“Is it still Wednesday, Dad?” “Yup.” “Lucy said it was Friday.” “She was pulling your leg.” “No, she said it. I think she was pulling my anticipation.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we watched as the options for grabbing Carolyn went out the window. It appears that the only option is to wait for Cortez’s team to contact someone. Pricilla believes it will be Lazar’s lawyer. Nothing is certain at this point. IN fact, we don’t even know if and when they will call. As a precaution, Stennis, the lawyer, will hang around for a while to see if a call will come in. I see everyone is hanging around the interrogation room waiting for a call. I guess we should go there and wait with them.
“This is driving me nuts.”
“I know Mr. Popović. I don’t think there is much else we can do. Hold on, I have a call coming in. I don’t recognize this number. Well, there is nothing to lose by answering. Yes, this is Thomas. Hello. Yeah okay. Speaker, it is. You are on speakerphone.”
“I’m only going to say this once, so listen up. We have Carolyn Popović. She will come to no harm if you release Lazar to us. If you don’t see this plan’s wisdom, you can inform Mr. Popović that he will need to do another plan. That will be for the memorial service.”
“Who are you?”
“Please, Ms. Thomas. Don’t make yourself look stupid in front of all those in the room. Also, do not interrupt me again. We will be communicating through you. You can expect a call within two hours, giving you precise instructions. Oh, please triangulate the location of this phone. By the time you figure out where this call is coming from, we will be long gone. Don’t try to call this number since it won’t exist in twenty seconds. That is all.”
“Wait. How is Carolyn? Hello? Hello. Damn, he’s gone.”
“Oh my god. They have my little girl. I don’t care. What happens to me. Do as they say. Let them have me. We have to save Carolyn.”
“Please settle down, Mr. Popović. The government has a standing policy against meeting the kidnapper’s demands. We need to get a plan together. Unfortunately, you will not be too useful. Lieutenant.”
“Yes.”
“Please take Mr. Popović back to the holding cell. Mr. Stennis, you are free to go.”
“Wait, Ms. Thomas.”
“What?”
“I can help, I’m sure. There must be a place where they have taken her that I know about. After all, there are Cortez’s men, and I used to work for him. Please let me stay and help.”
“My better judgment says no, but there is something in what you just said that makes sense.”
“Okay, you can stay. Larry and Andrew. I don’t see that this is something you need to be concerned with so you can beg off.”
“if you don’t mind, Andrew and I would like to stay and help.”
“We can use the help. Okay, you are signed on as well. Lieutenant, how about you?”
“At your service.”
“Mr. Stennis, you are excused.”
“Thank you, but I too wish to help.”
“All the same, I think we have a working group, and your client will be in good hands.”
“Very well. If that is your desire.”
“It is.”
“Okay, Lazar. Remember what I said about saying anything.”
“I remember. All I want to do is get my daughter away from those animals.”
“Alright, then. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye. Lieutenant, would you please escort Mr. Stennis to the front door.”
“My pleasure. Follow me, sir.”
“Everyone, hold on until the lieutenant returns.”
“What’s the problem ?”
“Just wait.”
“Okay, Ms. Thomas, Stennis is out the front door.”
“Riddle me this all of you. How did Cortez’s group know my number?”
“Is it unlisted?”
“Yes, of course. Also, how did they know there were other folks in the room?”
“Now that you ask, it is an excellent question. We have a mole.”
in Keith’s words. “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.”
Normally I would be doing a post on a historical event but this week was pretty slow in the History department. (Sorry, Susannah and Andrew) It just so happens that today is National Spaghetti Day. So I thought it would be fun to lay out some things not to do in celebration of spaghetti day.
Top Ten things Not to Do on Spaghetti Day
10 If you celebrate, do not wear white. If you do, at best, the sauce will be alfredo. At worse, you will be served a big bowl of sausage and basil. (good move, Martyn. You now look like the subject in a Lizzy Bordon reenactment.)
9 If you celebrate, do not reach for Tiny the WWF champ’s bowl of spaghetti. If you do, at best, have a $20 bill handy. At worst, Tiny, who has skipped several group sessions on his food aggression treatment plan, will grab your arm. (Looks like Tiny wants to separate you from the bowl, Malcolm. I think to drop it while your hand still works is good advice.)
