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.
“Lucy look at this new grass.” “Feels good on the feet, Little One.” “Make you forget it is only Wednesday.” “That’s for sure.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week we saw Andrew and Larry stop for coffee (uh….never mind), and sure enough, a couple of hoods decided to take them out. One went out the back door, and Larry nailed the other with a clean shot to the eye. I see the police have pulled up in front of the Starbucks and are treating the scene as a hostage stand off situation. I guess we better go there and see if we can do anything to help. Wait! Who am I kidding? We are in the audience and can only watch. Let’s go anyway. It might be interesting to see how our heroes get out of this one.
“THIS IS THE RENO POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR FURTHER VIOLENCE. WE JUST WANT TO TALK. DO YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE? IF SO SHOUT OUT THE NUMBER AND WE’LL GIVE YOU A CALL.”
“Man, that is some bull horn.”
“Those guys think we are holding hostages, Larry.”
“What makes them think that?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll bet Spencer the ass Taggett has something to do with it.”
“When you called 9-1-1, what did you say?”
“I told the dispatcher that there were two gunmen shooting up the place.”
“Uh-huh. Did she ask you to stay on the line?”
“No. She just said officers are on the way.”
“Did she take your name?”
“Can you believe it, no.”
“Okay, so all she knows is we may be the two gunmen.”
“I guess that covers it.”
“I think we ought to respond to those guys out there before they storm the place.”
“Yeah, the hostage protocol is such that they won’t storm the place until they are sure none of the hostages will get hurt.”
“Sop like if we give up?”
“or shoot ourselves.”
“You can forget the last one. Okay, let me shout to our friends out there.”
“Hey, officers.”
“WE ARE HERE.”
“That is some bull horn.”
“ALL THE BETTER TO BE HEARD.”
“I guess you can hear me then.”
“WALL TO WALL. WHY NOT LET THE PATRONS GO, AND WE CAN HAVE A CHAT?”
“There are no patrons. Just Barista Bob.”
“I’m fine by the way, officer.”
“Thanks, Bob. My name is Larry Dunfee, and I am a detective with the Boston police department.”
“DO YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE?”
“Yes, the number is 617-555-1212.”
“OKAY, GOT IT. CALLING YOU NOW.”
“Yes, hello, officer.”
“It is Lieutenant Mayfield with the Reno SWAT rescue unit.”
“Nice to meet you, Lieutenant. As I said Larry Dunfee, a detective with the Boston Police department.”
“So why would a member of the Boston Police Department take hostages?”
“There must be a mistake, Lieutenant. We were shot at by two gunmen. One is in here now.”
“You holding him hostage as well?”
“No lieutenant, he’s dead. He and his UZI are lying on the floor here.”
“So that I understand. You have killed one of the hostages?”
“Sheese lieutenant. How can I get through to you that we aren’t holding anyone hostage? We’ll come out with our hands up, and then you can see what’s going on here.”
“Uh, Larry?”
“What Andrew? Hold on, Lieutenant. I’m putting you on mute.”
“How do we know they won’t shoot us. I don’t trust that Taggett isn’t behind this whole thing.”
“Good point. How about if we wait for some news reporters. Be hard to shoot us with witnesses.”
“Worth a try.”
“Hello, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Any reporters out there.”
“You want a grand finish? Is that it?”
“No offense, but we don’t exactly trust the situation right now. We were the ones under attack, and you seem hell bet to believe we are holding hostages here.”
“I only know what dispatch told me.”
“How about you get on the phone and explain who we are and that there has been a mix-up. Then when reporters get here, we will give ourselves up, and you’ll be a hero.”
“Not sure I believe your scenario, but I will make the call. By the way, the reporters are about a half-mile from this place. We don’t want any of them to get hurt.”
“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.”
“Ladies and gentlemen. We want to welcome you to our main event tonight. This is a special charity auction to raise funds for the Evergreen Project. For those the few of you who aren’t familiar, the Evergreen Project has as it’s mission to restore the Earth back to a pristine condition that existed prior to the 1800s. Oh, I know. It is a very aggressive goal but that’s not to say it won’t be achieved. It will be people like you who support efforts like this that will make the difference. Tonight we hope to raise ten trillion dollars and coupled with other auctions already held, will bring the total war chest to one-hundred trillion. Yes, that’s right that is trillion with a T. Now unless there are any questions I think we can get started.
Our first item up for a teaser bid to get you in the mood is this beautiful piece of art titled Moon Over Miami. It has been rendered in canvas and oil by the internationally known artist, Keith Channing. I would like to open the bid for twenty million. Do I hear twenty? Yes, sir thank you. How about twenty-five. Thank you, Miss. Now thirty. Yes, sir thank you. Thirty-five? Thank you, Miss. Forty? Do I hear forty? Going once. Going twice. Sold to number 10 for Thirty-five million. Thank you all.
The next item up for bid is Burmuda. This lovely Island can be yours at a very special rate. As a reminder, if you do win the bid for Burmuda it is expected that you will eliminate all life there within a fortnight. Do I hear an opening bid of one trillion? Yes, sir thank you.”
April 19th marks the anniversary of the first Boston Marathon, which was run in 1897. This is an event that we all would like to see. If you decide to jump on the time travel train, please take this list to ensure you don’t put a big ole tear in the time continuum. All aboard.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First Boston marathon.
10 If you go, do not think you can sneak into the race and be lost in the thousands of participants. If you do, at best you’ll double think your decision. At worst, you will be noticed immediately by the judges since there are only fifteen participants. (You have a choice Lucian. Pay the entry fee or drop out. That policeman over there is going to make sure you choose one or the other.)
9 If you go, do not try to tell Tiny the WWF champ that the 24.5-mile course he has laid out should be 26.2 miles. If you do, at best, Tiny will ignore you. At worst, Tiny, who just finished his remedial math training, will think he’s made a math error and needs to cover it up. (There was no error, Lucius. The course distance was determined by a committee. It was changed to 26.2 miles in 1908. This is not going to help you now that Tiny has decided you need to be silenced. I’m sure he will let you out of that barrel once the race is over.)
8 if you go, do not suggest that the race be held on a Sunday. If you do, at best, you’ll be ignored. At worse, you’ll make that suggestion in earshot of the Boston Bishop. (Sundays are sacrosanct here in Boston, Lukas. The race was designed to be held on Patriots Day, which commemorates the beginning of the Revolutionary War. If Patriot’s Day fells on a Sunday, then the race was held on Monday. It took until 1969 for Patriot’s Day to be established as the third Monday of April. All this is well and good but too late to prevent you from being declared a heretic.)
7 If you go, do not mention the under the two-hour finish of Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge in 2019. If you do, at best, folks will think you have been drinking. At worst, you’ll mention it to John Mc Dermott, the winner who finished at 2:55:10. (Now John is wondering where you came from Lionel. Telling him Kipchoge’s time was 1:59:40 won’t stop him from the nose punch that is heading your way. in fact that info might just speed it up.)
6 If you go, do not wear the freebee Gateraid T-shirt that you scored at the Micky Mouse marathon last year. If you do, at best, it is under your sweatshirt. At worst, John Graham, the first Olympic team manager, and Boston Athletic Association member, will want to know all about it. (Now you are in a fine kettle of fish, Luciano. How are you going to explain sponsorships since the first did not start until the 1980s? Better think fast, cause Graham doesn’t look like a guy who suffers fools lightly.)
5 If you go, do not ask about the Red Sox baseball game that usually accompanies a marathon event. If you do, at best, no one will understand what you are talking about. At worst, the organizers will think you are trying to take over the event. (Although it is a tradition for the Boston Red Sox to play a game before each marathon, they didn’t start doing it until 1903. It looks like you have created quite a stink, Leif. Tell em you lost your head there for a moment.)
4 If you go, do not ask about the lack of women participants. If you do, at best you’ll get a “What are you thinking?” look. At worst, the Boston Athletic Association will take you for a sufferage militant. (Those big Policemen over there, Lennon are just waiting for orders to clap you in irons. The first woman did not officially participate in the Boston marathon until 1972. Nina Kuscsik became the first official female participant to win the Boston Marathon in 1972.)
3 If you go, don’t mention running in a costume. If you do at best, you’ll get a laugh or two. At worst, you’ll be banned from the city. (The idea of running in costume did not become popular until Gary Fanelli did it as Elwood Blues, Dan Aykroyd’s character from The Blues Brothers, in 1981. Since he was successful, the idea caught on. Don’t try to tell the marathon organizers this fact, Ludwig. You may end up in a padded room.
2 If you go, do not ask the organizers if they allow bandits. If you do, at best, they will think you are talking about bandannas. At worst, someone will call the sheriff. (You know that bandits are unregistered runners that were tolerated, Lenny. Although not forbidden bandit runners have been discouraged since 2015. I think I would try an exit strategy since that sheriff’s deputy looks like he has no sense of humor at all.
