The coffee has been delayed. Checking my watch for the fourth time does not seem to help. Finally, within the bowels of the pesky machine, I hear the faint rumbles that assure me that soon the liquid soothing syrup will be streaming out of the spouts. Sure enough, here it comes.
After a deep sip, the mind thaws, and memory turns to the clock. The setting is simple, February 3, 1924. The place is Washington, DC. The duration is two hours. Checking my clothes before pulling the plunger ensures the dress is appropriate for February in Washington. No use freezing on my watch is the thought.
The plunger pull causes us to end up at 2340 S Street NW in Washington. There are uniformed police everywhere. Listening carefully to the officers, the cause of the commotion is Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the US from 1913 to 1921, has died. We are in front of his home, where he passed at 11:15 this morning.
President Wilson did have a stroke in 1919 that left him all but incapacitated. He and his second wife Edith and his doctor kept the public from knowing the absolute truth. It is said that Edith was, in fact, acting in Wilson’s absence. He retired from the Presidency in 1921.
The alarm sound precedes a trip to the couch. My phone tells me I have a text. It is from Linda Hill (who else?) It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “watch.” Use it as a noun or a verb; use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
If you want to see what other bloggers do with this prompt, visit Linda’s post at this link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/02/02/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-3-2024/
Watch by John W. Howell © 2023
“Wow, that Wilson thing was serious.”
“Yes, it was. There was no succession plan enacted.”
“if that were on my watch, I would have told someone.”
“The cabinet knew but went along with the President’s wishes.”
“Well, I’m glad nothing Earth-shattering took place.”
“The only thing that seemed to be affected was the ratification of the US membership in the League of Nations never happened.”
“Why was that?”
“Wilson, who favored joining, was too ill to negotiate his position, and those opposed in Congress had their way, so the US never joined. Maybe it didn’t matter after all since the League disbanded in 1946. So you may be right. Nothing Earth-shattering.”
“This political talk has made me thirsty.”
“You get thirsty when we aren’t even talking.”
“There’s Uber.”
“I don’t see it. Just that strange-looking truck.”
“That’s it. A vintage 1950s home delivery truck. Isn’t it sweet?”
“I guess you could call it sweet. I would love to know where you find these things.”
“Discount Uber is the place. I watch for the best specials.”
“Okay, I’m game. Let’s go.”
“One other thing.”
“Yes.”
“He has block ice to keep the milk cold.”
“And?”
“Hello. What else does very well when cold?”
“VooDoo Ranger?”
“Bingo.”
“You are the best.”
Fiction Favorites 
I was going to give you an endless pot of coffee, but if you have VooDoo Ranger, I know you’re taken care of.
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Thanks, GP. Need the coffee too.
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Sorry, I don’t supply the creamer and sugar.
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I’ll supply my own. Loved that link to 2017
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I can’t imagine the Wilson news being kept under the lid in today’s world. As they say (Not sure they really say but work with me) Have Ice? Will travel . . . with Voodoo!
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On the march.
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Learned more about your American History with this post John… And loved the Vintage Van… 🙂 Big smiles there.. 🙂
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Thank you, Sue. History can be fascinating for sure. 😁
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This is very interesting. I believe something similar happened to Winston Churchill while he was in office. He had a stroke and no one was told. Yikes!
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I didn’t know that. Yikes indeed.
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https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/01/01/Churchill-stroke-was-kept-secret/2271441781200/
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Thank you, Darlene
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I didn’t know that about Wilson and the League of Nations, John. Fascinating – as is your mode of travel. 😊
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Ha ha ha. Good old milk truck.
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‘Coffee has been delayed’ counts as the opening of a horror story, right?
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Yes. The words are said while the Jaws music plays.
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Chilling tales both. Just don’t sit in the truck with the Voodoo Ranger.
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Sitting with the namesake is the best seat in the house.
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Great post, John, that got me looking up President Wilson. Riding in a refrigerated truck would not go very well with me, and I’m not very patient with a coffee machine.
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One out of three isn’t bad. Thanks, Tim.
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😃
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😁
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I didn’t know that about Woodrow Wilson. So interesting!
I’m glad your coffee wasn’t delayed too long. 🙂
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Yes. My molars couldn’t take the grinding.
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Thanks for the history lesson, John. But even more important, every time I see Voodoo Ranger in the liquor department or on a restaurant’s drink menu, I think, “Oh, it’s John Howell’s favorite.” You’re famous.
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Thank you, Mary. I have made a few brands famous. I don’t know what that says about my consumption habits. I’ll bet the Voo Doo in restaurants is not the Imperial. One of those is pretty strong. Should be reserved for professionals like me.
