“What are you doing?” “The grass itch only on the rug.” “Woo boy. Does Mom know about this?” “Hump Day secret.” “I’ll bet”
It is Wednesday Story Day, and last week, we learned that Carolyn is probably headed for the Chunnel to go into France. We also learned that she has papers for at least six identities, so the idea of intercepting her before the trip to France looks doubtful. Lazar did not tell anyone about Carolyn’s ability to virtually disappear does not sit well with Pricilla. In all likelihood, if Carolyn is not in protective custody, Lazar won’t testify against Cortez, and Pricilla won’t have a case. So Lazar is destined for prison unless something can be done. Let’s return to the State Patrol headquarters to see what the next steps will be.
“You realize there is no way we can protect Carolyn if we can’t find her.”
“I do understand that. I also understand Cortez won’t be able to find her either.”
“So would you be willing to testify against him?”
“No. Sorry. You see, I have all the cards. My daughter is safe, and the only thing I have to do is serve the rest of my life in jail.”
“You want to do that?”
“It’s not a matter of want. It’s what I have to do. Even if you were able to find Carolyn and put her into protective custody, there is no guarantee Cortez or his minions won’t find us.”
“Nothing is ever one-hundred percent, Lazar.”
“Not testifying and Carolyn hidden gets me real close to that target, Pricilla.”
“You realize that Cortez can still get to you in prison.”
“Yes, but that is a small price to pay. Besides, why would Cortez want to get me if I’ve kept his information secure.”
“Maybe he won’t believe that you have.”
“Well, no matter. Carolyn will be safe, and that’s all that matters.”
“Lazar.”
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“You know a guy named Somner?”
“W-why do you ask?”
“We got a call about a disturbance, and when our people got there, they found Somner tied up and beaten to a pulp.”
“Why are you asking me?”
“He kept mumbling your name. You want to let us in on this game before someone gets hurt?”
“Did he say anything else?”
“No, he was in too bad a shape. I think he was interrogated by someone.”
“I can just imagine.”
“So, who is this guy?”
“He is a forger and made all the IDs for Carolyn.”
“Well, that’s not good.”
“You have no idea, Lieutenant. If he gave Cortez’ men the names on the IDs, they would be able to find her.”
“That raises the stakes again, Lazar.”
“I know Pricilla. I know. I guess we will have to try and find her after all.”
“If you fully co-operate and knock off the stories, maybe we can do that.”
“You have my word Pricilla no more stories.”
“Call me, Ms. Thomas. The first name crap is over.”
“On to this week’s challenge: 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 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.”
Welcome to the third edition of the neighborhood tour of Halloween decorations. Today we have hickory smoked ham, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and pecan sticky buns. The drink today is Veuve Clicquot champagne served in Baccarat flutes. I have also been asked what kind of accommodations are on the bus. We have leather reclining chairs, personal entertainment centers, a full kitchen, a full bar, A Bose Soundsystem, 300 G internet, WiFi, and restroom facilities. The bus is equipped with air suspension and can run on multi-fuel as well as full electric.
Hop aboard. We also have ZZ Top playing for our enjoyment.
Here we are with a couple of pirates. Looks like the one is getting ready to do something.
Here we have an elaborate display. Spiders on the house and Tombstones in the yard. (Not to mention the string of skulls on the wall.)
A couple of friendly ghouls.
Several things that are scattered in the yard. That big skull to the left is my favorite.
Nothing like a big orange spider and big web to welcome visitors.
More tombstones and an assortment of ghosts with a purple spider on the mailbox.
A dancing ring of ghosts and a masked ex Wal-Mart greeter.
Here are a few keep out signs. (They must know me)
A big pile of who knows what.
So that’s what it is. (Um, not sure I know any more than I did.)
That is our tour for today. I hope you enjoyed it. Stay and have some more champagne and listen to the music. I hope you have a great week.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. Linda Hill just walked in with a plain-looking envelope. My guess is she has this week’s prompt and doesn’t want the neighbors to know what’s in it.
