Coffee frees the mind and stimulates the soul. It drips from the spout like it has all day, not knowing the quivering mass witnessing the slow process is about to explode. It finally fills the cup, which reaches the lips just in time. One sip and the affirmation of living one more day is assured. The brain thanks the hand for delivering the wake-up medicine critical to jump-start the thinking process.
With a free-basing brain in gear, the memory of the alarm clock comes rushing in like the sea through an open port hole. The memory seems as messy as a ton of seawater on the floor. The clock sits where it was left. Poor me is the thought in my mind as the task of trying to figure out what to do with it bounces around in my head like a marble in a fishbowl.
Looking at the face provides no clue. There is one big face with hands, one little face with hands, and one medium-sized face with just numbers and one hand. The back has three wind-up keys. One marked time, one marked alarm, and the final marked travel. Beside each key is a small dial, which looks like it is used to set the time and alarm. The question is, what could the dial near the travel key be used for? After fiddling, it is found to move the one-hand face. To set the time, you pull out the dial, move the hands, and punch it in. The alarm is set the same way. The travel dial, when pulled out, moves a single hand to any of the twelve numbers. It is discovered that repeated pulling and pushing of the dial makes the numbers appear in a little window that looks like an odometer with room for seven numbers.
Further experiments causes me to enter my birthday in the odometer window. The next stop is Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, the place of my birth. An alarm goes off, and then back home again. Standing in awe before the clock, which is now on the floor, I get a text. It is from Linda Hill. It reads Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “oo.” Find a word with “oo” in it or just use “oo” because why not? Whatever you decide on, use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!.
To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/10/27/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-28-2023/
OO by John W. Howell © 2023
“That is some clock.”
“No kidding.”
“So, is it magic?”
“I have no idea. I looks that way.”
“You need to find out sooner rather than later.”
“It seems that it can be set for any year.”
“What made the alarm go off?’
“You got me there. Maybe Google has an answer.”
“I think you did something goofy before you took off to the place of your birth.”
I think I could set it for any time I want.”
“Just don’t set it for doomsday.”
“When is that?”
“No one knows.”
“I can’t very well set the date if I don’t know it.”
“You could make a mistake, too.”
“Now is the time for a Voo Doo. Did you call Über?”
“He’s parked in the drive.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“That’s a herse.”
“Think how much room we will have coming home.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We can sack out in the back.”
“Maybe you can. I’ll ride up front, thank you.”
“After enough Voo Doo, the back will be proof I made a good deal.
Fiction Favorites 
Brings back that old warning, “Don’t touch that dial.” I’d keep that alarm set for a few minutes in the future anytime you plan messing with Dial Number Three. Good luck John.
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Thank you, Dan.
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I wasn’t expecting a time-traveling alarm clock–or an Uber hearse!
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Yeah, gets kinda weird around here sometimes. 😁
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Just the way I like it!
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😊
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An Uber hearse driver would be a great profession for one of your upcoming books, John. I knew you’d sneak in Voodoo!😉
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Thanks, Jill. Happy Saturday to you *sung to the tune of I Like It Like That by Kris Kenner.
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Wonder what happens if you set a Time Machine to zero.
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I think you might have to go zero plus one minute to see anything. Would be interesting ans scary I’ll bet.
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Get to the time before time began. Think Futurama touched on that in an episode.
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sounds fun.
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He may get a good nap in the hearse, and then on the other hand……
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Ha ha ha. Love that, GP.
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All that great space back there shouldn’t go to waste. Still I think I’d ride shotgun.
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Me too, Holly. Thanks. 😁
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The driver can take you to a nice park, but there’s no playground equipment.
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I hear that.
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Sooo very clever, John.
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Thank you, Noelle. 😊
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A hearse is perfect for the Halloween season! 🙂 Another cleverly written piece. Hope Twiggy is doing good today.
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Twiggy is resting. Thanks for asking, Jan. Thanks for the compliment too.
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Excellent clock John I rather think Merlin and Morgarna might be very interested in it’s working..
