The Saturday choice of coffee is extensive. In order not to be too spoiled, the special coffee is reserved for the weekend. Usually, a cappuccino is the choice, but today, something else is on the mind. Let’s see. The options include flat white, latte, latte macchiato, espresso, double espresso, or plain coffee. Well, plain coffee is out since that is a week thing. Short of taking a straw vote, the Latte macchiato it is.
The button is punched, and the machine fires back a question. “Are you sure?” Hitting the confirm button puts a stop to all the foolishness. My tall latte macchiato had a layer of hot milk, a layer of espresso, and a finish with a layer of milk foam. A long sip of the delightful brew sends the mind to thinking of the clock.
It is set for May 17th, 1925. The duration is an hour, and the destination is New York City. The plunger is pulled, and we find ourselves outside the Garrick Theater on Broadway. We can see by the marquee that tonight is the opening of the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart revue The Garrick Gaieties. This is the first show written by this team. We know, of course, that it won’t be the last.
Reading the information on the billboard, the show is directed by Philip Loeb with musical staging by Herbert Fields, the cast includes Romney Brent, June Cochrane, Sterling Holloway (Later the voice of Winnie the Pooh Libby Holman, Philip Loeb, Edith Meiser, Sanford Meisner, Betty Starbuck, and Lee Strasberg. (Director of the Actor’s Studio and the father of the Method acting system.) The most famous song to come out of the show is Manhattan.
Just when the doors open, the alarm goes off, and back to the couch we go. There is a text from Linda Hill. I reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “straw.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda Hill’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2025/05/16/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-17-2025/
Straw by John W. Howell © 2025
“Why didn’t we stay for the show?”
“I messed up on the time. We got there too early.”
“I’ll bet it was fun.”
“It was only scheduled for two performances, but then got extended and did 211.”
“So it was a hit.”
“Yes, and after six years of starvation, Rogers and Hart created many more.”
” Love stories like that.”
“I do too.”
“Next time, could we have a little more time?”
“Tell you what. I’ll let you pick a straw, and if you get a short one, you get to set the clock.”
“That would be great. You’re not kidding, right?”
“I had to find a way to work stray into the conversation, so, yes, I am kidding.”
“Figures. You can make it up to me.”
“Order the Uber.”
“He’s over there.”
photo by Dan Antion
“It looks beat up but serviceable.”
“And the ride is free.”
“Okay, what’s the catch?”
“We have to stop at the collision shop for an estimate.”
“That’s not too bad. Okay, let’s go.”
“One more thing.”
“Oh-oh.”
“We have to leave the doors if the estimate is good.”
“Okay, that can work. It’s only two doors.”
“Um, you haven’t seen the other side.”
“All the doors?”
“My, you catch on quick. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
It would be great to see one of those old shows, at the time.
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I think so too. The 20s were a fascinating time.
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Very quirky and imaginative, John.
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Thank you, Pat. Quirky is Us. 😀
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Why am I not surprised. 🤓
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😀
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Looks like you won’t need the air conditioner on, eh?
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Or we might need a shower cause the humidity is so high. 😀
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Feel sorry for that car. Got nailed by a bison?
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It does look that way. Hard to figure out how that kind of dent could happen.
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Your coffee delivery system is on point. You know what business you’re in and you do it so very well. Coffee during the week is muy importante but weekend coffee . . that there is a distinctly unique endeavor. It’s about being spoiled, yes.
As for the ride, I’ve ridden in worse.
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Thanks, Pilgrim. I have owned worse than that car.
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😉
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😀
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It sounds like your coffee machine is great, John. It’s too bad you didn’t get to see that revue. It must have been fabulous to get extended that long. I guess those banged up doors on the Uber vehicle work.
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Dear John
I have a friend who is a big fan of Lee Strasberg. He made me even take part in a workshop of method acting – although I prefer Brecht’s epic theatre, just the opposite of method acting.
Happy driving your Uber car. I know one can’t trust them
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I’ll bet the class was interesting. I was a student of June Havoc in her Actor’s Circle group.
