Wanting something different instead of the usual two cups of coffee, the flat white button looks appealing. No wait. Maybe a cappuccino. How about a latte or really go big with a latte macchiato? The red blinking light behind the eyeballs tells me to make a quick decision. An espresso is the choice for its mainline attribute. One sip and all the warning buzzers and anvil pounding cease. They are replaced with the Westminster chimes of the doorbell and the ear drum-shredding cacophony of the two protectors of the manse.
A quick toss of a beef bone into the soundproof room and a slam of the door brings back the joy of silence. The security monitor shows a skunk resembling Pepe Le Pew on the porch. As usual, the call is made through the intercom regarding the nature of the skunk’s visit. It is determined that an envelope awaits a signature. My mind questions how to handle a skunk delivery person, and why would anyone use a skunk for that purpose?
With a sigh, the security system needs to be shut down.
The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the security system’s shutdown process. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.
The skunk hands me the envelope and the clipboard. While holding my breath, the transaction is complete. No time to even consider a tip since my air supply has run out, and the blue alarm flashing in my brain signals little time before passing out. A slam of the door, a huge exhale, and a massive inhale restore the hemostats.
The envelope has a message from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “usual.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link https://lindaghill.com/2025/12/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-13-2025/
Usual by John W. Howell © 2025
“Well, that was pretty usual.”
“Sounds like a review.”
“Well, it seems you could juice that preamble up a bit.”
“Tell me how.”
“Dump the security shutdown and maybe add in a different way to present Linda Hill’s prompt.”
“*crickets*”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You just cut the heart out of the preamble. Besides, there are a few who get a kick out of the shutdown, like Tom and our late pal Dan.”
“Okay, okay, how about the visitor?”
“What about the visitor?”
“What about the visitor?”
“You have some cartoon character show up.”
“Folks like to remember those characters.”
“But you don’t talk to them.”
“I know just the memory is enough. Tell you what.”
“What?”
“We could let the VooDoo bit go.”
“Are you crazy. Let’s just leave everything as usual.”
“Uber?”
“Over there.”
“That looks like an International Harvester pick-up from the 50s.”
“It is a beauty.”
“Room for the three of us.”
“Yup. One thing, though.”
“Talk about usual.”
“We have to pick up a car on the way to the pub.”
“Then what?”
“Well…we have to fix it.”
“Do you know anything about fixing cars?”
“No, do you?”
“This is another fine kettle of fish you have gotten us into.”
“It’ll be okay.”
“Here’s what we are going to do. The guy picks up the car. We drive to the pub in the car and fix it there.”
“Great idea. Then if we can’t fix it, at least we will be at the pub.”
“Let’s go.”