“Hi, Linda.”
“John.”
“This week’s prompt?”
“Um, I guess it could be a hot pastrami sandwich, but you have guessed right.”
“I’m ready.”
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “a word you have to look up.” We all have words we can never spell. Use one of yours in your post and let that word drive your stream of consciousness where ever it goes. Have fun!”
“Lucy. You going to snooze all day? “Murf, snozzle, sniggle, snort. What?” “It’s Friday. Time to ruckus.”
So nice to see Friday roll around again. I hope you are glad to see it too. It has been a pretty slow week around here. My big excitement was a virtual doctor visit and run to the local CVS drive-through. I mean, come on? How could life get any more exciting?
The doctor visit is necessary since I needed some prescriptions refilled, and my doctor is the kind of person who wants to check to see if they are still needed. I admire his dedication, but I don’t think I’m on anything that could even remotely be a candidate for abuse. Anyway, the virtual appointment included me taking my blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, weight, and temperature. These go via the virtual app to the doctor’s office. We meet in a zoom like setting. I’m happy I don’t have to go into his office. No telling what you could catch there.
Another piece of excitement happened this week. You may remember the blog A Frank Angle which, after more years than I can count, had a dignified and touching ending. Well, Frank is back, and beginning October 20th, he will be generating high-quality thoughts that have originated on the beach. His blog is titled Beach Walk Reflections. Here is the link.
Welcome to Beach Walk Reflections. I’m Frank in Cincinnati, Ohio USA. From Aug 2008-Feb 2020, I hosted an eclectic blog, A Frank Angle. After a break, I’ve decided to return to blogging, but differently.
The roots for Beach Walk Reflections dates back to A Frank Angle. My aim here is to share my thoughts hoping to stimulate your thoughts. I also hope that you will be an active participant here by following, reading, commenting, interacting with others, and by submitting your ideas for future walks.
My wife and I walk a lot during our winter as snowbirds in the south – something we’ve done since 2017. Our southern getaway can be cold, then again, no matter how cold the temperature gets on the beach, it is always warmer than home.
Topics for beach walks will be wide-ranging. The first 20+ will directly relate to the beach, but after that, topics will vary. I invite visitors to visit the Topics pages for a list of topics that are either published, currently in the queue, or a draft stage. I also have an offline list of ideas. I hope to link the published topics on the Topics page. There is also an email form for readers to submit ideas for future walks.
Each walk will conclude with a music video. The video will either be based on the walk’s theme or or it will fit based on its title, lyrics, images, or simply mood.
The current posting schedule is Tuesdays (1:00 AM US Eastern) and Saturdays (1:00 AM US Eastern). In time, I may publish more posts per week.
I hope you enjoy the experience of Beach Walk Reflections.”
A visit with Frank is always rewarding and to follow him very necessary.
“Outa my way, Lucy. I’m on a mission.” “It’s Wednesday. Little One, and I have no intention of moving.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we discovered Carolyn had left her dorm, and the two agents who were there to collect her had no idea where she went. We also learned that she has turned off her phone. The question was raised about the possibility of her throwing her phone away. It is doubtful that a college kid would dump her phone. So, let’s get back to the State Trooper center and see if there is any new information.
“So, lazar.”
“Yes, Priscilla?”
“I just got off the phone with my FBI contact.”
“Good news, I hope.”
“Well, it’s not bad news anyway.”
“So, what’s going on?”
“Carolyn turned on her phone for enough time to get a fix on where she is. It looks like she is going to be taking a trip through the chunnel. Her location is on highway M20 near Maidstone.”
“What makes you think she is going to take the Chunnel?”
“There isn’t really a reason to be on M20 unless the Chunnel entrance at Folkestone is the destination. There is the Surry Hills area where she could hide out for sure, but she is already past there when we got a ping from her phone.”
