A ton of rain last night. The lightning was spectacular, with what could be called friendly thunder. It more or less rolled like some songwriters describe. It brought to mind that time when a heavy downpour and wind took out the tent in the backyard. A quick check confirmed that the tent was still there. The coffee machine rewarded that result with a piping hot, creamy, big cup of cappuccino. The first sip brought the head-cracking sound of the Westminster chimes resulting from some idiot pushing the doorbell with a sign over it not to do that.” Twiggy and Tempest put several scratches in the ceiling as they defy gravity to ward off the intruder that death is imminent. A knuckle bone tossed into the soundproof room saves the crystal from turning to dust. Slamming the door while making a mental note that a skull and crossbones must also be put out by the doorbell.
A glance at the camera playback shows a sign that says, “Special Delivery from Linda Hill.” Screaming through the intercom to just leave it, it is responded to by two words. “Must sign.” Cursing quietly, the security shut-down process begins. The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The control panel makes the shutdown of the security system process simpler. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gattling guns disengaged, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The locks on the door are thrown.
Standing before me with the sign is the stinkiest delivery person on the planet. This person appears to look and smell very much like Pepe Le Peu. Under his arm is a cat blinking help me in Morse code with her eyelids. Pepe hands me the envelope and a clipboard. Once signed, he and the cat disappear down the road. The envelope is opened and the message is clear Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “that time.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2025/05/23/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-24-2025/
That Time by John W. Howell © 2025
“Remember that time when we had a ride in the back of an Uber truck.”
“There have been so many inconveniences to remember, I can’t recall.”
“There were cows in there and we had to share space with the,”
“I really don’t recall. Are you making that up?”
“No. I just want you to know things could be worse.”
“Worse than what?”
“Today’s Uber.”
“Oh no. You did another deal.”
“Yup. They are going to pay us for riding.”
“Oh, oh. When that happens, it means work.”
“Not this time. Look over there.”
photo by Dan Antion
“Nope, sorry. Not doing it this time.”
“There’s room in the front for three.”
“So why are they paying us?”
“They need new business, and they figure you and I are great influencers.”
“Where did they get that idea?”
“I told them about your two million subscribers.”
“You what?”
“Yeah. They were impressed. I also told them how you put VooDoo Ranger on the map.”
“You call them back and tell them you made a mistake.”
“How about I call them from the pub after our VooDoos?”
“That sounds fine, but we will pay the guy.”
“I’m broke.”
“What’s new. Fine, I’ll pay the guy.”
“You are a mensch, you know?”
“Another word for sucker. Let’s go.”
Fiction Favorites 
Embrace your inner mensch, John. Long heavy rains seem to be all around us. No sense complaining about the weather, I suppose. Give the girls a scritch for me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
They loved the scritch. Thanks, Dan
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good one, John. I don’t think wanting to do what’s right is being a sucker.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Tim. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like some nasty storms. Think we’re due for more midweek.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have rain forecasted for Memorial Day.
LikeLike
Wonder if those are what’s hitting us starting Wednesday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could well be.
LikeLike
I hung on every word. I could picture Twiggy and Tempest going nuts. “Must sign” brought a lol 🤣 You still got it my friend. Great post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jill. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done with the challenge. I’m glad the tent is still there. It sounds like it was quite the storm. I hope your week-end is a good one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We are getting more rain on Memorial Day, too. We hope it is lots to keep the idiots from shooting off fireworks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘scratches on the ceiling,’ ‘death is imminent.’ ‘boiling oil vats’…gosh, I just love your security system.
My system involves cats running from the living room to the back of the house. Ah! Someone must be at the door. 😹
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. I’m installing Iranian drones next.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Influencers also deserve free beer, I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now there’s a great idea. 💡😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
A silliness delight from beginning to end! (Not the cappuccino, though. Cappuccino is serious business.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cappuccino is serious business for sure. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hilarious, John, and to top it off, great dialogue. 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Gwen. Love that comment. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha, 2 million, eh? [how many of those are spam?]
The way you described the rain storm you had, it sounded like you were right here!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
All but 6800.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s still an outstanding number!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, GP.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great prompt…I could practically smell the delivery person myself with your prose. I guess driver’s licenses are the only requirement to deliver packages. Baths are optional. 😆
P.S. We had a horrific thunderstorm last night (accompanied by a nice shower-yay). I half expected several trees to be downed this morning for our early morning constitutional. Luckily looks like everything remained intact.
LikeLike
Ahh, how lovely that Pepe showed up with Linda’s scented envelope.
Congratulations on hitting 1,000,000,000 followers!
A VooDoo to you for the next mil! That would be Followers, not VooDoos. I mean, one million VooDoos & who’s the stinker now?
🍺🍻 🍺🍻 🍺🍻 🍺🍻
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think a million Voo Doos would be a good thing.
🍺X 🍺X 🍺X 🍺X
LikeLiked by 1 person
O🍻 O🍻 O🍻 O🍻
LikeLiked by 1 person
🏆
LikeLiked by 1 person
🏆🏆
LikeLiked by 1 person
YAY
LikeLike
I agree – you put Voo Doo Ranger on the map!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Thanks, Noelle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thunder and lightning can be so thrilling but how do your doggos cope 💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
They don’t mind it. I don’t think they have ever been concerned.
LikeLike
that is so good to hear 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. No thunder vests needed here.
LikeLike
Well I would expect you to have them well trained 💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lots of hugs for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
of course 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I chuckled at the scratches on the ceiling and then laughed out loud at the cat blinking ‘help me’ in Morse code. Really funny! So, two million subscribers? 😅 And, thunderstorms in the south are far worse than up here. Scary stuff.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, on the two million. Big lie. Only 6800.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I cracked up at how you replied to GP!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did too, to be honest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLike