I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two.
I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.
“Whatyadoing, Lucy?” “I’m Taking a sunbath.” “You sure no one can see you?” “So what if they can.” “You’re not dressed.” “Neither are you.” “Boy now that you mention it.”
Yes, it is Friday. Pretty soon, the cares of the week will be history as we take a breath over the weekend.
A few activities are going on in the neighborhood that I will be covering for the month’s balance on Views of the Neighborhood. For those who follow that feature, we usually have food, drinks, and music to go along with the tour. I have the bus all decorated for the holidays so it should be pretty festive.
This week we will be visiting a local Holiday Fair sponsored by Emmaus Church. I’m looking forward to seeing people and taking some shots of the gift possibilities. I will be in my Hazmat suit with the self-contained environment.
Next week Lakeway has set up a light scavenger hunt. There are twelve locations, so the Producer and I will be in our nighttime ninja gear capturing that scene.
The following week is the Sunday before Christmas, so I will be doing the Trail of Lights. The producer and I will again don the nighttime stealth equipment.
Since Christmas eve falls on a Thursday, I have asked Twiggy and Lucy to stand down while I finish some neighborhood decorations.
Now the schedule is set, so at least I can relax and enjoy the festive spirit. Today’s JohnKu talks about the spirit of the holidays. I hope you all have a great weekend.
“We need to get moving.” “Why?” “To get ready for Friday.” “I’ll set the alarm.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we were given new worries about Andre Terrian’s behavior towards Carolyn. The question is, will he sell out to Cortez or protect Carolyn? We still have no information about the kid in the back seat. We will have to wait until the car reaches France to find out what is going on with him. The blue Mercedes with Carolyn, Andre, and the mysterious kid in the back has entered the train loading platform at Folkestone England. I think we should get back to the trooper headquarters. I see Lazar’s lawyer, Robert Stennis, has asked to talk to Pricilla.
“You wanted to talk to me, Mr. Stennis.”
“Yes. I’m wondering how long my client is going to be here?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I have other business that needs attention, but I don’t want to leave him in a vulnerable condition.”
“So tell him not to say anything, and you can be on your way.”
“There is this little matter about holding someone without charges.”
“If it bothers you, I can get a formal indictment.”
“Would be much cleaner.”
“Then Lazar here would be eligible for bail.”
“Yes, I believe that would be true.”
“You know if he walks out of here, he is a dead man.”
“Thanks for reminding me.”
“So, what’s it going to be. An unindicted co-conspirator who is the guest of the government or a visit to the funeral home?”
“Yeah, I see what you mean. Okay. Let’s do it your way. Well, keep it on the unofficial.”
“He’s booked in here on suspicion of violating federal drug laws. If you are okay with that, we can leave it here.”
“Yes. I’m okay.”
“We have a few days to get more formal, and if Carolyn is safe much longer.”
“We are on the same page, Ms. Thomas. I’ll just stay until we find out Carolyn’s status.”
“Good. We are about to order some food, so we will count you in.”
“I hope you don’t misunderstand my motives.”
“I think you care about your client. Did I misunderstand that?”
“No. You are right on point.”
“Excuse me, I need to give my FBI contact a call.”
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
This week marks the 134th anniversary of the first revue stages at the Folies Bergere theater in Paris in 1886. The show was quite a hit, and we certainly want to be there. Grab the list of the Top Ten things not to do so we don’t cause a time continuum tear. Hop in James’s Oldsmobile, and let’s go.
James Wainwright’s Oldsmobile from Eternal Road – The final stop
10 If you go, do not gape at the scantily clad dancers. If you do, at best, they will think you’re ill. At worst, you might collect a slap from one of the chorus members. (It seems, Mohsen, that you attracted the attention of Bertha, who was previously with Ringling Brothers Circus. She used to box with the big Grizzley bear. Good luck with your relationship.)
9 If you go, do not laugh at the antics of Tiny, the WWF champ. If you do, at best, he won’t be able to pick you out of the crowd. At worst, Tiny believes he is a serious performer and is now wondering why you are laughing at his performance of Pagliacci. (Of course, you and Tiny know Pagliacci first premiered in 1892, but that didn’t stop him from wailing out what he thought was a fine opera. He is looking for you, Monroe. He said something about high dive. Let’s just say it doesn’t sound like a good thing.)
