“What the hell?” is a question shouted out loud. Looking in my cup, there is one drop of coffee, after waiting on pins and needles for ten minutes. Grabbing the phone with the coffee machine app, it is quickly ascertained that my password has expired. Choosing a new password takes another ten minutes since various symbol and letter combinations are unacceptable.

Finally, the suggested strong-generated password is selected. It is now safely stored, god knows where in the cloud on a password chain that will never be found again. After a sip of the brain rescue fluid, the clock is secured.

The clock is set for June 8, 1924. The location is the Himalayan mountains in Tibet, and the time is one hour. The plunger is pulled, and we are transported immediately to the base of Mt. Everest.

English geologist Noel Odell catches sight of George Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, two fellow members of a British expedition to climb Mount Everest, far in the distance, each man a “tiny black spot” silhouetted against the snow. By Odell’s reckoning, they are within about 800 vertical feet of the summit. It is the last time either Mallory or Irvine will be seen alive.

We do not know if Mallory ever reached the summit. His body was found in 1999, face down at 27,000 feet. He had a small camera that could have given information on whether or not the summit was reached. The camera and Andrew Irving’s body are missing. While contemplating the difficulty of climbing Mt. Everest, the alarm brings us back to the safety of the couch. There is a text from Linda Hill. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “start with a question.” Begin your post with the first question that comes to mind when you sit down to write your post. Bonus points if you end your post with a question, too. Have fun!

To see what other bloggers do with the prompt, visit Linda’s blog. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/06/07/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-8-2024/

Start with a Question by John W. Howell © 2024

“When was the mountain finally conquered?”

“On May 29, 1953, by New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa guide from Nepal.”

“Wow, that was a long time since 1924.”

“Yes, it was. When you figure the cold and lack of oxygen near the summit, it is no wonder so many have died in an attempt.”

“I wonder how many?”

“Since records have been kept beginning in 1922, 322 people have died on the mountain.”

“Goodness. I think I will pass on that bucket list item.”

“You had Everest on your bucket list?”

“Well, no, but it’s not going to be either.”

“I see. Do you think you could climb the Voo Doo Ranger hill?”

“Already ordered the Uber.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yup, that’s it over there.”

“A fully restored 1924 Model T Ford Tudor Sedan.”

“Yup, that’s it.”

“I am speechless. It is the same year we just visited.”

“I do have a question, though.”

“Yeah, shoot.”

“You opened this post with a story about your coffee machine password.”

“Yes. What’s the question?”

“What use is a password? Who the hell is going to steal coffee from a machine that sits in your kitchen?

 

 

 

 

 

My mind goes to the song Anticipation by Carley Simon, watching the precious drops of Columbian brown drip from the stainless machine into my double-sided glass mug. The crema forms at the top per the recipe, and the ten ounces of bliss is ready. A hurried gulp brings to mind the clock. The setting is June 1st, 1924, and the location is Chicago. The duration is set for an hour. When the plunger is pulled, we find ourselves on the corner of Dearborn and Madison Streets in downtown Chicago. This is the headquarters of the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

We are in time for Col. Robert R. McCormick’s announcement that what would become one of the most widely heard radio stations in the U.S. and a widely seen television station was created when the Chicago Tribune newspaper purchased Chicago’s WDAP radio station and renamed it WGN, an abbreviation of the Tribune slogan, “World’s Greatest Newspaper.”

Since Col. McCormick is a man of few words, it does not take long for the announcement and our alarm to sound. The couch proved to be a soft landing place, and my text notice tells me Linda Hill has sent this week’s prompt. It reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “recipe.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit her post. Here is a link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/05/31/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-1-2024/

Recipe by John W. Howell © 2024.

“Sounds like a recipe for success.”

“What does?”

“Tribune buying a radio station.”

“I agree with you.”

“I remember watching Bozo’s Circus on WGN television.”

“That was a great show.”

“WGN became a so-called superstation.”

“So true.”

“Big audience nationwide.”

“Yup.”

“You sound like you already knew this stuff.”

“I thought everybody knew this stuff.”

“Okay, I was trying to have a conversation.”

“I think we should do that over a VooDoo Ranger.”

“I can’t believe you are the one making that suggestion. I already called Uber.”

“Let me guess. He’s over there.”

“Yes, he is.”