1 If you go, do not wear your Hoka One One Carbon X running shoes and your Lululemon running suit. If you do, at best people will stare. At worst, someone will yell “Alien,” and your day is over. (A cardinal rule is to fit in, Langston. The running gear of the day should look like you are in your underwear and wearing combat boots. Yes, now that is more like it.)
Our walk in the neighborhood turned up evidence that we humans have a sense of caring for one another. An anonymous person or persons left messages of hope throughout the Hamilton Greenbelt. This is the first of two parts since there are too many photos for one post.
We have all been here before. As a reminder, here is the entrance to the Hamilton Greenbelt.
We immediately see the first message.
A lovely little water feature greats you.
Another message by the water feature. Yup, I’ll do that often.
In honor of the benefactors of the greenbelt. Thanks, indeed.
Another shot of my serene thinking place.
A group of rocks nearby.
With a message that may be more general than a specific day. Maybe the Earth has been reborn.
Another group of rocks.
With the answer to all our concerns.
Shine Brite is what we all need to do.
I think we all can use some hugs. Next week we will finish the tour. Thanks for coming along. Have a great week.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again, and here is Linda Hill with this week’s prompt. “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “practice/practise.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!”
“Its Friday, Lucy.” “It sure is beautiful Little One.” “I agree.”
Well, here we are on a Friday. It seems like it was yesterday (or maybe last year) that it was Friday. The days do take on some kind of similarity. Hmmm, maybe I better check to see if it is Friday. Yeah, it’s Friday for sure.
We got word from the landscaper that the new sod is going to be installed this weekend. If you notice in the photo above, you can see that the lawn is pretty sparse. We were supposed to have the sod replaced a month ago, but due to COVID-19, all construction around here was halted. (including landscaping) That restriction was lifted, and so our project moved forward. Of course, if we get rain, then there will be a delay. You just know it’s going to rain, right?
Our governor is trying to figure out how to open some businesses. As for me, I don’t trust that the virus is anywhere near contained, so I’m going to continue to practice safe living no matter what those guys in government intend to try. I saw a report where a bunch of folks in Michigan were demonstrating at the capital to open the state. They should talk to the Detroit ME, who is still trying to find places to house those who have succumbed to the virus. I think big mistakes are going to be made in this realm.
Today’s JohnKu talks about individual freedom. I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend.
“It’s day thirty.” “It’s Wednesday. You’ll feel better Friday. Little One”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we were left in Starbucks while Larry and Andrew were once again dodging lead. In the fit of battle, Andrew asks Larry if he’s okay, and we find out the guy with the shotgun went out the door. The bad news is the guy with the UZI is still there and firing away. Let’s get back so we can see if our pair is okay.
“How do you like that, you dirty copper?”
“Well, you missed. Did anyone ever tell you that you sound like James Cagney?”
“Most of the people I talk to don’t have time to say anything.”
“Ah, a hired killer. I should have known. You do know that you owe me for two 20 oz coffees.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll pay you in hell.”
“My goodness, are you sure you aren’t James Cagney? By the way, I’m asking you to put the UZI down and give yourself up.”
“Cut the chin music and prepare to meet your maker.”
“The movie Angels with Dirty Faces, right?”
“That’s it you’re toa—”
“Sorry, my man, but I just had to put an end to this disturbance. Oh, that is a nasty wound. Andrew, you okay?”
“I am. What about the other guy?”
“We better be careful. Call 9-1-1, and I’ll have a look. You stay down there with eh..I’m sorry I didn’t get your name.”
“Barista, Bob sir.”
“Okay, Bob. You just hang tight there on the floor, and I’ll be right back.”
“Your coffees are still okay if you want them.”
“Maybe later, son. Maybe later.”
“Pass one to me, Bob.”
“Okay, you two stay. I’m going over to the window to have a look. Hmmm.”
“Hmmm, good or hmmm bad?”
“I think the guy took off.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“You make the call?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Don’t get perturbed. With all that coffee discussion, I thought you forgot. Hey, Bob. You can get up.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Go somewhere else for that, Bob.”
“I mean, I’ve never seen anyone shot before.”
“I would suggest you sit down and take a few breaths.”
“I mean, right in the eye.”
“That will be fine, Bob. Here give me that coffee and go sit down.”
“I think I hear sirens, Larry.”
“Yeah. Here we go again. I can just bet the ADA will want to see us again.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure that is a good thing.”
“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.”
