Today, I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 111. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word nearest my finger is “Wringer,” which is our prompt.
Wringer © 2026 by John W. Howell
“Nice to have you visit.”
“I have really enjoyed myself. This hotel is the best.”
“I agree. I think it’s time for us to check out, though.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, they have cleaned our room.”
“I guess that’s a hint that we have to move on.”
“You said it. It’s too bad cause I like this place. The food is great.”
“I agree. Everything is so clean. Not like some other places we’ve been.”
“Yeah, talk about overcrowding and the lack of regular cleaning.”
“I have never visited a laundry before.”
“Well, if we hadn’t slept in, we wouldn’t be here now”
“What do we do?”
“We have to avoid being caught up in the washing machine and then the wringer.”
“What is a wringer”
“I don’t know exactly how it works, but I know whatever goes in comes out flat.”
“Have you seen it work before?”
“Oh yeah, plenty of times. I was just lucky to be able to avoid it.”
“So what’s our next move?”
“When they grab these sheets, jump over to the clean pile.”
“Won’t they see us?”
“Nah. We are too small for them to see us.”
“And so we will go to another room?”
“Yup. We can stay. But this time we have to be alert, and when they come to clean the room, we need to go onto the mattress.”
“Got it. I’ll tell you, being a bedbug is not easy.”
“You said it.”
🤣Love this, John! Bravo 🙌 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Harmony. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
💖
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did guess this one – but it left me smiling. Very entertaining.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🏆 Here is your award. Glad you got a smile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking a flea, a fly and a flue again but then reconsidered. Cute story John.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That T🦴 always knows just the right thing to say…he is the original “winger”🐳
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄
LikeLike
Thanks, Tom 😄
LikeLike
Very good, John. If I recall, a bit tame compared to the book version 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bedbugs don’t get enough hate. Dread them showing up at home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s not even think about it.
LikeLike
Bedbugs really have to stay on their toes…very entertaining “BedtimeStory”🐳
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, 🐳
LikeLike
Great take on bedbugs! And I knew it was bed bugs from the start. Maybe the first time you didn’t fool me! But then, I have known bedbugs…
LikeLike
You get an award. 🏆 Well done, Noelle.
LikeLike
🙂 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄
LikeLike
The bed bugs have a nice place to stay if they avoid the wringer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is the key. Thanks, Tim. 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
That bedbug twist caught me off guard! 🦟 Realizing they were strategizing their escape from the laundry made the whole dialogue so clever. Brilliant take on the prompt, John! 👏🏼
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. 😊 So glad you liked it, Peateek.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so very welcome, John! 😄 It was such a fun and imaginative read—you always know how to bring a clever twist to the prompts. Hope you have a fantastic and creative week ahead! ✨
LikeLiked by 1 person
Somehow put an “e” instead of an “R” in my last response. My apologies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s okay John… sentiments matter… you don’t have to apologize 😊😊😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no, the bed bugs!! Well done, John! ❣️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Cindy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
xo
LikeLike
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew it was bedbugs right from the beginning! *shudder*
LikeLiked by 1 person
😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
You get a trophy 🏆
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall display it proudly on the mantlepiece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
one visitor I dont want. Makes me itch thinking sbout them! Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Me too.Thanks, Denise. 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Nah. We are too small for them to see us.” It took me getting to that line to guess bedbugs! I’m taking it as a win! 😆This was a fun one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here you go 🏆
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woo hoo!!! Thanks, John!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear…we wouldn’t want to run into those guys. I say they should go through the wringer!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Thanks, Monika.
LikeLiked by 1 person
EWWWWW … as I read I felt my skin prickle at the thought that it was bedbugs! That said, your story reminded me of when I was little and I “helped” our nextdoor neighbor (my surrogate grandfather) with his laundry. He had one of those old barrel-like tubs that had a wringer attached to it. He’d feed his wet clothes through the wringer and I’d catch them on the other side, mindful not to get my fingers caught. For a kid like me, it was fun 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I was a kid, that was the kind of washer we had. Used to hang clothes in the basement in the winter, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Well, our basement was mud so my mom still hung wet clothes on the clothesline if it was sunny. Then we had to bring in our “frozen” clothes and break them over the clothes rack which was placed on the floor furnace. Took FOREVER to get our clothes dry in the winter 😹
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Sounds like a real chore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Being a bedbug may not be easy, but life will end for them all if they come our way, John. We’re good, bedbugs. Move along. Nothing to see here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha. Thanks, Bruce.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had an aunt who used one of those old washing machines. We always thought the wringer was fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a kid, we had one. It was fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m on a roll, John. That two weeks in a row I guessed it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
🏆 Here is your trophy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I guess bed bugs can check out but they never leave
LikeLiked by 1 person
Called the Hotel Bugifornia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha that is good one
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yikes!! Yep. Gotta watch out for the wringer if you’re a bedbug. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most certainly. Thanks, Jan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eeeesh! I love the dialogue but then you find out who’s talking and well . . I don’t mean to itch and moan but yanno.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand. What is that red blotch on your cheek?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahahaha! It should clear up any day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You got me John! Great little story 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad, Barbara.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never expected to smile when reading about bed bugs, John! Well done! 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you got a smile and not bedbugs. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂😂😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very funny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was funny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLiked by 1 person