The brew machine delivers a cup of steaming stuff faster than usual. There is more time to fool with the clock. The clock is in the pantry, and the pantry door closes after fetching it. Another dial appears on the back of the clock for the first time. There is a small clock face and a dial. The word ‘alarm’ is beside the face. Looking at my watch, the local time is nine o’clock. So if the alarm is set for Ten o’clock, it will give me an hour in the past.
The alarm is set, and the day and year are chosen: November 24, 1923. Now, to pull the pin to engage. Whoa, that was fast. According to the stadium sign, the location is Forbes Field. That’s a stadium that was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It looks like the game is over since most are leaving. Inside is a giant scoreboard with the names Carnegie Tech and Visitor. It looks like the visitors won the game 23 to zero.
A program is on one of the seats, and the visitors have been identified. It is Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame football team. It looks like the game was a little one-sided. The local folks don’t look too happy, but the Notre Dame folks are all singing and laughing.
A guy from the radio station is interviewing Rockne, saying that the game didn’t reflect his team’s strength. He mentions that they could have done more but decided to allow some first-year members to get some experience. That seems reasonable since, for Notre Dame, the score seems modest indeed.
A bell goes off, and my living room replaces Forbes Field. In my hand, the program has turned into a message from Linda Hill. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “something that closes.” Write about the first thing that pops into your head that closes. Enjoy!
To see how others handled the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/11/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-25-2023/
Something That Closes by John W. Howell © 2023
“The pantry door was a cheap way around the prompt.”
“Well, ours does.”
“Tell me again why you don’t use the pronoun, ‘I'”
“Too many first person, present tense stories overuse the pronoun. Everyone gets tired of seeing ” I, I ” all the time.”
“Okay, I get that. Once in a while wouldn’t hurt.”
“I suppose, but I’m trying to do a story without.”
“You just said I.”
“Y0u and are a talking. That’s not what I mean.”
“I’m confused. You know what else closes?”
“Yes, the pub. Did you order an Uber?”
“He’s here.”
“By those Amish buggies?”
Photo by Crystal Tubens on Unsplash
“He’s is one of those Amish buggies.”
“Why did I ask?”
“Enquiring minds want to know.”
“Maybe we should walk.”
“Come on. It will be fun.”
Fiction Favorites 
Beautiful entertaining, and so much useful knowledge. I never before had heard about the Amish buggies. Thanks, John! Please excuse my delay in the past. Enjoy a beautiful weekend! xx Michael
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Never worry about your delays Michael. It is nice when you return. That is the important part.
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Next time you need to get there for the game not after it. The buggy ride could be fun.
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I suppose I need to look up a point in history for the timing of events rather than just setting the day. It would have been nice to see the game. Thanks, Robbie. (look at us talking like this stuff is real 🤣)
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🤣🤗
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😁
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[…] she’s bringing more John Howell’s Bourbon up from the […]
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Thanks for the link, Dan. Super post today.
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Having been in an Amish buggy a few times, I can honestly say it’s charming and different and absolutely frightening. But worth it.
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Thanks, Marc. I thought of you when I selected it and wondered if you ever had a ride. I lived in Amish country in Indiana for about six years.
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Yeah, I’ve had the good fortune of having a glimpse inside that world. Dinner at an Amish home, buggy rides. A wedding and a funeral.
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I might have mentioned I had Amish carpenters build my barn when I lived in Indiana. All by hand.
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Of course you did! 😉
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I know I sound like Walter Mitty sometimes. I did fit a lot into the years I was given.
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You sure did.
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😁
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I’m so glad you set the clock to Forbes Field time and not Three Rivers Stadium time. I saw lots of winners and loser in that stadium, until it closed its doors for good. Oops, I began two sentences with ‘I’. The person writing this comment needs a beer. Can he hop in the buggy?
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Sure . The more the merrier. It looks like it seats a whole family.
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Yes, I think clip clopping to the pub is the best course of action at this point.
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Gotta wonder how long it will take to get there.
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Patience is a virtue?
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So true, Liz 😊
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There’s one thing that never closes, your very creative mind. I see lots of Amish buggies during summer drives. They move along quickly on the narrow rural roads.
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It is amazing to me how many Amish communities there are across the country. Thanks, Steve.
