A big gulp of coffee reaches the brain in less time than is reasonable to hope. With the cobwebs gone, it is time to fire up the clock. The choice is to continue to make 1923 mistakes or finally move into 1924. Someone needs to make the call, and it has to be me.
Okay, the clock is set for January 27, 1924. The location is Moscow and the time allowed is two hours. When the plunger is pulled, we find ourselves in Moscow. Dressed like it is Texas with flip-flops and shorts, the temperature turns my knees blue. It is currently -35 degrees F (-37 C), and someone should have reminded me that we need to dress for the destination and not the origin. Lesson learned for next time.
We are in Red Square, and thousands of people gathered for the state funeral for Vladimir Lenin, the co-founder of the Soviet Union. Lenin’s body is delivered to Red Square, accompanied by martial music. The crowds listen to speeches from Mikhail Kalinin, Grigory Zinoviev, and Joseph Stalin, but notably not Leon Trotsky, who had been convalescing in the Caucasus. Later, it is learned that Stalin had given Trotsky the wrong date for the funeral on purpose.
Lenin’s body is embalmed for long-term viewing and placed in a mausoleum on Red Square. He died on January 21, 1924, at 18:50, in Gorki, at age 53, after falling into a coma. The official cause of death was recorded as an incurable disease of the blood vessels.
As the funeral is completed, the alarm goes off, and back on the sofa is my destination. My test tone tells me Linda Hill has sent this week’s prompt. Here it is. Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 27th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “make the call.” Use it as an idiom, or use it literally. Have fun!
To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/01/26/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2024-daily-prompt-jan-27th/
Make the Call by John W. Howell © 2023.
“Wow. Lenin died 100 years ago.”
“Well, he was buried 100 years ago.”
“To be technical. Yes. Is he still there?”
“There was talk about taking him out of the mausoleum in 2018, but it didn’t happen. Yes, he is still there.”
“Well, that’s good. I guess someone had to make the call on that.”
“Yeah, that was Putin. He put his foot down.”
“I guess that would be the final foot.”
“I think it would. You ready for the pub?”
“Sure am. Uber’s already here. It’s in the parking garage.”
“Okay, let’s walk over.”
“Here we are.”
“You’re kidding?”
“It was this or a horse wagon. I had to make the call.”
“I guess it is better than a horse wagon. You know we could pay full price and get something comfortable.”
“What fun is that?”
“We doing lights and siren?”
“Is there any other way?”
“VooDoo Ranger, here we come.”
Fiction Favorites 
Excellent, I enjoyed the time travel , you made a good call . I like lights and sirens but just for fun.
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Yes. Lights and sirens are not much fun when they are behind you.
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You do have it all, John! History, action and lights and sirens!
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The lights and sirens was the cake topper. Thanks, GP.
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You do time travel so expertly. And lemme tell you, the way Stalin pulled one over on old Trotsky, what a mall girl thing to do.
As for that ride, I’m in! It’ll be nice to be in the back of a cruiser and NOT be in some sort of trouble.
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I think it would be fun to ride in one as well. Yeah, Joe was a pip. He was so glad to see Lenin go and immediately started plotting the takeover. Thanks, Marc.
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I wouldn’t call it fun, unless it was voluntary, 😉
Ambition has no line. It makes the line.
Thank YOU Boss
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That is one thing I never had is a ride in a police car. Not that I want one you understand.
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I was ‘gifted’ one extended seat in the back of a police car when the cops responded to a call and I was one of the kids who DIDN’T run, dumbass that I was! I also got a ride in an unmarked and that was no fun at all.
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Yeah unmarked is definitely a downer. You were brave to stand your ground. Gotta respect that.
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Most definitely.
I was scared shitless but too dumb to know better.
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I can imagine. I was on the roof of the local cleaners when I was a kid. My friend and I were throwing Mrs Koski’s tomatoes at cars on a busy street. All of a sudden a cop car came. We had to lay low on the roof for what seemed hours. We didn’t dare look either so every moment we though we would see a cops face over the edge of the roof. They never caught on though.
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Hahaha! I can see you doing that!
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Mrs. Koski was not amused when she went out to pick a component of her BLT.
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I bet.
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[…] John Howell will shorten his bourbon to […]
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Thanks for the link today, Dan. Super post.
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Lights and sirens for sure, John. That was a good little bit of time travel. I have to look up why they wanted to take him out of the mausoleum in 2018. I’m not sure why, but now I want to know.
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It was a cost saving and religious measure apparently. The guy who proposed it was vilified as a non-communist.
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Thanks!
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Interesting thing about Trotsky. That seems oddly petty of Stalin, which is bizarre given his dark reputation.
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He would have cheated his own mother if it got him ahead.
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I know people like that.