8 If you celebrate, do not try to substitute Bucatini for spaghetti. If you do, at best, no one will see you make the switch. At worst, you’ll be having dinner with Guido Barilla. (You must understand, Marston. Guido is the president of Barilla pasta and does not take kindly to anyone fooling with his spaghetti. Looks like he has called his friend with the big car to take you home. Maybe.)
7 If you celebrate, do not toss your spaghetti against the wall to test for doneness. If you do, at best, you are in your own house. At worse, you are visiting your in-law’s new house. (I guess it goes without saying, Macauley, that the idea of spaghetti on the wall of a new house won’t be well received. I see your father in law going to his gun safe. That can’t be good.)
6 If you celebrate, do not try to twirl your spaghetti on a fork if you don’t know how. If you do, at best, you will be able to fit it in your mouth. At worst, you will be faced with a twirl the size of your head. (Now, what are you going to do, Maverick. You can’t fit it in your mouth, and there is no way to untwirl it. Might want to see if anyone wants to play basketball.)
5 If you celebrate, Do not think el dente means raw. If you do, at best, no one will show up for your meal. At worst, your guests all decide to go to the spaghetti house for dinner. (Seems a shame they all left you, Miska. That advice to read the box cooking directions was especially hurtful. )
4 If you celebrate, do not try to serve Five-Way Chili as an authentic spaghetti original. If you do, at best, there will be no spaghetti experts at the meal. At worse, you have invited Bobby Flay to dinner. (So what are you going to do now, Mace? Bobby keeps looking at his bowl of chili over spaghetti as if there should be more. I think carry out might be the best option.)
3 If you celebrate, do not try a new goat sweetbread pasta recipe. If you do, at best, your guests love sweetbreads. At worst, all your guests have to leave early. (The sad part, Mikhael, is your guests are all together in the ER. I don’t think you should join them for an after-dinner drink. It is ipecak all around)
2 If you celebrate, do not try to serve spaghetti for dessert. If you do, at best, you make it sweet. At worse, you’ll serve up your garlic special. (If your guests haven’t left by now, Mablevi. This concoction of spaghetti and garlic will drive them from the room. No, that chocolate sauce just makes it worse.)
1 If you celebrate, do not make funny animal pictures on everyone’s plate out of the spaghetti. If you do, at best, the sauce will cover them. At worst, your guests will slowly get the feeling that they should leave. (Funny thing about adults, Macbeth. Not many like having their food manipulated into characters. It’s that uncomfortable feeling about not knowing where your hands have been. Oh yes, and that spaghetti giraffe is positively creepy.)
It is a pretty slow week in Lakeway, so I decided to get the bus ready and prepare a spread and have a picnic in the park. No moaning. I have prepared roasted chicken served with fingerling potato salad, chilled asparagus, hollandaise sauce, and charro beans to get you in the mood. For dessert, we are serving assorted napoleon pastries and homemade apple crisp. We have top-shelf drinks and Aubert Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV Vineyard 2018 for the red and Kistler Chardonnay Russian River Valley Vine Hill Vineyard 2017 for the white. Today’s entertainment guest is Mary Hopkin.
So let’s get on the bus and be off.
Whoa. Stop the bus. Look at the buck just standing by the road.
Well, we can tell we are here. Everybody needs a mask.
In case you wonder how far is six feet.
Here we are by the lake. It will take a moment to set up the tent, lights, and sound system. So let’s all get off and take a stroll.
Looks like plenty of room for volleyball.
Getting closer to the lake, we can see an artist hard at work. A reminder not to dive off the cliff. Yeah, who would do that?
Here is another artist. Looks like a good day to paint.
There is the bandstand where mary Hopkin will perform.
Have a nice jungle Jim for those who are interested.
So make yourself at home. The drinks and food are ready, and Mary’s ready to sing. I hope you all have a great week, and thanks for coming to our picnic.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. If you would like to join this group, visit Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link.
My goodness, Linda Hill, fresh from New Year’s Eve, is here. She is carrying a big envelope, which I assume is the prompt for this week.
“You are right, john. Happy New Year, and here it is.”
“Thanks, Linda. Can I open it?”
“How else are you going to know the prompt?”
“Well, at Christmas, I lost out on a Bentley Convertable.”
“But the note said do not open. There is no note this year.”
“I still feel like I’m in the corner, though.”
“Go ahead, open it.”
“Okay. I’ll read it out loud.”
