“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.”
Happy Labor day to everyone and especially to those who work to keep our lives normal. To those out of work, a wish for this COVID mess to end.
James’ 1956 Oldsmobile from Eternal Road – The final stop
This week marks the 64th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1956. You know we all want to be there, so I would suggest we take James’ (from Eternal Road – The final stop) 1956 Oldsmobile and attend the performance. So that we won’t cause a tear in the time continuum, we need to take the list of things not to do. Trust me, it will keep us all out of trouble. So crank up the Olds, and let’s go.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at Elvis’ First Appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956.
10 If you go, do not ask the producer how pleased Ed is to have Elvis on his show. If you do, at best, he will be distracted. At worse, he will spare no words in describing Ed’s displeasure. (Here’s the thing, Maksimillian. Ed tried to keep Elvis off his show, but others were getting such good ratings that he had to relent. He is not a happy camper, and here come some massive men. I think they want to show you out.)
9 If you go, do not tell Tiny, the WWF champ, that you think Elvis is king. If you do, at best, Tiny will be doing curls using the associate producer as a weight. At worse, Tiny, who has skipped the court-mandated group sessions for self-esteem and anger management, will think you are trying to make him feel bad. (Don’t worry, Maleko that so-called “Deadman’s Drop,” is just a label that Tiny gave to that hold. Hey Maleko, can you hear me?)
8 If you go, do not ask Ed’s accountant what he paid to have Elvis appear on his show. If you do, at best, the accountant is late for his therapy session and won’t have time to talk. At worst, the full impact of the amount will finally set in, and the accountant will need to sit down. (Now you’ve done it, Malone. The accountant has been trying to disassociate himself from the responsibility of paying $50,000 for three appearances. That’s $476,289.00 in today’s dollars. I think he is now catatonic.)
7 If you go, do not tell the producer anything about the expected ratings. If you do, at best he won’t believe you. At worst, the magnitude of the number of viewers will cause the producer to pass out. (The number of viewers for the first show was about 60 million, Malvin. That was 82.6 % of all people capable of watching the broadcast. The ratings were the best in two years, and the show was one of the highest watched of the 1950s)
6 If you go, don’t question the fact that we are going to Los Angles instead of the Ed Sullivan theater in New York. If you do, at best, someone will tell you to be patient. At worst, you’ll be kicked out of the Olds before we start. (The situation is this, Manasseh. Elvis is filming “Love Me Tender” in LA. So his portion of the show will originate from the CBS studio in Los Angles. You still want to go see the show in New York? All you’ll get is a tap dance duo and a couple of tumblers)
5 If you go, do not keep asking the whereabouts of Ed Sullivan. If you do, at best, everyone will ignore you. At worst, someone will finally tell you to mind your own business. (Ed Sullivan was in a horrific car accident and is at home recovering, Mandeville. Charles Laughton is filling in for him tonight. If you don’t know who that is, Google it when you get back to 2020.)
4 If you go, do not ask the producer if Elvis is going to sing, “All Shook Up.” If you do, at best, he won’t know what you are talking about. At worst, he will wonder where you came up with that title. (All Shook up wasn’t released until 1957 a year later, Manfrit. On the first show, Elvis sang “Don’t Be Cruel,” Little Richard’s “Reddy Teddy,” “Hound Dog,” and “Love Me Tender.” I think you ought to go wait in the car.)
3 If you go, do not try to convince everyone that the song “Love Me Tender” is going to be a bust because it is a ballad. If you do, at best everyone will be interested in the show and will ignore you. At worst, everyone will listen to you and place bets you are wrong. (Sad to say, Manneville. You owe a lot of money. Love me Tender sold one million records after Elvis sang it on the show. This was before it was released. You just had to take those bets, didn’t you?)
2 If you go, do not ask the producer if he can keep the audience quiet. If you do, at best, the producer won’t hear you for the screaming fans. At worst, the producer will give you some sage advice. (The suggestion is right up there with “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” I see he is offering to let you out of the back door. Next time, Manning just go with. the hysteria.)
