After a decent night’s rest and a strong cup of coffee, the belief that permeates my thoughts is all the weird situations with Wilie E. Coyote have ended. The silence of the yard seems to confirm my conclusion. There is no little “beep-beep,” screeching, or implosion of a falling box as it terminates on the ground. But, just to be sure, a quick check of the Ring camera is in order. As I reach for my phone, a tone indicates something has entered the visual field. Looking at the screen reveals two grey upright things that look like plants.

Obviously, someone has placed something on the porch below the camera’s full view. This will require opening the front door to find out what is there. Having been burned in the past, it comes to me to use the speaker mode of the Ring camera to determine if anyone or anything is out there. “Hello,” I say.”

“Hello yourself, Doc,” is the reply.

The response causes me to ask about twenty questions answered with the simple phrase, “Open the door.”

A long sigh is followed by unlocking the deadbolts, releasing the chain, lifting the metal bar, and rolling the cage to the side. The door is opened to reveal a grey rabbit with white markings munching on a carrot. “What’s up, doc?”

The theme from Loony Toons goes through my head as the rabbit hands me an envelope. He indicates that I should open it and when I do, a letter floats out. The letter is from Linda Hill and reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rest.” Use it any way you like. Enjoy!

The rabbit continues to stand there looking at me, munching his carrot. If you would like to participate in this frivolity, visit Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/02/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-26-2022/

Rest by John W. Howell © 2022

“So you have started again?”

“What?”

“A cliff-hanging story.”

“Well, there is only so much reader attention time available.”

“Someone said that ever since you give up Wednesday Story Day, you’ve been writing these short preambles to the Saturday prompt.”

“Probably right. I miss the Storytime.”

“Why don’t you start again.”

“Time.”

“Come on. You don’t have anything to do all day.

“Blogs, emails, and novels. Nah, nothing at all.”

“Self-imposed.”

“I’ve heard that before. I still need to rest sometime, though. Not getting any younger.”

“Oh boohoo. So what’s with the rabbit? You seem focused on Warner Brothers.”

“I can’t help what is out there.”

“Turn around.”

“Why?”

“I want you to see there is no one behind you. You are it. Anything out there you create.”

“Do tell. If true, then the pub is my creation, too, right?”

“Yes indeed.”

“So if I say free drinks, that’s the way it is?”

“Yup. In fact, I would encourage you to do just that.”

“Free drinks. Last one there has to buy lunch.”

“Good job. Of course, you could create a free lunch too.”

“Give it a rest.”

“Gotcha.”

“Whatever,” I say out loud. The thought that the box is still in the driveway makes me want to go back to bed. But unfortunately, the call of the caffeine god turns me in the direction of the kitchen. As the cup finishes brewing, plans begin to form regarding what to do with that box. The appearance of Wile E. Coyote last week did nothing to aid in its removal. For all I know, the Canis latrans has moved into the box, is my troubling thought.

Taking a sip of the hot steaming stuff as I move toward the front door gives me the courage to open it. Stepping out onto the drive and close to the box, I gently rap on its side. Cocking my head to pick up even the slightest sound, I rap again. The wind in the trees seem to mock my apprehension, for it was the only audio detected.

A tap on my butt causes my natural instincts to kick in involuntarily. I can not explain how I got onto the top of the box and am now looking down at a smiling Wile E. Coyote. My coffee is mysteriously still in the cup clutched in my right hand. My mind drifts from concern about Wile and the box to wondering about the fact that the coffee remains intact.

I am brought back to reality when Wile asks if I would open the box. “Open the box?” I say. Wile explains that there is a latch on top and all I had to do was flip it open. I see the latch and flip it. The sides of the box fold out, and the top, including me, falls to the ground. The five-foot fall does nothing for my mood, nor does the fact that I am looking at a transparent ball just slightly smaller than the box. On the side of the ball is a stenciled logo that reads, “ACME Runner Ball. Be Ten Times Faster.”

Wilie gives me a thumbs up and opens a small door on the side of the ball. He climbs in just as that honking and screeching sound reaches my ears from behind. Turning around, I’m treated by another road runner visit and another note in its beak. I take the message, and the roadrunner runs off. Wilie starts running inside the ball and quickly catches up to the roadrunner. They both disappear around the corner, and I’m left with a note and a wooden box. The box will have to be chopped up. The message said the following Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “whatever.” Use the word “whatever” any way you’d like. Bonus points if you start your post with it. Have fun! If you want to have fun, go to Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/02/18/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-19-2022/

Whatever by John W. Howell © 2022

“I don’t know what to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s been two weeks, and the box has a stupid ball inside.”

“Looks that way.”

“Why couldn’t it have been something exciting?”

“Like what?”

“A rocket or motorized anvil. Anything but a ball.”

“I don’t know. I think a ball that lets you run faster is a pretty interesting thing.”

“At least tell me if Wilie caught the roadrunner?”

“I have no idea. They went around the corner.”

“Can’t you make something up?”

“I could, but I am not going to do that.”

“Why?”

“Has Wilie ever gotten the better of the roadrunner?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

“So what makes you think I can invent a scenario where that happens.”

“I see what you mean. That would be taking fan fiction liberty.”

“Right. And to what end?”

“Would make a good story.”

“And nice lawsuit from Warner Brothers.”

“Well, there is that. Okay, I give up. Time to head to the pub.”

“You know we end this feature every week at the pub. So let’s do something different.”

“Like what?”

“How about the museum.”

“You are kidding me now, right?”

“It would be different.”

“Wait a minute. The fact that it is your turn to buy is not influencing your quest to be different, is it?”

“I am a little short this week.”

“I’ll buy then.”

“Dump the museum idea. Let’s go.”

‘