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Yeah and a few (like Stalin) are very dangerous.
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I was so happy to come here for another travel through time. 😀
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I was happy you were here too, Kymber 😁
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Time travel AND lights and a siren…does it get much better? I think not! Well played, John.
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Maybe a Voo Doo Ranger to go would add a little. Thanks, Monika.
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Now we’re talking! Cheers. 🍻
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Ha ha ha. 😁
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Definitely with the lights and siren. Good play, John.
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Thank you, Deborah. It would be a fun ride for sure.
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A cop driving for Uber? Riding in a cop car of your own choice is sure better than riding in it against your will. 😎
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Good point, Tim. It is so much better.
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I love how you give us a little bit of history in such an enjoyable way. Yeah, Russia in flipflops in January was not quite a well-thought out move 😉 Giving Trotsky the wrong day was a shitty move.
I would love a ride in that thing. Sirens and all! Cheers tonight!
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No one said that Joe Stalin was a nice guy. Cheers tonight.
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This be true. 🍻
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😊
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Judging by the other details the unofficial cause was Stalinitis. Flip-flops ! Did they warm up enough for the Voodoo Ranger part of the excursion?
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Lucky for me the warmup was complete at VooDoo ranger time.
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Oh boy, Smokey and the Bandit today! It’ll be a fast ride. Weren’t you frozen solid by the time you got back from Moscow?
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I had to take a hot bath. Yes I was freezing.
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Don’t forget to tip Deputy Fife.
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Great idea. I wonder if he drinks IPAs
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Didn’t know this. Politics rears its head even in dealing with the dead. Oh well, you’ll have a fun ride with lights and sirens. 😊
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Thank you, Gwen. Lotta noise and lights. (Every boys dream)
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I am surprised you didn’t come back as a popsicle. Pretty lucky I think.
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Yeah. What a dope. Not going to happen again.
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Very timely. I read about this online earlier in the week. His tomb is no longer an attraction, being open only 15 hours a week and getting fewer visitors than the Moscow Zoo. What a comparison…😬
Oh, yeah–if you’re gonna ride, gotta have lights and sirens!! I’m imagining sticking your head out the window and yelling, “Woo Woo!” would not be unheard of. Have a great weekend, John.
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Yes I could see an old fart like me yelling Woo woo. Most would think I was being kidnapped. I’m going to let that cute little pig with the pinwheel do it. Thanks. Lois. 😁
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😂🤣 I love that pig!!!!
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I voted for the lights and sirens, too!
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Wow! That was quite an adventure to Russia. History is so fascinating. Oh, definitely lights and sirens!
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Story of my life – dress for the destination. Giggle.
Loved this and enjoyed going back, John.
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Glad you liked it, Audrey.
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Maybe the red knees and toes, from the cold, are why it’s Red Square.
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An excellent point, Chel. 😁
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Stalin gave him the wrong date on purpose?? Did you survive two hours in Moscow dressed like a Texan? Loved how you used the prompt, and the Uber.
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I did survive. I think I had a time traveler’s waver. Yes he did it on purpose. He did not want Trotsky to get the spotlight.
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Russia is a personal favorite of mine. My upcoming trilogy is set in part in Siberia. Good choice.
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Siberia is a tough place. Sounds great.
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Yeah it is! But not for my characters.
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Sounds intriguing.
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You sure have a knack for history, fun, and entertainment all wrapped up into one enjoyable post, John!
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I’m glad you liked it, Lauren. Thanks so much. 😊
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Hmm,
I think from this small trip back in history, Lenin’s death sounds fishy.
“an incurable disease of the blood vessels.” ??? Was putin around?
I’m liking this time travel, John.
Not sure why, but I’m getting a “Peabody’s Improbable History” vibe, yet all your history’s are a matter of record.
Your ride is a testament to your fearlessness.
(Strean)?
OX OX
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You are the only one to catch the typo, Resa. That says something. (not sure what though) Yeah Lenin;s death could be a subject of a new conspiracy theory. They did do another autopsy and found the cause but I can’t remember what it was. No evidence of poison though. I’m glad you like this series. Thank you. OX OX OX
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Lol! I think I prefer Strean. I thought…maybe John is going renegade. Then when I saw the police car, it doubled my thought.
OX OX OX OX
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OX OX OX OX😁X
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🏍 OX OX OX OX😁X
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🏍 OX OX OX OX😁X🌹
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💋🏍 OX OX OX OX😁X🌹
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💋🏍 OX OX OX OX😁X🌹🤗X
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💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋
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Okay you win. 😁X
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Yay!!!
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I can never top lovely kisses.
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A most interesting time to visit. You are lucky you weren’t arrest and incarcerated forever.
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Especially the way I was dressed
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Exactly.
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The Russians were busy. (Thank heavens)
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