Staggering to the machine with the hope of relief that a hot cup of aromatic, steaming elixir will bring to quell the flashing neon sign behind my eyes that says in bright red, “Low Caffeine warning.” Red is also the color of Valentine’s Day, and that wish of love is certainly part of this post as soon as the coffee is ready.

Finally, the cup is filled, and the first sip begins the process of serenity. An interruption occurs in the form of the Westminster chime cacophony courtesy of some dope not reading the “Do Not Ring The Bell” sign. A couple of heart-shaped treats thrown into the soundproof room preserves the integrity of the windows and crystal, which would otherwise be in jeopardy from the bark to St Louis response of Igor’s Hounds. Slamming the door brings peace back to the valley.

A check of the monitor reveals a baby in diapers carrying an envelope and a bow. It must be Cupid or a very deranged delivery person.  No need to go through the discussion about leaving the envelope, since the pattern is clear. With a sigh, the security shut-down process began.

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. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. 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 Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

The first thing Cupid does is hand me the envelope and a clipboard, which is signed and returned. The second thing he does is shoot me with an arrow to the heart. Love blooms on the porch. Cupid got a ten-dollar tip (clever boy). Inside the envelope is a note from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “love.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun, and happy Valentine’s Day!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/02/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-14-2026/

Love by John W. Howell © 2026

“Cupid, huh?”

“Yes, Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Thank you, but please get that goofy look off your face.”

“I think it is the arrow.”

“Whatever it is, take it somewhere else.”

“A little afraid of brotherly love, I see.”

“It’s not the brotherly kind I’m worried about.”

“Oh, stop. I’m just filled with the day is all.”

“You should avoid those cupid myths.”

“He looked real.”

“Yeah. Like I look real.”

“Let’s not go there.”

“You’re right. You know what my love is right now?”

“Let me guess. VooDoo Ranger and the pub.”

“Bingo.”

“Uber?’

“Over there.”

Photo by Dan Antion

“Wow. A 1967 Pontiac GTO. Love that.”

“Yes, and since it is Valentine’s Day, we get to go directly to the pub.”

“Love that color.”

“There’s that goofy look again.”

“Let’s just go.”