“Did she hire a driver?”
“We don’t know. We are contacting several cab companies, but that is a shot in the dark.”
“Can’t someone intercept her?”
“Right now, the best thing to do is wait until she gets to the Chunnel site. We can do some screening of anyone who is thinking of taking public transportation to France.”
“She can’t walk it, can she?”
“It‘s not allowed. There have been people trying to enter France illegally who have walked the distance but were always arrested at the other end.”
“So, how will she go through?”
“If she hired a car, there are trains that will take cars across. If she does that, there is a passport checkpoint before getting loaded on the train.”
“You sound a little unsure.”
“There are also Ferries across the channel.”
“So, she has two ways to go.”
“Yes. There is also a passport checkpoint for the ferry, so either way, we will probably intercept her. We have notified the authorities, and if she shows up at a checkpoint, she will be detained.”
“Unless.”
Unless what?”
“Unless she has a way to get false papers.”
“What makes you think she has a way to get false papers?”
“Um.”
“Come on, Lazar. Level with me.”
“Since I was working for Cortez, I wanted to make sure Carolyn would be safe no matter what happened. I knew Cortez could somehow use her to get to me. Several years ago, I had some passports and visas made.”
“Forged, you mean?”
“Yes, to use the legal term. I gave her a set with instructions to use them if I got into any trouble.”
“She didn’t question you?”
“Oh sure, but I told her it was government business, and it was for her protection. She has six sets.”
“Six sets? What names are on these sets.”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“They were delivered to her without me knowing. I wanted to make sure that no matter what Cortez did to me, I would never release Carolyn’s identity.”
“Do you know the countries?”
“Not sure, but you can guess.”
“Guess?”
“Sure, US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain.”
“you know or guessing?”
“Just guessing.”
“Well, this is just great. Why didn’t you tell us this before?”
“I didn’t know she was going to run.”
“Yeah, but it would have been helpful to know she could disappear at will.”
“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 6 pm 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 69th anniversary of the first ‘I Love Lucy’ show on CBS television. This post was inspired by fellow blogger, author, and history buff Susannah.
The Olds from Eternal Road. There are only a few days left at 99¢ on Amazon. Click the car to go there. Come right back, though.
We cannot miss the first show, so let’s get in James 56 Olds and go there. So that we don’t cause a tear in the time continuum, grab the list of Top Ten Things Not to Do.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at the First ‘I Love Lucy’ Show in 1951
10 If you go with us, do not say out loud, “Lucy, you’ve got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.” If you do, at best, you will be ignored. At worst, the director will take you out back. (You see, Maxence, those words were never said by Ricky. He may have used ‘splain in another context but never that line. Now the director wants you to take a hike. No, he’s not going to film you.)
9 If you go with us, do not ask Tiny, the WWF champ, why he’s not playing Fred Mertz. If you do, at best, Tiny will be distracted by the catered lunch. At worst, Tiny, who paid $50,000 for acting lessons and tried out for the part, will think you are mocking him. (Tiny did not get the part, Maxime because the director thought he was too menacing. She gave him the part of the night janitor instead. Not on screen but the actual night janitor. Oh yeah, here’s a message from Tiny. He wants to see you outside.)
8 If you go with us, do not bet anyone; the show will close after one performance. If you do, at best, you’ll only bet a dollar. At worse, you put up the Olds title. (Well, Maxton, this could have been not good if we hung around for another week. The “I Love Lucy’ show went on for six seasons with 181 episodes. Since you put the Olds up as collateral, it is a good thing we can leave before the bet is decided. Go warm it up since we only have six more things to cover, then we are outa here.)