8 If you go, do not ask what the title of the revue, “Place aux Jeunes,” means in English. If you do, at best, you will ask an older person. At worst, you will ask a young person. (You see, Montague, “Place aux Jeunes” means a place for young people. You know folks who don’t mind a little nudity in their shows. That person you asked is talking to the gendarm over there. The term pervertir keeps coming up. It might be time to leave.)
7 If you go, do not think you can have a feather as a souvenir. If you do, at best, you’ll get a hand slap. At worst, that feather was the cornerstone for the whole costume. (This is a fine kettle of fish you have gotten us into, Montay. Even though it is 1886, causing a person to lose their costume is a serious offense. I hear a bunch of people running your way. It might be good to go the other way for now.)
6 If you go, do not think you can take the stage and sing along. If you do, at best, you’ll fall into the orchestra pit. At worst, your off-tune singing will cause the entire show to stop. (Well, Montez. Believe it or not, the 200 or so who have paid for admission are not pleased about this circumstance. I hear someone calling for tar and feathers. A very tough combination to get off.)
5 If you go, do not ask about the acrobats. If you do, at best, no one will know what you are talking about. At worse, you’ll ask Édouard Marchand. (Marchand was the guy who took a different direction with the Folies, Montrel. He had the idea of an elaborate review featuring women. He will point out to you that acrobats, circus acts, and boxing kangaroos all played at the Folies in the 1870s. He now wants to know if you want your money back. I would tell him no.)
4 If you go, do not ask about the artists Manet and Toulouse-Lautrec. If you do, at best, no one will know them. At worse, you will ask the barmaid. (Now you have given away your status as a time traveler, Moor. Both artists painted famous paintings using the Folies as subject material. In fact, Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, painted in 1882, is of that girl. Manet died a year later. This painting did not become famous until long after 1886.)
3 If you go, do not order Absinthe at the bar. If you do, at best, they will be out. At worse, they are having a happy hour special. (You better be careful, Moreley. Absinthe contains the chemical compound thujone made up of a ketone and a monoterpene present in the spirit in trace amounts and was blamed for its alleged harmful effects. That theory has been debunked, but why chance it. Oh, I see. A little too late on the warning. Happy trails to you.)
2 If you go, do not make a bet about how many costumes sets and people are involved in the shows. If you do, at best, you only bet a little. At worst, you put up your virtual farm in Les Baux-de-Provence. (Of course, you lost, Morgen, since who would be able to guess 40 sets, 1000 costumes, and 200 people. I shape you have a virtual deed to your virtual lavender farm.)
1 If you go, do not mention that the show Place Aux Junes does not have the word Folie and thirteen letters like all shows at the Folies Bergère. (Another faux pas, Morpheus. That tradition was established 100 years ago, so you are about 34 years too soon. Don’t worry, I think these guys like the idea anyway.)
Well, here we are gathering for another tour of the neighborhood. This week we are going to see how the holiday decorations are progressing as well as some community events. We are getting rain, and it is wonderful. So that y’all will be comfortable, I have arranged a tour that can be done without leaving the bus. Just keep your eyes on the 75-inch monitors and let the remote cameras do the work. While you are relaxing, we will be serving tomato and basil crostini, roast leg of lamb, red potatoes, grilled root vegetables, and cedar plank baked salmon with caper/lemon aioli. For dessert, there are assorted tarts and chocolate chunk cheesecake. The top shelf bar is open, and we are passing Duckhorn merlot and Cakebread chardonnay. For your entertainment, we have Toby Keith playing some of your favorites.
So, hop on the bus, and we’ll be off.
Our first stop is the Lakeway Police station. (All right. Everyone keep your seats) The Lakeway Police Department is hosting the Green Santa toy drop off. The Green Santa drive ensures that no child goes without a gift this Holiday Season.
The rain falls yet the drop off is set up and waiting.
A photo of the high school student volunteers. Thanks, guys for giving of your time.
A. big box that needs filling.
I don’t think the hydration station is going to get much use today. There is plenty of hydration falling from the sky.
Of course, the police car is there to let folks know the donation station is open.
A few welcome lawn characters.
Moving away from the police station, we are stopping briefly at the Activities Center. There is a box for all the letters to Santa.
A big bunch of presents too.
Now into the neighborhood. Here is a very eclectic gathering of shepherds, farm animals, dogs, and Mary and Joesph.
The three wise men did make an appearance as well.
A quick view of the mailbox topper shows a festive decoration.
Lawn blow-ups working hard to make us smile.
A blue snowman with a big smile.