. Hopefully you won’t cause any time rifts 💜💜
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Yeah, I have to be careful with continuum issues. Thanks, Willow.
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😔💜💜💜
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😊
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My digital clock is also evil. For no reason it jumps ahead one hour. Not knowing this, I get up and shower and go have my coffee and note the time is wrong ??? Dang it. The evil bedside did me again !!
Or …. I will rise and shine as always and turn off the screaming alarm. While I am in the living room about an hour later, the alarm decides to scream again !!!
There is definitely a ghost here.
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You need to get rid of that thing. It is possessed.
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John, you messed up my mind with the alarm clock description. I’m going for a snooze and hope it clears. Good job.
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Rest well, Steve. 😁
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Oh, John, that was a mighty complicated start. I think this clock may show up again. A ride in a hearse – no way 🧟♀️
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Ha ha ha. Thanks Robbie.
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So many things you could do with a time travel clock!
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Including getting a good wake up call.
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Hmm, I’ve never ridden in a hearse, and I hope I don’t for some time to come. 😄 Good use of the prompt, John.
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I have not ridden in a hearse either. Thank you, Gwen.
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Quite the clock, John. I guess you have to be careful, and not mess up the present time. Riding in a hearse would be interesting after several Voodoos.
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I wonder if they have a bar back there? Now that I think about it. Why would they?
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Could it be Hoodoo bar?
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There you go. Or a limbo bar.
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😀
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😁
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That would be spooky to have a hearse show up when you call Uber. I don’t think I would get in. Well done, John!
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I mat have to double think that one as well. Thanks, Jo.
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Ha ha ha! Too good!
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Thank you, Pam.
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I believe I’d prefer to ride up front too 🤣
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At least the air conditioner control is in the front.
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The Uber car was the perfect ending….although there is more to come with this alarm clock.
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Yes there is.
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Ah ha!
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😊
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This makes me think of my Mum she says look not luk, took not tuck, shook instead of shuck, with a long oo.. how do you Texans pronounce the oo in hook, cook.
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Hook and cook. Like you see it. 😁
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Ha ha but Mum argues the sound is ooo like the oo in boot, food etc so book and we (because we grew up in Cheshire not Stoke) make the oo sound like u
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I have heard that as well but not in Texas.
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Very clever, John 🙂 You do Voodoo so well 😉
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😊
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I just realised I didn’t hit “reply” yesterday!!
Playing with an unknown series of clocks could be a dangerous or very exciting thing – especially when the instructions don’t come with them. Hope VooDoo night was worth it.
As for travelling by hearse, you can’t complain about leg room!
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I like the leg room comment. You are so right. Voo Doo was great. Raised a glass to you both.
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Trying to look at the positives! Glad you did 🙂
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😁
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Although VooDoo was a lucky double double oo, you just couldn’t let go.
You oo’d your way through the post.
Well, I’ve got some oo for you!
Call me OX, double o OX!
ỜØỢ𝓧
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You can call me anything just not late for dinner. BŒUF OOX
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But of course, dinner is a highlight of a day.
OOX or O🐂 💋
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OOX or O🐂 🐂 💋
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OOX – okay…
Double O XOX 💋
Makes sense!
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Imagine if you will, an alien trying to figure out our code. 🐂 🐂 🐂 🐂
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NOW that’s an into to a Twilight Zone.
So, while the Aliens 👽X 👽X are bogged down and desperately busy figuring the code, 🐂 🐂 💋, Earth’s better angels can obsfucate their original mission (in case it was evil) and make friends with them.
🎃𝖃
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What a great story, Resa. 🌺X
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Lol! Thanks! 🌺X🌺X
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😊 🌺X🌺X🌺X
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🌺X🌺X🌺X🐂
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🐂 🌺X🌺X🌺X🐂
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You win! 😵💫
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😳X
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Ooooooooh!
Yeah I think I would walk in this instance.
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Yeah I can’t I have to stay and write this stuff. 😁
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Hahaha!
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😁
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