7 If you go with us, do not make comments on how the show is filmed or the cast. If you do, at best, the pre-production noise will drown you out. At worst, cinematographer Karl Freund will hear you. (You now have Karl’s attention, Mayhew. He was the first to film a TV show in 35mm film with multiple cameras that moved. Freund also invented the flat lighting techniques used for filming TV shows. This technique eliminated shadows on the set. He thinks you are critical of the way he is doing things. He has a way to gain satisfaction, though. His second will be calling on you in the morning. You have experience in fencing, right?)
6 If you go with us, do not discuss the future success of the show. If you do, at best, everyone will be working and not hear you. At worst, the numbers you quote will probably cause all the actors to freeze. (After all, Maynor knowing the show would get five Emmys and have 40 million viewers in syndication would scare anybody. It looks like Ms. Ball wants a word with you, and she doesn’t look happy.)
5 If you go with us, do not point out that William Frawley and Vivan Vance do not speak to each other off-camera. If you do, at best, you will be ignored. At worst, the director will think you are from the media. (It is well known around the studio that the two do not get along, Medus. The director wants to make sure you are not going to write about it. I think he will let you out of this closet if you double dog guarantee you are not a journalist.)
4 If you go with us, do not wear your anti-tobacco t-shirt to the production. If you do, at best, it can be covered with a coat. At worst, the executive from Phillip Morris, the sponsor of the show, will spot you. (In the early days of television, Medus, the sponsors of shows often dictated content and frequency. Phillip Morris insisted the show be weekly instead of every other week, and Lucy and Desi desired. It looks like two huge guys are headed your way.)
3 If you go with us, do not suggest doing the show without an audience. If you do, at best. Lucille will not hear you. At worst, Lucille will think you are a TV critic. ( It was Lucille’s idea to use a live audience instead of canned laughter, Medwyn. She wanted the show’s spontaneous reaction to come through. She is now telling Tiny to help you out. Tell him where you came in, quick. Otherwise, he might not be fussy about using a door.)
2 If you go with us, do not mention re-run in front of Desi. If you do, at best, he will be talking to the director and miss what you say. At worse, he will think you are an industry spy. (Here’s the deal, Mehrdad. After the first year of the show, Lucy became pregnant and could not keep up with the weekly schedule. Since the show was shot in 35 mm film, Desi decided to air previous episodes from the first year to give lucy a break. The audience loved it and so the re-run was born. Desi set up the first syndicated re-run system which is still used today. BTW Desi wants to talk.)
1 If you go with us, do not suggest that ‘I Love Lucy’ become a radio show as well as television. If you do, at best everyone will think you are joking. At worse, someone will take you up on it ( A show was produced, Meinke. It was a compilation of the audio part of “Breaking the Lease” episode of the TV show. It never aired since Phillip Morris decided to sponsor “My Little Margie” instead.)
If you would like to hear some of the show here is a link for 8 minutes of it.
Today we are taking another tour of the neighborhood in search of Halloween decorations. I know you may be getting tired of them. Trust me; there are some unusual ones.
So get on the bus. Today we are serving Mai Tai’s or Mimosas in quart jars with fresh fruit; Omelets made to order, Belgium waffles, and candied bacon. For our entertainment, we have Bon Jovi and Sugarland.
Here we have a large spider who has obviously taken over this bush. No, I’m not going up there.
Here is something out of Craig Boyack’s imagination. I don’t think I’m going to bother their mailbox.
Two ghosts as far apart as they can get. It might be a domestic dispute problem.
Here is a friendly spirit. I think he can keep his Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
This poor guy has been chased up a mailbox tower by an undead dog. I think he would be wise to let the dog have the hat.
Here is what happens around Halloween if you leave your car parked in one spot for too long.
Another shot of the rear of the car parked too long.
A happy couple who have just finished their swim.
Someone cautious about wearing a helmet while riding their bike. Too bad the car was so big and heavy.
It seems that bullies come in all shapes and sizes. We need to report this guy.
A couple of pals hanging out with a giant.
I hope you enjoyed the tour. You can hang out a while and listen to music. I hope you have a great week.
