Today I randomly opened Circumstances of Childhood to page 127. I closed my eyes and pointed to the page. My finger is closest to the word “urgent.” That is our prompt today.
Urgent by John W. Howell © 2026.
“Hurry up.”
“What’s the deal?”
“It’s urgent.”
“What?”
“The thing you have to see.”
“For heaven’s sake. You are moving like someone possessed.”
“Well. I don’t want it to go away.”
“This must be pretty important.”
“Not important, just interesting.”
“Have you seen it before?”
“Yeah, of course. You will get a kick out of this. too.”
“I hope it is worth being almost out of breath for.”
“Don’t worry, it will be worth it.”
“Are we almost there?”
“Yup, see that outcropping right ahead?”
“Yeah.”
“We need to be under it.”
“Okay, that is easy. Now that we are here, what am I looking for?
“Wait one minute.”
“Uh huh.”
“There it is.”
“What is it?”
“A stupid worm on a hook.”
“Wait. You mean one of those idiots thinks he can catch us with a lousey worm?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh my gosh. What trout in its right mind is going to go for that?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Whoa. Did you see that?”
“Yeah, that stupid bluegill came out of nowhere.”
“I hope he enjoys being a guest at dinner.”
“Ha ha ha. What a dope. Hold on, is that a mayfly?”
“Where?”
“Out by that rock. Just floating.”
“Be careful.”
“Right there are plenty of mayflies somewhere where these worm baters aren’t.”
“Look, another one.”
“Yup. Let’s get out of here.”
Fiction Favorites 
Haha! There was just something fishy about the whole thing. Well done, John. 🐟🐠🐟. Hugs.
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😁 You are so right. 🤗
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Great one, John! 😄 When I went fishing with my dad as a kid, I’d sit at the water’s edge and pray that a fish would find my worm. Rarely, my prayer was answered. 🙄
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Ha ha ha. I think your prayers were for the fish. 😁
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Good one, John! I love reading what other species must think of us 😁
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Thank you, Marie. I often wonder myself. 😊
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Good one, John. You’d think those fish would have wised up by now.
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Here, they mock the bluegill for going after a worm, then are fascinated by a mayfly that might be on the end of a flyrod. Sounds like some people I know.
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Sounds like a dangerous time to be a fish.
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It would seem so. Thanks, Charles.
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Haha! These two are smart enough to not get hooked into becoming someone’s supper! Of course, they might move and not realise there is a fisherman hiding…
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Or that mayfly is on the end of a flyrod.
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Exactly.
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Great chuckles. You got me – never suspected it was a fish until I got to the hook part, where you hooked us!
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Oh good. I love to pull the wool. Thanks, Noelle.
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🙂 I had to look up the origen of “pull the woo” – It may refer to the 19th-century custom of wearing woolen caps to deceive or mislead others.
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Sounds very logical. Thanks, Noelle.
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Lol. Those trout are too smart for the average fisherman. A fun post, John.
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Yes, they are. Thanks, Diana.
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It is that time of year. Good one, John.
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It is getting there.
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The trout must be smarter than bass, John. I would catch and release a lot of bass at Sleepy Hollow State Park northeast of Lansing.
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Sounds like fun, Tim. I earned my fishing merit badge as a scout, catching a smallmouth bass on a hula popper at Clear Lake near Ionia MI
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I was using an artificial worm lure. 😊
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Ah.
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I always knew the fish were wise to our bait…lol Good one, John:)
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No self-respecting trout would go for a worm. Thanks, Denise.
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I was not expecting a trout! Well done!!
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Glad I gotcha. Thanks, Liz. 😊
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You’re welcome, John.
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😊
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I wouldn’t like to be a fish! Well told, John 😊
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I think being a fish would be way too dangerous.
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Fishing for compliments, John? (Couldn’t resist a bad pun.)
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Um. 😊
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😁
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Hooked again — well done, John! I sure didn’t see this one coming.
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Excellent. Thanks, Debbie. 😀
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I used to wonder what the fish were thinking as I fed them from the dock. I believe I was saying reassuring things to them like “you recognize my footsteps, right? no fishing poles around here” because other folks would stop their boats to fish in the area.
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The fish could count on you, as could the fisherman. 😀
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Snicker, snort. I kept thinking something flying at first. Nice twist, John!
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Thank you, Monika. 😀
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Good one, John. Reminds me of the time I caught a snapping turtle while fishing for perch with worms.
Of course, this song instantly came to mind when I saw your post:
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Great song, Pete. Love Foreigner
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Lovely piece, John…
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Thank you, Jaye. 😊
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”Wait! Is that dynamite?”
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Ha ha ha
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Lol! I never dreamed this would be fish. 🙂 You are a twisted genius, John!
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Well, definitely twisted. Thanks, Jan
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🤪
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😊
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Back story to all those long boring (childhood) hours. Occasionally, some did fall for it. 🎣
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I think it was an adult plot to keep kids occupied while not having to clean fish. Thanks, Michele. 😊
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