Today, I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 199 and, without looking at the page, I pointed. The word nearest my finger is ‘speedometer.’
Speedometer by John W. Howell © 2024
“How fast are we going?”
“Looking at the speedometer, we are standing still.”
“Yeah, but the trees are rushing by, so we are moving.”
“I suppose there is no way to tell since the speedometer is on the fritz.”
“Just feels like we are going too fast.”
“I think that’s because you are used to slower speeds. Your walking speed is below 6.”
“I suppose you’re right. I have this funny feeling.”
“What feeling.”
“When I was climbing and took a dive, I got weightless. It feels like that.”
“Well, we’re still on the road and not flying.”
“Maybe the speed has something to do with it. The trees are now a blur.”
“Why am I not getting these feelings.”
“I think your size may have something to do with it.”
“I suppose that’s possible. Stop looking out the window.”
“How can I help it? There are windows all around. I don’t feel well.”
“How about I cover you so you don’t have to look.”
“Better than that, I’ll get on the floor. Can’t see anything from down there.”
“I told you this would be a bad idea.”
“I just hate to be left alone.”
“The trip is only an hour.”
“Still an hour of my time is seven of yours.”
“They told me cats hate to ride in cars.”
“I want to break that stereotype.”
“Just don’t barf, okay.”
“I feel better. I’ll reserve barfing for the living room.”
“Thanks.”
Fiction Favorites 
“I think your size may have something to do with it.”…l resemble that remark🐳
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Ha ha ha.
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Love this made me wonder right up till the end who the passenger was.
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So glad.Thank you, Adele.
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I kept trying to second guess what you were up to here, but once again – I failed.
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Slippery devil I am. Thanks, GP.
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That you are!
What out for that hurricane, John!
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I wish it was headed this way. We need the rain.
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Francine should be Cat 1 as she passes Texas on her way to Louisiana, won’t that bring you rain?
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The coast will get plenty but not up where we are. It would have to stay further West and not hook North to give us meaningful rain.
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Ah-so.
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😊
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The offer to cover the passenger, with the getting on the floor alternative should have been an explanation, but I didn’t get it.
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Well I think you got it in the end which is all that is important. Thanks, Tim.
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Didn’t expect a cat. Good one.
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Thank you, Charles
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Since the only time my cats are in the car is to see the vet, they can relate. Just don’t make them hiss and grab that steering wheel from you…😹
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When we evacuated from Hurricane Harvey we has a few hours of constant yowling. You do get used to it after a while. 😊
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A cat?? That sure came out of nowhere! Well done, John.
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Yes it did. I guess I was thinking of my last cat Stella who hated the car.
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I love the reveal! Great post!
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Thank you, Kymber. 😁
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Poor, kitty. Mine always hated car rides. Most likely the association with the vet visits. Great work, John.
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Thank you, Maggie. Yeah my cats hated the car too.
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That Olds has a nice steady ride to it, even for those who don’t enjoy car rides. 😉 P.S. We’re loving the way this book travels in the mind.
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So glad, Monika. 😁
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“I’ll reserve barfing for the living room.” Haha!
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😊
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Very creative, John! I did not make the canine connection until the line about time. 👍🏻
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Thank you, Michele. I do love a twist. 😁
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You’re welcome. Me too! 🥨
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Clever. 🍸
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Thanks! 😊
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“I want to break the stereotype.” 🤣🤣🤣
When our son live in Montana, many of the roads are 80 mph.
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We have 80s too. Most of the country interstates are 80 mph.
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That was fun reading and it brought my mind to when I, at first, unknowingly rode a speed train in Sweden with my son. He asked me, “dad how fast are we going?”. I said “probably 40 or 50 mph”. He said “that can’t be, look how much faster we are going than the cars on the highway”. So I looked out the window, and well we were going much faster. Then I noticed the big red speedometer in the train car, 280km/h, or 175mph. I guess I should have looked out the window before answering. I should say, I thought we had boarded a regular commuter train.
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I had the same feeling on the bullet train between Paris and Avignon. The sense of speed is not there unless you get a reference.
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Yep…always the living room. 😂 Another great dialogue, John.
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Thank you, Gwen.
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Speedometer is an interesting word. And I love to read how it inspired you.
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It is an interesting word. Could take on a lot of meanings.
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Lol! Cats definitely do not like riding in cars. Good one, John!
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Thank you, Jan. 😁
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I get it. This is exactly how I feel when one of my adult kids drive. Great idea by the way of opening one of your books and just pointing to a word. 🤓
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Thank you, Pamela. Easy way for Howard Hughes to get a prompt.
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Too funny ““I think that’s because you are used to slower speeds. Your walking speed is below 6.”
I knew the barf was coming and perfectly timely and usual just to give us another job to do.
Ugh… 😂😹
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Yes, another job. UGH 😁
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This was a purrfect description of what our cats are probably thinking every time they have to take a trip to the vet. Well done Sheriff.
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Thank you, Pilgrim. 😁
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Cats hate riding in the car. The only time we ever took our cats in the car was when they had to go to the vet. So they associated car rides to visiting the vet. Getting them in the cat carrier was always a circus.
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Darlene, that’s exactly what I was going to say 🙂
Dogs on the other hand. We started asking our first dog if she wanted to go for “a ride in the truck.” She’d go nuts with anticipation. Then we moved to “a ride,” then to “an R in the T.” Finally, we just had to say the word “R” and she’d be crazy and I’d be heading to get my keys.
Good one, John.
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I know. Our dogs love car rides and get very upset if Paul goes out without them. They stare after the car in disbelief that he had the nerve to go in the car without them!
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😊
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I know that look.
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Thanks, Dan.
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We had to resort to the pillow case method. It was the only way to avoid major scratches. Thanks, Darlene.
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I figured on a critter about half-way through.
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Genius
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Heh, heh . . .
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😁
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