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I’m not an IPA girl, so you can be every professional you need to be as far as I’m concerned. Cheers!
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😁
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A very interesting bit of American history, John. I’m not sure they could do that today, but then again…
Love the milk truck!
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Yeah then again I think we are seeing it happen. I knew you would like the truck.
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I think there were probably many other events within presidencies that were unknown to the public. My mother always talked about Roosevelt’s polio being kept under wraps. Love the Uber!
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Yes that was done for sure.
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This almost makes Lloyd Austin keeping his cancer surgery from Biden seem like small potatoes. But for 2 years??!!
Can I interest you in cookies to go with that icy cold milk?
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You don’t happen to have some warm Chocolate Chip cookies laying around do you Lois?
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Tell Twiggy my cats will meet her halfway with some freshly baked cookies. 😸
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Sounds like a plan. Thanks, Lois.
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VooDoo Ranger calms the jitters from tasty and fully caffeinated coffee-love it. Way to ‘watch’ out for your individual biorhythms. Isn’t it ironic that the League of Nations was a predecessor to the UN and Wilson was an ardent isolationist? Fascinating what the pursuit of peace will instill in folks. We could use some of that fervor these days.
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Thew only fervor I see is politicians calling each other names and blaming someone else for their incompetence.
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I suspect that we have our own Edith Wilson in the White House now. A friend of mine wrote a one-woman play about EW that was very enlightening and received critical acclaim. As for the milk truck, shades of my childhood. we got two bottles of milk with the cream at the top for my parents’s coffee.
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I remember our milk freezing and the tops popping off the milk bottles.
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I’m sure ours must have, too,. Winters in New England were fierce.
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Yes they were.
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I love the milk truck! Maybe a vintage ice cream truck?
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I meant to add “next time.”
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I guess that is a request.
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😁
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😊
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I that a request?
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Oh, most assuredly!
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Wonderful it would be to witness history not just read about it.
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I agree. This is why I play this little game.
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I remember the ice houses and huge blocks of ice they’d lift out with huge tongs. That was an interesting jaunt through history.
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Our milk man used to chip off some ice for we kids to eat.
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A very fun read and an interesting history lesson!
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Glad you enjoyed it, Phil.
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Wonder how successful they would have been to keep this a secret in today’s world? That truck is very sweet! And gonna keep the VooDoo cold!
Cheers!
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I wonder about that too. Of course, we have our senior citizen President who no one seems to want to keep under wraps.
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There is that.
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😊
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Hi John, I am really enjoying these snippets of history ….and of course the unusual and interesting Ubers 💜💜😂
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Thank you, Willow.
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A pleasure John 😁😁
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😊
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The stroke in 1919 was actually his 4th stroke, the first one dating back to the late 1800s (I think 1896), each one having chipped away at his physical (and maybe mental) prowess. Amazing to think he could hide his complete disability from the public for 2 years!
I had to look up VooDoo Ranger … never heard of it, but count me in! Will the milk truck be replacing the bus tomorow? Might be a tight squeeze!
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No we re keeping the bus. Yeah, Wilson was a physical mess.
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Couldn’t happen in today’s world. Even the Secretary of Defense couldn’t get away with a moment’s peace. Someone would launch a congressional inquiry and weaponize the courts.
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The courts are already weaponized.
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Good history lesson, John. I love the vintage milk truck!
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Thank you, Deborah. Glad you did like it.
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So fascinating.
If something like that happened today, it would be an internet bonfire, hell breaking loose, the enemy closing in… omg!!!!
How come VP Thomas Riley Marshall didn’t take over?
I’m suspicious about the old milk truck with the ice?
What kind of ice would stay frozen all those years?
VooDoo ice, that’s what!!!
I’d get outta there, John! Run!!!!
🏃♂️ OX OX 🏃♂️
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Ha ha ha. While we are running let me explain why the VP didn’t take over because no one was willing to say Wilson couldn’t do The job.🏃♂️ OX OX OX 🏃♂️
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Crazy! Never get away with it today!
🏃♂️ OX OX OX OX 🏃♂️
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You may be right but look at the Biden situation. 🏃♂️ 🏃♀️OX OX OX OX 🏃♂️🏃♀️
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Hmm, well so far he’s only falling asleep at the podium.
He appears to be walking on his own.
Then the turnip seems like he’s got some form of Intermittent Explosive Disorder with onset of Alzheimers.
Neither should be running for president.
It’s a sad state of affairs.
😢X
Meanwhile the entire free world is freaked.
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The free world should be freaked.
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Hi John, I didn’t know that Wilson had a stroke in 1919. I know him mainly from his role in WW1.
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Yes. He was incapacitated by in large.
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