“Look at that.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure. But I think it is a 1967 Dodge Polara 500.”

“You lived through years of cars, so I’ll not bet against you.”

“Sweet ride. Let’s go.’

 

A move to the coffee machine is necessary to find out what is taking so long. An investigation turns up the cause. The communication screen clearly asks if a regular cup or something special is required. Neglecting to make a choice sends the machine into hibernation. The original settings called for a regular 10 oz delivery. The machine must have taken some advice from the WordPress Happiness Engineers and decided to do something different. So the question is answered, and in a happy moment, the cup is delivered.

The clock is at hand, and after a sip of soothing syrup, the setting is May 24, 1924. The time is two hours, and the location is the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. The plunger is pulled, and we arrive just in time to witness Calvin Coolidge signing the Immigration Act of 1924.

The act limited immigration in response to public and political anxiety about the country’s rapid social and demographic changes. The 1924 act supplanted earlier legislation by vastly reducing immigration from countries outside the Western Hemisphere: Immigrants from Asia were banned, and the total annual immigration quota for the rest of the world was capped at 165,000—an 80% reduction of the yearly average before 1914.

The law was passed in both houses of Congress with very few dissenting votes. A strong West Coast lobby effort designed to limit Asian immigration proved successful in the final passage of the law. The 1924 act would define U.S. immigration policy for nearly three decades, until being substantially revised by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and ultimately replaced by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The 1924 act also made provision for the founding of the US Border Patrol.

The act incensed the government of Japan, and some believe it laid the groundwork for the attack on the US in 1941.

It is a lovely day in Washington, and the signing ceremony on the South Lawn is brief. Our alarm goes off, and the couch becomes the new destination. A text notification comes through. It’s from Linda Hill and reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “move.” Use it as a verb or a noun; write the first thing that comes to mind. Have fun!

Move by John W. Howell © 2024

“Boy, times have changed.”

“I know. Can you imagine banning an entire culture in this day and age?”

“Yeah, I don’t even want to comment on that.”

“Wise man.”

“I see you snuck the prompt in early.”

“I had to. There was the opportunity, and I took it.”

“Speaking of opportunity.”

“You want to move to the pub?”

“You are a mind reader as well.”

“It doesn’t take a mind reader to figure out your move on a Saturday.”

“Bam. He does it again.”

“Uber?”

“Over there.”

“I would say you’re kidding, but I know that is not true.”

“Fully air-conditioned. Room for three. Yes, I’ll stand.”

“What did this cost?”

“Nothing. A friend of mine owns it. We just need to deliver a hay bale, is all.”

“To the pub?”

“No, there’s a farm a little bit out of the way.”

“How far out of the way?”

“Two hours.”

“Aw, man. Let’s just get a car.”

“And miss the fun?”

“I know I’m going to regret this.”

“It’ll be fun.”

“I’ve heard that before. Okay, Let’s go.”

“You won’t be sorry.”

“I think I already am.”

 

 

 

 

 

While making a note of today’s destination, It is noticed that the coffee machine has not made a sound in over five minutes. This leads me to believe something is amiss. Looking closer, the plug is found lying on the counter. Knowing how difficult it is for machines to work while unplugged, the situation is corrected.

Soon, the aroma and sounds of a fresh cup of joe meet my senses. It’s time to grab the clock and set it for Paris, France, May 4, 1924, and a duration of two hours. The plunger is pulled, and we find ourselves on the opening day of the 1924 Olympics.

To quote the History Channel. “The 1924 Paris Olympics—held in the City of Lights as a tribute to Pierre, Baron de Coubertin, the retiring president of the International Olympic Committee—drew 44 participating countries, a big increase over the previous 29. Over 1,000 journalists worldwide covered the Games, in which 3,088 athletes competed in 126 events. This was the first Olympics that featured women’s fencing.”

Also, “The 1924 Paris Olympics—which ran May 4 to July 27—became famous in pop culture decades later as the subject of the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. The movie is based on the true story of British runners Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams.”

As the opening ceremonies begin, the alarm signals our return to the living room couch without seeing an event. My text tone lets me know Linda Hill has sent the prompt text. The text reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “note.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/05/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-4-2024/

Note by John W. Howell © 2024

“Why don’t you time these things so that we can see more?”

