“OMG, Twiggy. What are you looking for now?” “Got my eye out for Friday.” “It’s Wednesday. You have a long wait.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again and last week we were relieved that Andrew, Larry, and Jerry were able to convince the police that they were legit. It looks like they had to clear out of Jerry’s apartment, so they all went to Larry’s room at the hotel for a little conversation.
“I hope Wentworth didn’t see us come in.”
“I don’t think he did. We will get to him next after Jerry here tells us what he knows.”
“You are talking like I’m not here.”
“Oh, yes, you are here, all right. Andrew and I want to know everything so let’s get to it.”
“Where do you want to start?”
“Let’s start with Wentworth. Why did he want you to keep your mouth closed and why make up a story about Mrs. Rafferty and Charles Jenkins?
“Well, the answer to the first is Wentworth knows something about what Mrs. Rafferty was up to.”
“How do you know that?”
“I mentioned a big tip and he immediately told me not to discuss Mrs. Rafferty again.”
“That’s all?”
“No. When Mr. Rafferty was found dead, Wentworth became unglued and warned me not to mention that Mrs. Rafferty was in the hotel at the time.”
“Why do you suppose he did that?”
“You know Wentworth is Cortez’s son in law, don’t you?”
“No, I did not know that. So what?”
“You didn’t hear it from me.”
“Yeah sure. Go ahead.”
“Cortez and Rafferty got into it one night and Wentworth was there. Cortez told Rafferty that, he’d better, and I quote, ‘Cut the Shit, or something bad’s going to happen.”’
“How do you know this?”
“I was serving drinks in the suite where they were meeting.”
“They let you out of the room alive?”
“Oh yeah. Tip me enough and your secrets are safe.”
“So, Wentworth was concerned that you overheard.”
“He made a special point to tell me to forget everything I heard.”
“Okay, why the lie implicating Charles?”
“I lost my head. Let’s just say I’m not proud of that story.”
“So, as far as you know, Charles has nothing to do with all this.”
“As far as I know.”
“Why did Mrs. Rafferty give you a big tip.”
“I’m not sure. I did see someone come out of her room that morning I brought her breakfast.”
“She must have known you did.”
“Yeah. Couldn’t have been more than twenty seconds after the guy left, and I knocked on the door.”
“Could you identify the guy?”
“I could try. He moved pretty fast, though.”
“Okay, Jerry, you’ve been helpful. Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“Where can we take you.”
“I’m here. I need to go to work.”
“Let’s keep this morning between us, okay?”
“Believe me, I don’t need Wentworth knowing any information came from me.”
“Okay, then. If you think of anything here’s my card. Just give me a call.”
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.”
The inspiration for this post was an interview with Jill Weatherholt last Friday, where I admitted to being banned from the grocery store. This gave rise in the comment section an idea by Jill that I detail in a Top Ten post what not to do if one is asked to go shopping. I agreed only to discover I had done one similar in July of 2015. So, I gave that one a revision, and here it is.
Ten Things Not to Do If You are Asked to Go to the Grocery Store
10 If you are asked to shop, do not buy anything that is not on the list. If you do, at best, you will be making a return trip for the returns. At worst, you will need to attend a special class on the principle of wasting money. (Nice job, Jerren. All those necessities determined by you are now waiting with you in line while that person ahead of you pays their water bill in pennies.)
9 If you are asked to shop, do not think you are empowered to make substitutions of items on the list. If you do, at best, your substitutions will be a welcome change. At worst, you will have selected a form of something that just doesn’t make sense. (Just when do pork rinds take the place of saltines, Jasen. The fact that you like them better will not help you.)
8 If you are asked to shop, do not fail to turn in the coupons. If you do, at best you will be allowed back in the house. At worst, you and the coupons will be making another trip to the store for a refund as well as attending that special class on listening and memory enhancement. (So, you had the coupons in your pocket, Javan. We all know the out of sight out of mind principle, but you would think the risk of life might offset it)
7 If you are asked to shop, do not go to a different store without permission. If you do, at best, some of the items will be unavailable. At worst, there will be a big difference in the prices, and your bill will be above the all-time high ever for the same items ( That will not be a good thing, Jayce. It’s going to be a long time till the $8.00 a pound grapes are forgotten.)
