Today the coffee machine greeted me with the following message. “We here at AI headquarters want to wish you a happy day.” Like a fool, the thank you came out of my mouth so fast it could not be stopped. Who thanks a heartless machine is the thought that came to mind. Pressing the Latte Macchiato button and waiting for the frothy brew to be delivered, causes more thinking about the anthropomorphic nature of this machine. It amazes me that a greeting in the morning is a hook sufficient enough to pull me in to say thank you to a piece of stainless steel and electrical components. The coffee is delivered and at the first sip Egor’s baying hounds reacting to the doorbell shatter the feeling of peace. A quick toss of a chew toy into the soundproof room followed by a slam of the six inch sound proof door, brings back peace in the valley.
Checking the monitor shows a large grey blob that take up the screen. The process of attempting to find out who is there is met with the delivery answer. Of course the delivery has to be signed for so there is no chooice but to open the front door. With a sigh the security shut down process is begun. 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 SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.
Before me is Dumbo the elephant holding an envelope and clipboard in his trunk. He gives me the envelope and a place to sign on a clip board. Returning the signed clipboard the ubiquitous sign of a tip expected is made with the right foot. “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,” is my tip as the front door is slammed. The envelop is from Linda Hill and inside is a message It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “hook.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
To see what others have done with the prompt visit Linda’s post. Here is the link https://lindaghill.com/2025/10/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-18-2025/
Hook by John W. Howell © 2025
“I like how you slipped the prompt in there.”
“I was thinking of doing something with Captain Hook.”
“So glad you thought better about that.”
“Aw come on. We could have clapped for Tinker Bell.”
“Yeah, count me out. Much better this way.”
“I also thought about the old hook, line, and sinker gullibility thing.”
“I always love stories like that.”
“Well, nothing came to me so I went back to the security set up.”
“What about history?”
“Nothing going on that is worth putting here.”
“Well, at least there is goof ole VooDoo Ranger.”
“Uber?”
“Right over there.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“Hey he’s already heading down the road in that 1936 Buick.”
“Don’t worry he’ll be back.”
“Where is he going?”
“He said he had an errand to run. Something about a pumpkin.”
“So we wait?”
“Do you have a better idea.”
“I wish we could have caught him and then go on the errand.”
“Humm. I thought you would rather stay.”
“I suppose you are right.”
“He said it would only be a few minutes.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“Why is your hand shaking?”
“VooDoo withdrawl maybe.”
“Yeah, right.”
Fiction Favorites 
Ha ha voodoo withdrawal. Have another cuppa 🤣
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Gotta have a cuppa with a head on top.
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Dear John
WOW, that car looks great for its age, 89 years. We are impressed.
We had to laugh about the voodoo withdrawal as well.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Thank you, Klausbernd. Wishing the F4oC the same kind of weekend. 😀
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The prompts are harder when you rule out the first ones that come into your mind. Good job. I hope that guy got back before your buddy went into Voodoo withdrawal stage-2.
PS, I think Dumbo stepped on one of your boxwoods. I’m sure it was an accident.
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I wondered what happened to it. Maybe I should have given him a bag of peanuts. 😀
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Love the Uber for today!
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It is a classic for sure. Thanks, GP.
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Best to thank it and get on our future AI overlords’ good side.
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I think that is wise. Thanks, Charles.
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Hmmm, maybe that’s why my foot shakes. Might be worth checking with my doc.
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Ha ha ha. Could be. Thanks, Steve.
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“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken,”–you know Dumbo will never forget your idea of a tip. 🙄
I’d just like to hang out on the running board and wave to everyone as we go speeding down the street!
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I’ll take the other running board!!
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Oh, Liz!! We will have some kind of fun! Rev that engine, John!
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I wish I had some sissy bars on the outside for you two. BTW keep your mouths closed. A lot of bugs out there.
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Vrooom, vrooom!
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😊
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Ha ha ha Hold on.
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😀
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Yes be careful though. Those side view mirrors aren’t as strong as they look.
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Dan comes up with some pretty amazing cars. Love this one. Reminds me of Bonnie & Clyde days. Fun post and great use of the ‘hook.’ 🙂
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Thank you, Jan. So glad you liked it.
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I definitely rolled with the first one that came to mind so Captain Hook it was. And the number of times I thanked Alexa for something is truly ridiculous.
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I know. It is just weird thanking a robot. But that’s what we do
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A very cool car, love the whitewalls!
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It is cool and can be had for $21,000
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We probably couldn’t afford to put gas in it!
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So true.
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Excellent slip in of the prompt word.
That is a beauty of a car, tell you what! I would have wanted to go on the errand, too!
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Me too, but the guy left too soon.
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I got that. Dang it!
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I know. 😀
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‘Voodoo withdrawal‘ – too funny, John. 😄 Have a great day!
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Thank you, Gwen. Wishing you a great day too.
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Love that car! I found a Model A phaeton in a car museum in Maine and asked the price if the owner was willing to sell. It even has an electric starter so no fussing with the choke, the gas, the spark and the throttle. Unless of course you’re on a hill. She made us a very reasonable offer but still a little too much for our budget. Drat!
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I think having one of those Modal A’s would be special.
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I think so too. I’d like to do something out of the ordinary at this time of my life!
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😊
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I wonder if Dumbo flew in with the message. The ride will be nice, though you have to wait for a while.
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I think the wait will be worth it. Thank you, Tim
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Sweet ride, you know, if he ever returns.
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Yes. He returned. Had the VooDoo and got the shirt. 😊
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It sounds like you are hooked on Voodoo Ranger. Anyway, it was a fun story.
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Yes hooked is a good description. 😊
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Way to sneak the prompt in early, John. And what a classic car. Hope you eventually got your VooDoo.
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I did. I wish I could have had a ride in that Buick, though. Thanks, Monika.
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I assume VooDoo withdrawal is like others, it all depends on how much you have consumed on a regular basis. John, as you know the only way to avoid those nasty symptoms is to maintain a regular level of VooDoo. Go do that VooDoo you do so well. (I had to…)
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Loved your pun, Bruce. Yeah a steady stream of VooDoo does the job. 😀
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Great car, John, and hope you get your VooDoo soon! 😃
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Yes, I did get it, Lauren. Thank you.
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😊
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😊
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VooDoo withdrawl is so funny. I want to ride in that Uber car.
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Me too. 😆
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😀
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😊
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Pre-Oxen 🐂 🐂
VooDoo withdrawal eh! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kgs8zpS3F0
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Loved the video.😀X
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Hey! That’s Clemenza’s ride!
Check for cannoli’s too . . .
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I thought I smelled one under the seat.
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Bastids!
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😀
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