“I guess I get a little nervous about being in the past.”

“Why? It would be fun.”

“Yeah, and the potential of messing up something is high.”

“Like what?”

“What if someone in 1924 took my photo.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Well. I don’t belong in that time, and maybe the photo shows me from a different time with the clothes and everything.”

“Okay.”

“Then the guy would make a note of the fact.”

“Again, so?”

“And talk to his friends and maybe show them what I looked like.”

“This is getting boring. What’s the point?”

“Mabe, the guy would go on a quest to find me.”

“Hello. Conclusion needed.”

“Okay, let’s say the photographer is Alfred Stieglitz. Instead of all the beautiful photos of Georgia O’Keefe and donations to museums, he stopped his photography to search for me.”

“How do you get through doors with the size of your head.”

“This is not about me but a time traveler and someone who messed up the time continuum.”

“I still think it would be worth the risk. Can I change the subject?”

“Wouldn’t be VooDoo Range, would it?”

“Mind reader.”

“Oder an uber.”

“He is already here. Over there.”

“Aw, come on.”

“Super discount. We do have to make one stop.”

“We do? What for?”

“We have to help the guy with one of his customers.”

“Oh, I just can’t wait. What customer is this?”

“The zoo.”

“The zoo. Where in the zoo?”

“The elephant house.”

“That’s it. I’m going to order my own Uber.”

“Don’t be a spoiled sport. You ever rooter an elephant house?”

“I’ve never rootered anything.”

“A first time for everything. Let’s go.”

“Why do I always follow your goofy ideas.”

“You are a happy man. Make a note of that.”

 

 

When will the brain-saving liquid show up? It has been an eternal minute since the process was engaged. It seems to me there might be a glitch in the brewing mechanism. No wait. There it is, the first few drops of Elixer slowly making their way to my cup. Finally complete, the first sip is a reminder to grab that clock. I set it for April 26th, 1924, with the location in London. The duration is two hours. When the plunger is pulled, we are immediately transported to Aeolian Hall in London.

Lucky us because we get to witness the first performance of Tzigane, a rhapsody for violin and orchestra by French composer Maurice Ravel. Tzigane, the title of which is derived from the generic European term for “gypsy,” was composed in a short time in 1924. The violinist performing is Jelly d’Arányi, who is of Hungarian descent. He is joined by Henri Gil-Marchex at the piano.

The premiere piece’s performance lasts eleven minutes, and the audience applause is deafening. Maurice is most famous for his Bolèro, which was written in 1928, so he clearly has a great career ahead of him.

Just as the champagne is served, the alarm goes off, and my usual high dive into the couch is accomplished with plenty of welcome barks from the resident pouches.

My text notification goes off, and it is Linda Hill, our prompt for this week. Here is the message: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “show.” Use it as a noun or a verb. Have fun!

To see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-27-2024/

Show by John W. Howell © 2024

“Well, that was some show.”

“It was terrific.”

“How did you know to go there?”

“I Googled it.”

“I would say that worked ten.”

“Would you like to hear the music?”

“Um, you know I’m not big on classical.”

“Okay, then we will skip it.”

“Well, I don’t want to stand in your readers’ way. Maybe they would like to listen.”

“For those who would, here it is.”

“While they are busy, what say we hit the pub.?”

“Uber?”

“Over there.”

“What on Earth?”

“Don’t be hasty.”

“It is a moving van.”

“With lots of room.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that.”

“Think of pulling up to the front of the pub in this.”

“Yeah. Quite a scene.”

“Maybe we could convince the pub mates to join us on a roadie.”

“Hold it right there.”

“What.”

“No roadies.”

“How about a parkie.”

“What’s that?”

“Where we just stay at the pub but invite everyone to sit inside the truck.”

“Redneck fun, I suppose.”

“Don’t you know it?”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Reaching for the freshly brewed coffee, the cup catches on the small grate that supports it. The cup turns sideways, and all the beautiful, brain-soothing liquid pours onto the floor.

“Great” is the only expletive that comes to mind. Now, the process must begin again. Sopping up the coffee as the machine goes about business, my brain turns to the clock. The cup is finished, and the spilled coffee is cleaned up. One sip and the clock is set. April 19th, 1924. The time is 9:00 o’clock in the evening, and the duration is two hours. The plunger is pulled, and my destination is the studios of WLS AM radio in Chicago, Illinois.