6 If you are asked to shop, do not think you can ignore the recyclable bags just this once. If you do, at best, you will be able to stuff the plastic into the trash without being caught. At worst, you will be subjected to another long class dealing with the evils of the plastic bag and its effect on the environment. (You have to remember, Jaye. Those cloth bags were an investment in the children’s futures. What is wrong with you? Don’t you care about the future?)
5 If you are asked to shop, do not think your newness will excuse you from checking out in the express lane when clearly you have more than the required items. If you do, at best, a few people will glower and may even say something. At worst, the manager will call your spouse and request a lifting of your shopping privileges. (Imagine the humiliation, Jayron. This one is not going to go away. It has the half-life of a thousand years.)
4 If you asked to shop do not think, you can pack bags like the store personnel. If you do, at best you will have overstuffed bags. At worst, you might have several bags break in the parking lot, creating a puddle of mayonnaise paired with orange juice, pickles, and Black Butte Porter. (No, Jayvee. You cannot go back into the store and ask for a refund. You bought it, you own it.)
3 If you are asked to shop, do not go to the store hungry. If you do at best, you will only buy one or two extra things. At worst, you will have to explain the extra bags of groceries, including what will look like a year’s supply of beef jerky. (I have to admit, Jazmina the beef jerky did look good. That hickory-smoked variety looked especially delicious. No, I don’t want to buy it from you.)
2 If you are asked to shop, do not take Tiny the WWF champ with you. If you do, at best you will have unexplained extra stuff in your order. At worst, Tiny will insist you host a poker game this week, and require you to buy all the snacks and beer. (Explaining what happened, Jedi might be a best selling novel. Also telling Tiny no, especially after he has skipped his self-image group session might get you a free helicopter ride.)
1 If you are asked to shop, do not offer to take the kids with you. If you do, at best, you will learn the meaning of the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished.” At worst, you will have forgotten half the items on the list in addition to buying several impulsive things that the kids will be forbidden to eat. (That big box of chocolate marshmallow Trix might be difficult to explain, Jedrik. I certainly hope you enjoy it.)
StoryWalk® is an innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the tr,ail, you’re directed to the next page in the story.
StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 12 countries including, Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea! They are always received with appreciation.
StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT
and has developed with the help of Rachel Senechal,
Kellogg-Hubbard Library.®
Lakeway has installed a StoryWalk® installation near the activity center where the Holiday light walk was during the holidays.
There is a sign pointing the way to the walk.
A sign to tell you to follow the path.
The title of the book is I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichenheld. It is a delightful book. Due to constraints on photo memory, I won’t picture each page, but if you are interested, there is a video at the end.
I wish you more ups than downs.
I wish you more tippy-toes than deep.
I wish you more hugs than ughs.
Here is a resting place.
An overall view of the trail beginning to give you an idea of the setup. I hope you enjoyed the little walk. The full story follows. Thank you
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again and this week’s prompt needs an explanation by Linda Hill. Here are her words “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “(un)pack.” Use “pack” or its opposite in your post. Have fun!” If you would like to join the merriment go to Linda’s blog and read how. It is very easy. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2020/02/07/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-8-2020/
I am so pleased to be a guest on Jill Weatherholt’s blog today. She has a feature titled “Would You Rather.” The guest needs to choose between two challenging options and then explain the reasons. I had a fun time with my answers. Here is the link.
Jill writes for Harlequin Love Inspired and is working hard on her next release.
Jill’s bio
My name is Jill Weatherholt and I’m a writer. I have a full-time day job, but at night and on the weekend, I pursue my passion for writing. I write contemporary stories about love, friendship, and forgiveness. I started this blog as a way to share my journey toward publication and to create a community for other new writers and artists.
Raised in the suburbs of the Washington, DC area, I’ve lived in Charlotte, North Carolina since 2004, but my heart remains in Virginia. I hold a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and a Certification in Paralegal Studies from Duke University.
“Dad will you please tell Twiggy it is Friday.” “It’s Friday, Twiggy.” “I think Mom should weigh in.”
Well, the week is almost over. Eight more hours, and it will be weekend eve.