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Free is good. A bit of fresh air should be wonderful.
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Humidity and mosquitoes aside.
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Off and Gold Bond. Nobody will sit beside you at the bar.
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😀 Love that. Add a touch of Vicks-vap-o-rub and you will have the whole room to yourself.
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Sterling Holloway–I was always a fan!
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Great voice.
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Staying more than an hour gives you more time to make a mistake that might jeopardize your return trip. Especially if you two hit a bar after the show. Nicely done, John.
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One of the reasons we don’t hit the bar. We would more than likely want to stay longer. Thanks, Dan
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I love your uber twist, John.
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Thank you, Laura. Glad you liked it. 😊
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What a treat it would have been to have seen even part of the show! That uber ride? Well? All the doors?? Not too sure about that. Hope it’s not very far. 🙂
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I would have liked to see it for sure. The ride should be okay if you keep your hands inside the car. (And don’t lean out)
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It would have been a delight to watch the show. That era has always intrigued me. The uber – well, it’s one for the brave souls. 😊
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I wondered how you would get ‘straw’ in there. Good job! And ah, yes, the good ole days. What a show it was. I haven’t used an Uber yet, and the way you write about them, I’m more than hesitant. :-0
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I’m sure it will be okay. I have always enjoyed my Uber rides.
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A man after my own heart, Latte macchiato and Broadway!!!! I so enjoy your posts. Sure to bring a chuckle 🤭 “All the doors?” but of course 🤣
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What a great clip! As for weekend coffee, it is a whole different animal from the weekday one, for sure.
As for the Uber, if it gets you to your VooDoo, who cares about the doors?
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Yeah. You are right. If it gets me to VooDoo, I should have no complaints
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We’ll cheers ya later!
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Preakness horse race too.
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Gotcha ans I’m on it!
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Another ‘mahvelous’ stream of consciousness prompt.’
Well done, John.
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Thank you, Monika. Glad you liked it.. 😀
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That was a fun and imaginative story. The car reminded me of an incident at a Swedish zoo, the safari portion. They were feeding an elephant through the window but the elephant put his trunk really far into the car, and the dad (driving) panicked and closed window, with the result that the elephant’s trunk got stuck. The elephant got angry and started kicking door. On the way home they got stopped for speeding and the police asked about the dents on the door. The dad tried to explain. That’s when he also had to do a sobriety test.
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Ha ha ha. Great story, Thomas. 😀
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Thank you. I should say it is real. It was in the newspapers in Sweden.
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Even better.
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Basically, you could say, how not to visit the zoo.
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Kind of silly sticking the elephant’s trunk in the window.
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Yes not very bright
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😀
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Oh! To be a fly on the wall at one of these shows.💜💜💜
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It would be a treat for sure.
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indubitably Sir 💜💜
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😊
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I’m so disappointed we couldn’t stay for the show! And I’ve always wanted to ride in a car without doors!
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Sorry about the show. Yes, no doors give a new dimension to auto travel. I finished the Boone book and loved it. 😊
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Thanks so much, John. Did you find any typos?
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I’m the last person to ask. I didn’t see any, but my brain tends to overlook them if they are there.
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You sure get some interesting Ubers, John 😉 I like the way you “worked” straw into your prompt response 😆
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Ha ha ha. Thanks Marie.
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Ahh, I enjoyed listening to that song, especially the old recording. Thank you!
A wonderful trip to the past.
Hmm, do you realize that Straw is Warts backwards.
I’m not sure what all that means, but just in case, don’t drink your VooDoos through straws! You might get warts.
🐖 🐖 🐖 🐂
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It was a good song. Good advice on the Voo Doo Ranger and a straw.. I could see a bunch of mouth warts. UGH.🐖 🐖 🐖 🐂 🐂
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Lol!
🐖🐖🐖 🥦 🐂🐂🐂
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🏆🏆 We win
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Great song, and what musical team. I liked how you worked straw in at the end.
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Thank you, Jennie. 😀
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You’re welcome, John.
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😊
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