Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #383 by Keith Channing

October 25, 2022October 24, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 67 Comments

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 your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. 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. Thank you for taking part.”

Check out Keith’s post for the stories from last week. https://keithchanning.wordpress.com/2022/10/24/kreative-kue-383/

The photo.

“Yah, hello.”

“Who’s this?”

“What do you mean who’s this? The phone was ringing in this booth and I answered it. Who’s this?”

“You first.”

“No way. I’m hanging up now.”

“Wait. Is this the Sanford residence?”

“No. This is a phone booth on Sussex.”

“Where on Sussex?”

“Why does that matter?”

“It might be close to the Sanford residence.”

“So what?”

“Maybe you can run over there and tell Mrs. Sanford, she has a call.”

“Not on your life. I’m hanging up.”

“Wait. it just may be my life.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was told to call Mrs. Sanford and tell her to deliver one million pounds to the park or her husband gets it.”

“Why not call the police?”

“They told me not to do that.”

“What do you care?”

“I’m Mr. Sanford.”

“And you don’t know your damn phone number?”

“I do but I think I misdialed. I’m a tad nervous.”

“Where are you now?”

“In a dark room.”

“Can’t you call for help?”

“They are only letting me make one call.”

“And you muffed it.”

“It appears so.”

“Okay, then what’s the address.”

“126 Sussex. Tell her the thugs will call with a location.”

“Okay then. You sure you can give the thugs the right number?”

“Good point. I’ll try but could you stay by the booth just in case?”

“I’m on holiday and other things to do.”

“More important than saving a life?”

“Pretty ignorant life at that.”

“What?”

“Nothing. I’ll go to your house then standby the booth.”

“You are a mensch.”

“How long?”

“How long what?”

“Till the thugs call?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“Could you?”

“What?”

“Ask them.”

“When I see them I will.”

“I’m hanging up now.”

“Thank you ever so much.”

“Sure. What’s in a holiday anyway.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt Piece/Peace

April 18, 2015April 18, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 15 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and the prompt for this week is Piece/Peace. We can use them separately or in a combo. If you would like to know more go to Linda G. Hill’s site Here is my contribution.

“Hello, you have reached Millennium Link Phone company.”

“Hello, I would like to discontinue my service.”

“Please listen carefully as our menu has changed. If you want new service press one. If you would like more products press two. For billing questions, please press three. For all other calls, please stay on the line. So we may better serve you please say or enter your twenty four-digit account number. If you don’t have it, please say, “I don;t have it” or press one.”

“I don’t have it.”

“That’s okay we’ll try another way. Please enter your nine-digit social security number. If you don’t have, it say, “I don’t have it” or press one.”

“I don’t have it.”

“That’s okay we’ll try another way. Please say your eight digit password that was given to you when you signed up for the service. If you don’t have, it say, “I don’t have it “or press one”

“I don’t have it.”

“That’s okay, we’ll try another way. Please say anything that you might have.”

“Peace and love.”

“I’m sorry but there is no account with the words peace and love. Let’s try another way. When someone cuts you some cake we say that is a________.”

“Piece.”

“Yes, sir. Please stay on the line while we transfer you to someone who is live but not necessarily in a position to help you much. If you would like to participate in a short fifty question survey after the call, please press one for yes and two for no.

Top Ten No No’s is as Top Ten No No’s Does

December 23, 2013December 20, 2013 ~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Here is the 25th installment of Ten Top Lists of What Not to Do by Marie Ann Bailey of 1WriteWay at http://1writeway.com and John W. Howell of Fiction Favorites at http://johnwhowell.com. These lists are simu-published on our blogs each Monday. We hope you enjoy.

Top Ten Things Not To Do When Shopping at the Last Minute for Christmas

10. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not battle another for a parking place. If they are similarly crazed, you may just lose the front end of your car while the other driver yells “Tawanda! Tawanda!” at you as if they are Kath Bates in Green Fried Tomatoes.

9. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not take your children with you. At best, they will get in the way; at worst, they will be a witness to your stepped-up aggressive behavior when you Taser another parent for the last remaining iPod Nano.

8. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not leave home without a list. If you do, at best, you will no doubt forget something or someone. At worst, you will be tempted to grab armloads of stuff with the rationale what doesn’t work can be returned only to find out after Christmas that you were wrong.

7. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not think you are going to get anything on sale. If you think you will, at best, you will be disappointed. At worst, you will be afraid to go home given what you have spent.

6. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not forget sizes on your list. If you do, at best, you may just misjudge. At worst, you will get your mother-in-law an extra-large and you’ll never hear the end of it (even if it is the right size).

5. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not think expensive will take the place of thoughtful. If you do, at best, you will spend too much and become every one’s favorite gift giver. At worst, none of your gifts will be appreciated and all of them will be returned for cash.

4. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not have everything gift wrapped at the store. If you do, at best, it will appear as if you did not put your heart into the gifts. At worst, you could be accused of giving gifts you bought for someone else.

3. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not buy gifts that you yourself would not want to receive. If you do, at best, you might just get it back someday. At worst, the gift might be as tasteless as you thought it was and now you are the embarrassed recipient.

2. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not stop until your list is complete. If you do, at best, the person you left off will give you the best gift ever and you’ll have to admit that you got them nothing. At worst, your excuse of running out of time will be the straw that broke the camel’s back since you had a year to make it right.

1. When shopping at the last-minute for Christmas, do not stop humming your favorite Christmas song. If you do, you might break out in tears and nobody likes a crier this time of year.

Top Ten No Nos is as Top Ten No Nos Does

November 11, 2013November 9, 2013 ~ John W. Howell ~ 13 Comments

Here is the Nineteenth installment of Ten Top Lists of What Not to Do by Marie Ann Bailey of 1WriteWay at http://1writeway.com and John W. Howell of Fiction Favorites at http://johnwhowell.com. These lists are simu-published on our blogs each Monday. We hope you enjoy. This list is in recognition of those who are planning to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Top Ten Things Not to Do When Traveling

10. If you decide to drive your car when traveling, do not pack the trunk and backseat so that all the passengers need supplemental oxygen to stay alive.

9. While traveling in the car, do not think your favorite onion and Limburger cheese sandwiches will go unnoticed when you go for a snack. If you do, you may find yourself on the roof with grandmother.

8. If you are the designated driver for a portion of the trip, do not think you can rest your eyes for even a moment. If you do, you may find permanent rest as well as a handsome marker on the side of the highway with your name on it.

7. If you should experience a flat tire while driving on a trip, do not attempt to instruct your spouse or traveling companion on the intricacies of changing a tire while you stand-off to the side observing. If you do, you may be wearing the spare for the rest of the journey.

6. If you decide to take an airplane when traveling, do not try to tell security why your religion forbids taking off your shoes. If you do, you may find a full body search applied as the viable alternative.

5. When on an airplane while traveling, do not call a flight attendant by repeatedly pressing the flight attendant call button. If you do, your reward may just be a visit from Mr. Coffee in your lap.

4. When on an airplane while traveling, do not complain loudly and frequently about the lack of food or water. If you do, the flight crew might insure that you may get the same experience as you would on the ground at Guantanamo.

3. When on an airplane while traveling, do not attempt to recline your seat without asking the person behind you if it is OK. If you don’t ask, the passenger behind you may choose to see you later in the terminal where no air marshals are present.

2. When getting off the airplane and you are seated in the back row, do not try to push your way forward while other people are trying to retrieve their carry-on bags. If you do, you chance being kidnapped by Somali pirates and held for ransom. (Oh, if it only worked that way.)

1. When walking as a group through the air terminal while traveling, do not walk five abreast while counting the steps to baggage claim to see who wins the bet. If you do, here’s hoping a baggage cart slides sideways trying to stop, but connects with your group like you are ten-pins in a bowling alley.