That about does it for our tour this week. We will be seeing some more holiday decorations and of course, the Trail of Lights in the coming weeks.I hope you all have a spectacular week. Have some more to eat and during and here is one of my favorite toby Keith songs. I Love this Bar.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again, and Linda Hill already left the prompt on the front porch. At first, I didn’t know what the envelop contained, so I soaked it in disinfectant. Here it is. “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “opt.” Use it as a word or find a word with “opt” in it and base your post on that. Have fun!”
“Hey. That’s the one I thought no one would think of.”
“Shows how delusional you are. It’s the first thing I thought of.”
“Now I have to think up another.”
“That’s your option.”
“You did it again. That was my next.”
“I guess you will have to optimize your thinking.”
“You are torturing me, aren’t you.”
“You need to be an optimist. Your dark side is not very attractive.”
“Okay, I want you to stop talking and let me think.”
“Sure. I’ll adopt the mannerisms of a mime.”
“When?”
“Just as soon as we are finished with the shoptalk.”
“We are done.”
“M.”
“What? Where did you get that chalkboard. Oh, I see. You are going to communicate by writing. Yes, I will read what you write out loud. You are welcome. Oh, sorry. ‘Thank you.’ Yes, you are welcome. Now what? ‘You have to admit this optical way is still good.‘ That’s it. I quit.”
“Why does UPS ring that bell.” “To warn me to bark them to St Louis.” “How considerate of them.”
Here it is Friday. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know we did. Unfortunately, I was looking forward to the Steelers game on Thanksgiving day. I was the last to know that the game was canceled and rescheduled for Sunday.
There I was saying Go Steelers to everyone, and no one wanted to ruin my day. It was announced shortly after noon on Wednesday that the game was rescheduled for Sunday because of COVID trouble on the Baltimore Ravens team. Oh well, I had about twelve hours of looking forward to a game, which was a feeling that everyone else had lost.
Today’s JohnKu talks about having a hope dashed. I hope you all have a great weekend.
“What are you doing Little One?” “I thought I heard Friday out there.” “Two more days.” “Drat.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we learned about the driver of Carolyn’s car. It is Andre Terrian, a guy with mob ties and a ton of aliases. We also learned someone slouched in the back seat, and the FBI can’t make an identity. Pricilla is headered to the interrogation room again. She wants to ask Lazar what he knows about this Andre Terrian. I think we would all like to know too, so let’s join them in the interrogation room.
“So, we have identified the guy driving Carolyn’s car, Mr. Popović.”
“Who is it?”
“A guy named Terrian.”
“That would not be Andre, would it?”
“Yeah, you know him?”
“I know of him.”
“Want to explain?”
“I hired him a while ago.”
“To do what?”
“To check on Carolyn. She was hanging around with this kid from the East End, and I wanted to know what was going on.”
“Did you find out?”
“Well, I got a report that the kid decided he no longer wanted to see Carolyn.”
“Sounds strange.”
“Not really. Part of the deal was to convince him that some of Carolyn’s friends were not keen on him.”
“Carolyn’s friends?”
“Well, euphemistically speaking.”
“What happened to the kid?”
“I have no idea. All I knew was Carolyn called crying her eyes out about the loss of this boy.”
“Did Terrian say anything?”
“Nope. Just ‘mission accomplished.’ Why are you asking these questions?”
“There is a kid in the back seat of Carolyn’s car.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Wish I was.”
“What the hell? I wonder if it’s that kid.”
“Only Terrian would know. We will find out when the car gets to France.”
“Now I’m concerned.”
“What about?”
“I got Andre’s name from Cortez.”
“Oh shit. Er, Excuse me. Are you telling me that maybe Terrian is working for Cortez?”
“I pray not.”
“What would make you even think he’s not.”
“When I talked to him after the kid incident, I got the feeling he had feelings for Carolyn.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Not lustful feeling more like big brother feelings.”
“How did you ascertain that?”
“He lectured me on having more involvement in Carolyn’s everyday life. He had shadowed her for a month, and I just think he became interested in her welfare.”
“So you don’t think he would sell out to Cortez.”
“In my heart? No.”
“I hope you are right, Mr. Popović. I hope you are right. What about you, Larry? You think he sold out?”
“Without a doubt. These organized crime thugs would sell their own mother for a buck. What do you think, Andrew?”
“I’m going with Lazar’s gut here. I think the big oaf fell for the pretty American, and he’s going to protect her.”
“I prefer Andrew’s take on it.”
“I do too, Mr. Popović. Let’s hope Mr. Cummings is right.”
