Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Starts with GL”

~ John W. Howell

 

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

 

The glass touchscreen on the coffee machine is glowing with a soft light. A quick thump of the top brings up the icons. The best guess is the machine was caught sleeping, and, of course, we will never know. A touch of the two coffee button starts the flow of the life-giving elixir that promises to quell the falling Mosler Safe hitting the concrete sound that the lack of caffeine is duplicating in my head.

The first sip does the job. The second sip (Of course) is accompanied by the Westminster chime of the doorbell and the eardrum-bleeding cacophony of Igor’s hounds, Twigy and Tempeste. A toss of a veggie burger into the soundproof room and a slam of the door brings the peace train into the station. A check of the security monitor shows what appears to be Gladstone Gander holding a clipboard and envelope. Since asking anyone to simply leave the envelope has never worked, the security shutdown process is begun.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. Monty Python’s Harmless Little Rabbit’s cage is closed. The front door is opened.

Gladstone Gander hands me the clipboard and envelope. The signed clipboard is handed back with a fiver. Once in the house, the envelope reveals a message from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “Starts with gl. Find a word that starts with “gl” and use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others did with the prompt, visit Linda’s post at https://lindaghill.com/2026/08/21/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-august-22-2026/

Starts with GL by John W. Howell © 2026

“So you got the prompt out of the way quickly.”

“Yeah, so fast that Reader Tom probably missed it.”

“Of course there is Reader Jim, to point out what Reader Tom missed.”

“Those two are on it for sure. It seems you know them.”

“Sure do. We worked together in another life.”

“Doing what? Robbing banks?”

“Ha ha ha. No, we were in the drug business.”

“I knew it was some nefarious dealing.”

“Sorry. Just over-the-counter healthcare products.”

“Ah, sorta like VooDoo Rangers.”

“Sorta. You call Uber?”

“Right over there.”

Photo by Tom Okragly

“You have to be kidding me.”

“What’s the problem?”

“We need a ladder to get into that thing.”

“I’m sure there is one in the bed.”

“I hope so. Any other information I should know?”

“That we are going to a dirt truck rally.”

“Swell.”

“It will be fun they said.”

I’m so glad to have this entertainment today.”

“I knew you would be pleased.”

“Not.”

“It will only take a few hours. We have a cooler filled with VooDoo Rangers, too.”

“I’m in.”

“All right, all right, all right.

 

 

70 thoughts on “Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Starts with GL””

  3. Yep I missed it. GLad you pointed it out. If you do go to the dirt truck rally, please don’t get the truck dirty. It doesn’t go through a car wash very well. Yes, Reader Jim points out everything. He is very observant. And he sends me texts to ask if I posted yet. The problem is that he’s like a rooster, he’s up at the crack of dawn. I wish he would give me some breathing room. But he is really really smart so I guess it’s okay.

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    1. I understand. It looks like he posted at 5;30 our time, which is 6:30 his time. Early for us, but not too early for him. He doesn’t know anything about the sleep-in bidness, so I think time is on his side.

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      1. Hey, l severely resemble that there bidness comment…l no a lot about that slippin’ in bidness. 👀’s been slippin’ in for a longest time now…so, you get back 5 meters, JACK❗️

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  8. A dirt truck rally sound like fun, and you can drink Voodoo Rangers while you’re rallying. But if the ladder is in the trunk of the truck, you’re gong to have a tough time getting in.

    I notice you’re now giving out fivers left and right instead of advice. A change of heart?

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  13. I always love your lack of coffee woes and your vast equipment to keep strangers away, especially when you add something new, like the Mosler Safe and Monty Python’s rabbit. The truck is very cool, and a video of getting into it would be a 10 on the laugh-o-meter.

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  15. I don’t think there is a world where I’d actually drive that vehicle, but I am a bit curious as to what piloting that around feels like. Lots of distance between driver and ground, with the built-in potential to go up, up, and away.😊

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  16. I laugh when I see these jacked-up trucks but this one takes the cake! One might get vertigo once one actually makes it to the front seat!

    Like many, I had to look up this latest cartoon character!

    Nicely done, John.

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  21. IMO… the Gladstone Gander is a quack!

    🎼 Hey run me over, pour us some beers,

    Fresh outta Ubers, wheels way up to ears. 🎼

    Lotsa fun here today. Thanks John!

    𝓞𝓧 🐂 𝓞𝓧

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  23. You went with a fiver, good call.

    You might also try a trampoline to get into the bed. Sure it’s risky, but I feel that if you’re going to spend the evening in one of these puppies, go Mad Max all the way.

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