Today, I randomly opened Eternal Road—The final stop to page 167. With my eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger was “unfortunate,” which is the prompt.
Unfortunate by John W. Howell © 2024
“Eat your food.”
“Aw, Mama, I just don’t like this.”
“Some unfortunate kids would love to have what you have.”
“Is there a way to get in touch with them?”
“Don’t be sassy, young man. ”
“If I don’t like this, how am I going to eat it?”
“If you don’t eat it, you will go to bed hungry since there is nothing else.”
“Aw gee,”
“Okay, try a little bit. Who knows, you may find it better than you think.”
“But it looks bad.”
“Close your eyes then.”
“What about the smell?”
“You know I worked hard to put this meal in front of you. I’m not pleased that you don’t like it.”
“Well, Mama. I’ll try to eat it. I just wish it wasn’t skunk.”
“That was all there was on the road.”
” Those eagle kids get fish and everything.”
“Well…We were born vultures and have to take what we can get.”
“Doesn’t seem fair.”
“That’s life, sweetheart.”
Fiction Favorites 
There is always a twist at the end… I love it, John…
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Thank you, Jaye. I do try. 😊
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That could have been my mom talking. No, she didn’t serve us skunk or any road kill!
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Ha ha ha. I think it could be every mom on the planet. Thanks, Darlene.
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“There are starving children in India who would be happy to have that for dinner.” is a classic. I secretly thought I would be happy to share it with them if I knew how to get it there.
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Ha ha ha. Good one, Darlene.
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He could just eat around the scent glands. It’s like how we eat food that happens to include peas.
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😀 Love it, Charles.
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I remember a variation of this conversation from my own youth.
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Me too. My mom tells the story of me hiding the broccoli under a potato skin and declaring I was finished..
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Great one, John. You brought back memories of my mom…she was strict about eating what was on the plate. I still remember my youngest brother sitting at the table, head down, refusing to eat. No surprise, Mom won that contest when she offered dessert for those who had finished the meal. 😄
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A great incentive for sure. Thanks for the delightful memory, Gwen. 😊
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Yup, that’s life. Somebody has to get the roadkill.
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I think that is very accurate, GP. Thanks. 😊
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Ah, roadkill. Did you know there is a roadkill cookbook? And clues to how to know it’s fresh: go along a road and spraypaint what you find, go back a little later and take what has no paint on it!
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I think I’ll pass, but good to know. 😀
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Yup, but we almost bought the cookbook as a joke,
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It would be fun.
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Fun story. I was lucky as a kid. My mom would always give me choices. Take or leave it.
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Good choices for sure. 😀
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I started laughing when I saw the word was ‘unfortunate.’ You did not disappoint. 😆
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Thank you, Lois. 😀
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Ha ha, good one!
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Thanks, Liz.
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You’re welcome, John.
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😊
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Loved it 😊
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Thank you, 😊
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Wow, John! That is a great twist! I remember seeing a school bus pulling in, stinking of skunk. They ran over one, making it a ready meal for vultures.
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Thank heaven for vultures, too. Thanks Tim.
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Yes, they clean up dead animals. 😊
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😀
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I don’t think I’d fancy skunk either, even if I was a vulture!
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Bwahahaha! Looks like the entitled are across species, not just limited to Gen Z’ers. 😆
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So true. Thanks, Monika.😀
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Man it must be rough being a vulture mama!
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I know, right? Can you imagine teaching the little ones to avoid cars on the highway?
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No. No I cannot.
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😀
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Nicely done, John. Those guys do a good job of clearing the road, but I never thought of the poor kids. Reminds me of some of my mom’s casseroles.
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Thanks, Dan. Great memories.
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I’m always curious to see where you are going to go with these and you never disappoint. I’m with the kid. Does it have to be skunk? 🙂
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I think maybe they have skunk too often. 😀 Thank you, Jan.
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I think we’ve all read the message of being grateful for food, even if we don’t like it.
“Is there a way to get in touch with them?” Haha!
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As a kid, I was willing to send my broccoli to whoever needed it. Thanks, Pete.
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Ha ha oh God, I did not expect that. That was very clever and funny. A great short story.
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Thank you, Thomas. So glad you liked it.
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Didn’t see that coming. Love it!
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Oh good. 😊
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“Close your eyes then.” A simple solution. Good one, John. Makes me think of when my mom made liver and onions. Not as bad as skunk, but still wasn’t a favorite. 🙂
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I could never do liver and onions either.
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I’m sure my mom is smiling down on me, but I’ve never made it and never will. 😁
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Me either.
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I remember this scene. I read the books out of order, but that didn’t bother me at all.
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Skunk on the menu? Sounds yukky. No wonder the kid is acting up!
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Ha ha ha. Might b e leftovers , too.
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Well! I sure didn’t see that one coming! Slammed into me like like a Greyhound bus!
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Ha ha ha. thanks, Jim.
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Sadly, Steve just finished #3, and is feeling very ‘unfortunate’. He asked me to ask you if there were more in the works.
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I’m working on a new story, but it is going to be months before it is ready. Has he read Circumstances of Childhood or The Contract?
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No! I’ll order them right away! He has three others, but not the ones you mention.
Thanks, John.
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😊
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