Quite a week, actually. The Superbowl was an excellent game. For one who had no allegiance to either team, I certainly found the game better than the commercials. That last nine minutes was almost classic in its come from behind drama. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me just say there was some exceptional teamwork displayed that allowed the losing team (Kansas City) to pass the leading organization (San Francisco) to win the game.
The Iowa Democratic caucus blew up with a new, untested app. It amazes me that no one thought to really test this app in live conditions. The voters and volunteers who worked hard on the campaigns were the losers in this fiasco. Of course, a couple of candidates said they won. The usual conspiracy theorists were also out in force, blaming everyone except maybe the Russians for the mess.
We had the State of the Union address with all the usual manure piles being thrown around. A lot of immature children were without supervision that night, and it is clear party politics will continue to throttle progress.
This week also saw Donald Trump acquitted of the two impeachment charges brought by the house. My summary of the whole thing is a partisan move by the house was offset by a partisan move by the Senate for a sum zero gain at a pretty healthy cost. Of course, the vitriol remans. I was shocked to read one blogger wish the Coronavirus on the Senate leadership and the President. Another thought payback against Democrats would be a good thing. Come on, folks. Don’t match the juvenile behavior in Washington with the same out here in real life.
It is really time for Americans to come together more than ever. Hatred should live elsewhere and not in our own town.
Today’s JohnKu talks about hatred. I hope you all have a great weekend.
“And so after a hard day at the couch, the canines decide that a proper Hump Day celebration is another nap.” “Huh? Who said that, Lucy?” “The narrator. Pay no attention Little One.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we witnessed the arrival of Lake Tahoe’s finest. Yes, once again, Larry and Andrew are under suspicion of breaking the law. Jerry Foster is standing around, waiting to see what will happen. I know the officer has returned from contacting his dispatch to check on Larry and Andrew’s background. Let’s get there to be witness to the good news or bad.
“Okay, detective. Looks like you are well known to the department here. I’ve been instructed to give you whatever assistance you need.”
“I appreciate that, officer … uh does your nametag say, Fife?”
“I’ve heard them all, detective, so don’t even go there.”
“Well, Andrew and I appreciate the offer, but we think we have this. We just need to get back to the Hyatt and ask Wentworth a few questions. Also, we need to take Jerry here with us.”
“Okay, detective. Have it your way, but from the looks of things, you are facing some pretty mean hombres. I would think you would welcome a little protection.”
“I think the best protection would be to find out who is behind this kind of mayhem.”
“Well, I think I have an idea although t is not my place to accuse those who I can’t prove are involved.”
“Can you give me a hint, and then I can follow up unofficially.”
“Yeah, I guess that would work. Chercher Cortez.”
“There’s that name again.”
“You’ve heard it before.”
“You bet. We have been cherching Cortez since the beginning of this stupid story.”
“He’s not hard to find. Just go into the Hyatt bar, and he’s got a regular table off to the right. He does all his business from there.”
“Much obliged officer Fife. We will keep that in mind. So, Andrew, you ready?”
“Well, Larry, we have a couple of loose ends to tie up before we walk into the lion’s den.”
“Remind me.”
“We need to get some information out of Jerry, here so that we can tie Mrs. Rafferty and her boyfriend to the killing of her husband.”
“Yeah, okay. Jerry, you willing to talk?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll tell you all I know.”
“Good. What else, Andrew?”
“We need to find out why Wentworth lied to us.”
“Yes. That is a good one.”
“I can tell you that.”
“Go ahead, Jerry.”
“He’s under Cortez’s thumb.”
“Excuse me, detective.”
“Yes, Officer, Fife.”
“If you three have no more need for us, we need to ask you to leave. The crime lab guys are headed this way, and we need to secure the scene.”
“Thank you, officer. We are on our way.”
“Hey, hold on you three.”
“Ah, Mr. Landlord. What can we do for you?”
“Who’s gonna pay for the frickin door?”
“I would guess Jerry’s rental insurance.”
“Excuse me, sir, but I asked you to leave the last time you got in the way. Unless you want a citation for interfering with a criminal investigation, I would suggest you go back to your apartment.”
“Thanks, Officer Fife. On behalf of the three of us.”
