

Broke/Fix by John W. Howell © 2023

“So what word did you choose for something that broke and you had to fix?”

“Ignition.”

“Ignition? I didn’t expect that.”

“Neither did I.”

“So tell me.”

“I finished exercising at the gym—”

“Hold on. You still go to the gym.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“You have an EMT standing by?”

“Verry funny. You want to hear about the ignition or not?”

“Go ahead.”

“I have a car with a keyless ignition.”

“And?”

“I got in it and turned the switch and got a message ‘No key detected.'”

“Whoa. I would be finished. What did you do?”

“Remembered a tip from a guy and held the remote device next to the switch.”

“It worked?”

“It did.”

“Here, I thought you were going to have a story about tearing into the electronic guts of the car and spotting the problem and solving it like Walter Mitty.”

“Well, to me, it was like that.”

“Do me a favor.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell anyone else. They’ll laugh you off the planet.”

“I need some VooDoo time. Did you call Uber.”

“Yup, and he’s over there in the garage.”

Photo by Dustan Woodhouse on Unsplash

“By that Humvee?”

“No our ride is the Humvee.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised.”

 

 

 

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Published by John W. Howell

I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two. I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.

77 thoughts on “Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Last Thing that Broke/ You Had to Fix”

  2. Great job in the prompt, John. Keyless ignition is a nice change, I like it, but it brings along a host of problems and adjustments. Not the least of which (for me) is finding a way to bend over that doesn’t involve setting off the help-me-I’ve-fallen alarm. Sweet ride, you guys be stylin’

    Liked by 1 person

  8. So, John, you just had to go and mention Taylor Swift, didn’t you! No offense against her (she’s certainly a force in the music biz), but football and my social media posts haven’t been the same since she started dating Kelce. I only hope that she isn’t in the box on your porch or shows up at your doorstep one day in a red jersey.

    Liked by 2 people

  11. You need a new battery in your remote device! and as for the Humvee, they are so incredibly uncomfortable to ride in. Bring a pillow to sit on!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. I haven’t experienced the keyless entry yet but through my daughter’s new car. But I will keep that trick in mind when I finally give in and up grade 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  13. 🤣🤣 I’m with Liz on this one … I’ll stick with using a key! Fact is, I didn’t know there was such a thing as ‘keyless ignition’ until reading this post! Fun way to start the morning … thanks, John!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Wow … I had been driving for almost 50 years by that time! I’m still stymied by the electronic door locks! My daughter’s SUV has all the gadgets and gizmos and I refuse to drive it because the flashing lights, voices, and pictures popping up on the dashboard would drive me crazy! But even hers still requires a key!

        Liked by 1 person

  15. I’ve only experienced a keyless starter with a rental, and I guess I’m old-fashioned, but I like a key. Great story, John, and your Humvee looks like a fun ride. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  16. When something breaks in our house, my better half invariably asks, “who do we need to call to fix it?” I invariably answer, “you’re looking at him”. She rolls her eyes and shows her disdain for that approach. She’s often right.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Thanks for the tip! I will try to remember it. Nice ride – catch any chicks whilst you were on your way for your VooDoo?
    Happy Sunday – coz I’m late, of course!

    Liked by 1 person

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