“Don’t make any mistakes.”
“Gee, whiz. You know how to put someone further in the Corner.”
“My job. Read it.”
“Ahem. Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ‘in the corner.’ Write about whatever the image or thought of ‘in the corner’ brings to mind. Have fun!”
“Would you look at that.”
“I didn’t need an image I had you.”
“There you go. Well, my job is done here. Have a good week.”
“Happy New Year, Twiggy.” “Gee Lucy. It doesn’t seem much different out here.” “But it is a New Year.” “That’s true. Happy New Year, Lucy.”
Well, here it is at last. The new year with all the hope that the crap from 2020 has been wrung out of our collective crying towel.
Yeah, it feels good to have a new slate. We have to remember that change is not a matter of flipping the calendar. It will take time to ease into what I hope will be the NEW NORMAL. You know where we can all move around without fear. Where we stop calling each other names. Where the radical left and right just go away. Where world peace becomes a priority. Where we can think and plan on the future. Where Congress pulls its collective head out of the place where the sun don’t shine. Where people are viewed as individuals and not generalities. Where opportunity is available to all, who are willing to invest to reach their dreams.
Well, it’s a tall bit of expectation for the new normal. If you share the ideal, I hope you will work to make it happen. Happy New Year
Today’s JohnKu talks about the new year. I hope you all have a great weekend.
“So why are you sitting on a mat by the Christmas tree?” “Trying to figure out how to get in there. The mat was just here.” “Getting in there is not going to happen soon.” “Soon is not forever.”
It is Wednesday Story Day, and last week, we found out Andre was killed by having his throat cut. As a few of you pointed out, there should be enough blood on the participants to raise suspicions. Let’s hope that is the case. Pricilla puts some stock in the idea that Carolyn could turn on her phone and then be tracked. If so, that would be a direct lift of the most obvious trope on the planet. No, my friends, I think we are stuck till something breaks. Pricilla went to make a call last week, and now she is back. Let’s go and see if anything has come up.
“Before you go, Mr. Stannis, you should be aware that I talked to my contact, and it appears there was another body found in the train station.”
“What? Who was it?”
“So far, it is a John Doe, but we think it is the kid who was in the back seat. His hands and arms are covered with blood, and he took one shot to the head.”
“Oh, my God. These guys are not fooling around.”
“Yeah, it looks like the kid killed Andre and then was disposed of before anyone could grab him. He was found on the tracks under one of the train cars. He didn’t make it into the terminal.”
“He was shot, you say?”
“Yes. Real professional. So far, no one knows anything or saw anything.”
“Makes you wonder why the French didn’t lock down the station.”
“Yeah, Larry. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Too late for that now.”
“How about cameras. Any surveillance available?”
“Yes. Everyone who goes through passport control is photographed.”
“Well, maybe something will turn up there.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. If these guys could shoot and hide a body, it would be a no-brainer for them to stow Carolyn away somewhere in their vehicle.”
“You know they had a vehicle.”
“Well, no. It doesn’t make sense that they would be on foot-dragging a resisting victim.”
“Why didn’t the French check every vehicle leaving?”
“Another good question. They had decided to let all the cars that were in front of the blue Mercedes leave to minimize any colleterial injuries. My guess is Carolyn and her abductors were in one of the first cars to leave. The Mercedes did not move, and only after the agents saw the problem were all the other cars searched. “
“So, Carolyn and Cortez’s men are probably gone from the terminal.”
“My guess? Yes.”
“Now what?”
“I think we have to wait to hear from Cortez’s people.”
“Who are they going to call?”
“Again, I’m guessing, but I think Mr. Stennis here.”
“Me? Why would they call me?”
“With Mr. Popović in jail, I think they are smart enough to know he won’t have a phone.”
“How do they know I’m his lawyer?”
“You’ve represented him in the past, right?”
“Yes.”
“They know. You said you were going to leave. I think you should hang around to see if they call.”
“That fast? You think they will work that fast?”
“It could go either way. They might want to let Lazar know they have Carolyn and to keep his mouth shut.”
“Or?”
“They already know we are on to them and will want us to sweat a while. If we don’t hear pretty quick, you can go.”
Since Keith Channing is on a break, I thought it would be fun to make another finger point prompt. Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop and eyes wide shut pointed to a page. The word that was closest to my finger was “compliment.” That is the prompt for today.