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The word ‘ubiquitous’ comes to mind.
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A good word for sure.
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That’s one Uber I would look forward to taking. Oops, “I” said too!
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Ha ha ha. You are allowed. This is all my quirk. 😁
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Looks like a fun idea to go to a bar using a horse and buggy
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The nice thing is the horse knows the way home. 😁
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As long as it doesn’t get anything to drink, you’re in the clear.
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We” keep Willie Nelson’s song Whiskey for My Men and Beer for the Horses to ourselves.
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Seems like the perfect designated driver. You might wind up in the barn instead of your house, but you can sort that out in the morning.
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Yes, mornings are for sorting things out.
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I would so go by buggy. 😀 Hope you got to the pub before it closed. lol
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Yeah, we made it. Of course we woke up in the barn. Thanks, Kymber
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LOLOL 😀
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😊
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In my next life, I’d like to live in the Amish country. Buggies don’t need charging!
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So true. Happy Saturday to you, Jill *sung to the tune of Dedicated To The One I Love by The Shirelles
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I would have interviewed Knute Rockne immediately! And I’d be happy to take you on a buggy ride. I like the idea of a slower pace of getting where you want to go! Voo doo at the pub…
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Get to see the scenery too. Thanks, Noelle.
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“Come on. It will be fun.”–Code for ‘hold my beer.’
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Yes it is. Thanks, Lois
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That clock sure displays your creative imagination, John. Riding to the pub in an Amish buggy is almost time traveling. 🙂
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Yes, indeed. 😁 Thanks, Tim.
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Amish buggies and time machines in the same post ! Hope the Voodoo Ranger does not lead to a surprise jump to the future on the way home ! Happy Saturday !
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Yeah we don’t want to go there quite yet.
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Very enjoyable John I am really enjoying these time travel jaunts . Snap shots of history 💜💜
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Yes. I try to get as close to 100 years ago as possible. Thanks, Willow
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Excellent very interesting 💜
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😊
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That’s an interesting and original choice for a ride. Hope the VooDoo is delish! I like that one-hour trial. Seems to have worked and you are so good at slipping in a bit of history for us! You’re a natural teacher 🙂
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Thank you, Dale. I wanted to be a teacher once and then a teacher let me come visit her class. Uh nope. 😁
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Hahaha! Maybe a teacher to adults 😉
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The one thing your mind is not, is closed! And we are all thankful for that.
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Thank you, Pam. I loved that comment.
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I hope there’s not too much traffic where you’re going in that buggy. The last time we were visiting my family, an Amish buggy passed by our hotel on a very busy four-lane road. I felt so sorry for the horses. I bet they were scared (and I would have been too).
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Those Amish horses seem to be okay with cars. I lived in Amish country in Indiana for a few years.
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I guess they would have to get used to being around cars. Just made me nervous to watch them 😉
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Horses are pretty smart about the environment they are in.
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It probably would be fun to ride in an Amish buggy. I used to see them when I lived in the Midwest. But in Arizona, I’ve not noticed even one buggy. Another great story, John. 😊
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I think the heat keeps the Amish from settling in Arizona Have a super Sunday, Gwen.
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Great fun in this combination post, John. Hugs.
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I would love to ride in an Amish buggie, and of course be on that football field field in 1923. That was a great story. Keep the alarm going!
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That’s time travel at its finest !!
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Thank you, Jill.
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I see…. yes the pantry door closes, and it is something that closes.
Well, seems you’ve opened up a new prompt style.
Um… was that game on November 24, 1923, a game that actually happened.
Have a fab walk, and if you see any street art on your way, take a pic please!
OX OX OX OX
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Yes, it was an actual game on that date.
OX OX OX OX
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Wow… you sports fans are crazy!
🐂 🐂 🐂 🐂
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I’ve decided to find something that happened 100 years ago and write it up.
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That clock is coming in handy. I think you should keep it for awhile. 💋
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Okay. We will visit December 2, 1923. 🌹
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🌹 Maria Callas is born!!!! 💋
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YAY.🌹
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I wonder if those buggies come with drink holders?
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You know, I never looked. Seems like a good idea though.
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Could be revolutionary. But I’m not sure they would go for it.
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True.
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