1 If you go, do not try to tell the reviewer from Time magazine that Elvis is a great performer. If you do, at best, the reviewer will walk away. At worst, the reviewer will think you are working for Elvis and will call security. ( Before the security guys get here, Mano you need to know this particular reviewer wrote, “When it was over, parents and critics, as usual, did a lot of futile grumbling at the vulgarity of this strange phenomenon that must somehow be reckoned with.” So it was not all bad. Look, the guards are here. Go along quietly.)
With nothing better to report in the neighborhood, I decided to go out and do a personal investigation of how restaurants, stores, and small eating places are handling the COVID situation. This is not a Pulitzer Prize-worthy post, but hey, beats a blank page.
Photo by Unsplash
So I got the bus. We have a keg of margaritas, salsa, chips, and a restroom. I think we are good to go. Hop on and keep your social distance.
Our first stop is the local food chain. They have curbside down to a science. You order on-line, you arrive, text the number on the sign, your groceries are delivered to your car.
A local pizza restaurant lets you order on-line then call a number when you arrive.
This shop has take out only.
These guys have take out, pick up, and delivery. I could see calling for a couple of cones delivered. Don’t ask the driver how he kept the ice-cream from running down the cone.
Pick up, take away, and delivery here as well.
The ubiquitous SubWay. Take out only.
Sushi to go.
Here is our vet. Pull in. Call the number, and they come to get your dog or cat or bird or whatever.
Our library has a curbside pick up too.
Here we are at the Papa Murphys. You order online, arrive, call the number, and out comes your ready to bake pizza.
Here is a pet food supplier that offers curbside or delivery. pay no attention to that idiot reflected in the glass. He obviously has a lot to learn about picture taking.
Well, it looks like the shops are doing the best they can during this challenging time. Thanks for going along. We still have some refreshments left, so if you want tho hang out for a while, you are welcome.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday, and this week’s prompt is “sharp.” Linda Hill is not here today but sent the message that we could use the word in any or all of its definitions. If you would like to join this happy band of word warriors, visit Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link.
“Okay, I’ll give you till the count of three.” “I will not need any time to escape a water buffalo.” “Suit yourself.”
Another Friday is here. If you saw the post yesterday, then you know we finally got a break in the weather. This summer has been one for the record books. Not only were the temps in the 100s but the heat indexes were in from 105 to 110. Of course, this is 2020 so what should we expect? We hope to stay in the 90s for the rest of the season. (Imagine being thankful for 90-degree temps)
We are also missing all the rain. Those to the North, West, and East of us are getting tons. We are getting nada. They say maybe this weekend. Sure let’s have a labor Day deluge. Would be perfect for this year. At least it would be rain.
The launch of Eternal Road – The final stop is going well. I am so grateful for all the nice folks who volunteered to help. I know I’ve said that before but it bears repeating. I hope you enjoy the excerpts as well. They are all different parts of the book.
Today’s JohnKu talks about gratitude (again)
I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Labor Day Weekend.
I hope you visit since I have another excerpt for you to read.
Teri is a talented YA author and here is a little about her in her words.
“Several years back, a friend told me I should read the Harry Potter series – I think the third one was out by then. I laughed, saying they were for kids, but she convinced me to give them a try, and for that, I’ll always be thankful. Reading YA opened up a whole new world for me, and I haven’t looked back.
Some of my favorite things in life are books (no romance), music (preferably alt/rock and absolutely no country), movies (rarely chick flicks), red wine (no merlot) and dark chocolate (please don’t add any fruit to what is already perfection). On the flip side of that, I strongly dislike the color pink and loathe shopping – unless it’s in a bookstore or someplace I can buy movies, music, wine, or chocolate. That being said, it’s pretty evident why my female friends think I’m a little strange.
You can take it from me, her books are terrific. I’ve enjoyed them all.
