The Colombian’s calming liquid flows from the spigot. Shaking hands wrap around the cup as if it were a gift from the gods. (May just be) The first sip races to the brain and calms the caffeine-deprived nerve endings. When all seems at peace, the stillness is shattered by the Westminster chime of the doorbell. The eardrum-splitting barks of Twiggy and Tempeste threaten to clear a city block. A knuckle bone tossed into the soundproof room, followed by a slamming of the door, restores peace to the valley. A check of the security monitor shows Smokey the Bear standing on the porch. The inquiry process through the intercom determines that an envelope must be signed for and that Smoky is moonlighting from the park service.
Since the envelope means the front door needs to be opened, unfortunately, the security system shutdown process must begin.
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 Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.
Smokey hands me the envelope and a clipboard with the signature block checked. After the signature, the clipboard is passed back to the paw that is obviously intended to be graced with crispy cash. Since it is the holiday season, the paw gets a coupon for one free lunch at Chick-fil-A. The bear seems happy since it is lunch for twenty.
Once inside, the envelope is opened, and a message from Linda is inside. It reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “tower.” Use it as a noun, use it as a verb, 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/2025/12/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-6-2025/
Tower by John W. Howell © 2025
“That tower word has been on this Saturday post for eons.”
“Yeah, so?”
“One would think you would come up with something different.”
“Well, one is very mistaken. Besides the first words out of your mouth, use it differently.”
“I was thinking more on the lines of Tower of Power.”
“Please.”
“Or maybe Tower of London.”
“There will be a lot of those.”
“Radio Tower?”
“From the 1940s, I suspect.”
“Eiffel Tower?”
“With photos, I hope.”
“I am suspecting that you are not going to change your prompt rendition.”
“I think you are a very wise person.”
“Can we change the subject?”
“I can only think of one other subject. Voo Doo Rangers at the pub.”
“Did you order the Uber?”
“Right over there.”
Photo by Dan Antion
“Looks like a 1970 Chevy truck.”
“I think you are right.”
“So it only holds three.”
“That’s all we need. One little problem.”
“There always is. What do we have to do on the way to the pub?”
“Nothing.”
“I can’t believe it. So what’s the problem?”
“We have to pick up some hay on the way back.”
“Okay, that is not a big deal. We will have already had our Voo Doos.”
“The hay place closes at eight o’clock.”
“Wait a minute. We normally stay till ten.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem.”
“Maybe there is a solution.”
“What’s that?”
“Drink fast.”
“I’m down with it.”
Fiction Favorites 
We need some bodycam footage of you guys loading the hay 😉
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Ha ha ha. Would be pretty funny. Especially after a few Voo Doos
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Smokey will appreciate your generosity, John. Loading the hay won’t be tough. Even though it slows down your return, it’s better than slowing down your arrival at the pub.
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I think so too, Tim. VooDoo Rangers are muscle food.
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I can see why Smokey seemed happy with that! 🙂
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It is sorta like a picnic basket, I suppose.
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Get the drinks to go.
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Or at least the last round.
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Smokey hit tower of tips in that story today. I second drinks to go. Happy Saturday, John!
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Tower of tips. I like that.
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Drink fast. But of course! 😂
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Yes, indeed, and get the last round to go.
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I loved the free lunch for twenty at Chick-Fil-A. It would just about fill Smokey up! And those sandwiches are among my favorites. What a classic Uber ride!
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They certainly are delicious
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The Chick-Fil-A lunch was my favorite bit, too.
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😊
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It’s always a high octane start to your Saturday posts!
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Being a caffeine junky makes every morning a challenge. Thanks, Laura.
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Many of us can relate, John.
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I love the idea of cam footage!! 😎
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m
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😊
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Hope you have a towering thirst to slurp your voodoo rangers so heartily.
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“eardrum-splitting barks of Twiggy and Tempeste threaten to clear a city block” – small dogs can certainly pack a punch with their barking. Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo might make us deaf one day with his barking at other dogs when we are our driving with him in the backseat (with a seatbelt on of course).
I liked the Eiffel Tower. It is difficult to get tickets now a day but we did on our trip to Paris. We went to the top.
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The last time I was in Paris was in 1989. Things were easier then.
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Yes you are right. I was there in 1986 coming by train from Sweden and we just bought the Eiffel Tower tickets at the place. You can’t do that now.
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I did the same.
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Well that blows having to cut out early! Best not waste time, then!
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Yes. I’m thinking of the last round to go. 😀
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That would be a wise thing… 😉
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😀
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I love how you answer the door.
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Very carefully
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I knew there was a TOWER in the shut down process.
It’s a perfectly good tower, and like the saying goes, why fix a tower if it ain’t broken?!
So, Smokey is still around? I thought all that smoking would have done him in years ago.
Have fun VooDooing at thrice the speed!
🍺🍻 🧟♂️🍻
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The math is calling for some efficiency on this pub visit, but I have faith in them.
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We decided to get the last round to go. 😊
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Haha!
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Lol! Drink fast. Yep, the perfect solution. It will be worth it to take this sweet ride!
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I agree, Jan. Thanks.
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Drinking fast sounds like the perfect plan, John. Nice to see Smokey.
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Smokey the Bear. So now I have his song stuck in my head! That is one cool truck. Your drink fast plan should work. 😀
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Plus, the last round is to go.
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😀
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