“Lucy.” “Don’t ask. It’s Wednesday.” “Ah, two more nap days.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week we learned that in all probability, Stanković, the guy who fingered Lazar, is not involved in the current mess. He may be a candidate in the future, but right now, with all his connections, he is a hot potato. The team wants to know more from Lazar about Cortez and Taggert. The ADA will need some pretty substantial firsthand evidence to go forward with an indictment. Our team is heading back into the interrogation room. We better get there to hear what is next.
“Okay, so Mr. Popović, it seems I’m going to need a little more information from you before we can talk about any kind of a deal.”
“What kind of information? I’ve told you about Taggert and Cortez.”
“you. Have told us nothing. Right now, you are looking at spending the rest of your life behind bars unless we can get some substantial information on how Cortez and Taggert are connected.”
“Excuse me.”
“Yes, Mr. Stannis.”
“My client is terrified of what can happen to him if he speaks up regarding the activities of his associates. We need to work out a way where he can tell you what you need to know and then be safe.”
“I’ve already said if the information is actionable, he will get all the protection he needs. So far, though, he has said nothing. You both need to trust that if lazar knows something, he should talk.”
“We had the same conversation while you were out of the room. I think my client is ready to give you more details.”
“That sounds good. So Lazar, what kind of information can you provide? Can you make a direct connection between Taggert, Cortez, and the drugs?”
“I sure can. In fact, I have phone conversations recorded.”
“You what?”
“Conversations.”
“With who?”
“Me and Taggert. Me and Cortez and Cortez, me, and Taggert.”
“Where are these conversations now?”
“In the cloud somewhere.”
“Can you get them?”
“Yeah. I just access Dropbox. They are all there.”
“Ok, so wait a minute. How is it that you were able to get phone conversations?”
“I got this app called TTSPY. It works on Android phones, which are the burner phones of choice of Cortez and Taggert.”
“They didn’t know you were recording.”
“God, no. I would be a dead man if they found out. I set the phone to record whenever they call. I never call them, so I didn’t get the other way conversations.”
“What made you decide to do the recordings?”
“You know, Ms. Thomas, I’m a God-fearing man. I figured I better protect myself since the deals were getting bigger, which means the stakes were getting higher. I just looked up on Google, how to record off a mobile phone, bought the app, and the rest is history.”
“So, how many conversations?”
“I’d have to say maybe forty or fifty.”
“Excuse me, Ms. Thomas.”
“Yes, Mr.Dunfee.”
“Can I ask a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Did these guys discuss getting rid of Andrew and me?”
“Yeah, you bet. Cortez told me he was putting out the hit and would I be interested.”
“Well?”
“Not my kind of work, Mr. Dunfee. I said I was a God-fearing man. Thou shalt not kill.”
“I get it, Lazar. Maybe God would have appreciated it if you gave out a warning.”
“I didn’t need Cortez putting out a hit on me, which would have happened had I done that.”
“Okay, gentlemen. We now have attempted murder to add to the stack. When can we start listening to the recordings, Mr. Popović?”
“I can call them up anytime.”
“Maybe we’ll have someone transcribe them. For now, let’s talk about a few things.”
“Like what?”
“Like how much drug trade have you’ve been involved with and how deep are Taggert and Cortez in it.”
“Up to their eyebrows, Ms. Thomas. Could I get a glass of water.?”
“Yeah, let’s take a break. This has been very interesting.
I’m sure you all have heard of Craig since he is one of the most inventive writers on the scene today. His books are very entertaining and since he calls his work Speculative Fiction, he is unbound by traditional genres.
Here is a little about Craig in his words
“I’m on the verge of being an empty nester, and I like to write fiction. This blog is to share ideas with readers and writers. I have a decent body of work on Amazon, and I hope you’ll check some of them out. They are all speculative fiction, but seem to stay closest to science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy.
I have other interests that may sneak in from time to time. I like the great outdoors and all it has to offer. Morels and huckleberrys are particularly fun. I once caught and released a 7-foot white sturgeon from the Snake River.”
Right now, Craig is in the process of launching two books but has many more from which to choose.
H.M.S Lanternfish and Murder They Wrote with Seven Authors
In Keith’s words. “Using this photo 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.”