We arrive in time to witness the first broadcast of the National Barn Dance, a show thought up by Edgar L. Bill, the station’s director. As we listen, the tunes are definitely country-oriented. I pull Bill aside and ask, “Why country here in the city.” Bill explains that the station is able to broadcast over the entire Midwest and, at night, pretty much over the whole country. “We had so much highbrow music the first week that we thought it would be a good idea to get on some of the old-time music. After we had been going for about an hour, we received about 25 telegrams of enthusiastic approval. It was this response that pushed the Barn Dance!”

The alarm goes off, and as usual, a soft landing is on my couch. My text tone tells me I have a text from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ends with “grate/great.” Use one or bonus points if you use them both. Enjoy!

To see what other bloggers do with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-20-2024/

Grate/Great by John W.Howell © 2024

“That was fun.”

“I never knew the National Barn Dance had been going since 1924.”

“Yup. It kept broadcasting until 1968.”

“Wow, that’s great. A lot of stars appear?”

“Everyone appeared on the show. It was very popular.”

“I’ll bet a few copycats, huh?”

“The biggest was the Grand Ole Opry.”

“No kidding.”

“Started off as the  WSM Barn Dance in Nashville and later changed the name.”

“In its heyday, the National Barn Dance was broadcast across the US.”

“I can’t figure out how to fit the word grate into the conversation.”

“Yeah, it has been a hard day. Let’s hit the pub.”

“I ordered an Uber. It’s over there.”

 

“Oh, super. A 1924 truck.”

“I had to order that special.”

“It should be fun. I see one of us needs to ride in the back.”

“Yeah, but it’s not so bad; there is a grate to sit on.”

“A grate?”

“It’s a bench but has holes in it. More like a grate.”

“What about my bottom?”

“Might get sore.”

“You take the grate.”

 

 

 

The sound of coffee dribbling out of the machine’s exit tubes is music to the ears and the brain. Pound for pound, you can’t beat the restorative ability of even a sip of that beautiful elixir. After the first sip, looking around for the clock, the thought strikes: Why not go to Europe and see what is happening? The clock is set for Greece on April 13th, 1924. The duration is an hour. Pulling the plunger, and we are there.

We arrive in time for the announcement of the results of the election held on March 25th. The voters were to decide whether or not to retain the monarchy or endorse the Second Hellenic Republic proclaimed by parliament. Parliament stipulated that the public had to approve its decision.

Over a million votes were cast, and 758,000 opted for a republic with Pavlos Kountouriotis as president. Only 325,000 supported King George II’s return to the throne.

With the cheering crowds as a send-off, the alarm goes off, and a soft landing is managed on the couch. A text from Linda Hill comes in. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ends with “ound.” Find a word (or words) that ends with “ound” and use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you want to see how other bloggers handle the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-13-2024/

Ound by John W. Howell © 2024

“By the sounds of things, the people of Greece were tired of their king.”

“Yeah, I think you could say that.”

“I guess they were happy with that decision.”

“It’s Hard to say. The Hellenic Republic lasted until 1935 when a single-party form of government was established.”

“Oh, so things kept changing.”

“King George came back in 1935, but then the monarchy rule was dissolved in 1973 for the second time.”

“Who had to cough up the money to fund these changes?”

“I guess taxes. Why do you ask?”

“It seems like it would be tough on the people to have all these changes.”

“I think they were okay although it would be a pain.”

“Speaking of pain. How about a pub visit?”

“You order Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“Now that looks like fun.”

“Yeah, just think of look on the faces when we pull up.”

“Is that legal?”

“Oh yeah. Surplus purchase.”

“Well okay then Let’s go.”

 

 

 

 

The morning joe is on the slow train when the heart and mind want it on the express. Drop by drop, the soothin’ syrup moves into the cup. Finally, it is full, and a sip awakens the brain. Reaching for the clock, it is set to April 6th, 1924. The location is Sand Point Navel Air Station in Seattle. The duration is two hours. The plunger is pulled.

We are at the Sand Point Navel Air Station in time to see eight American pilots depart Seattle’s Sand Point Naval Air Station in four modified Navy torpedo bombers. Their goal is to be the first to fly around the world. Several attempts have been made by other countries, but so far, none have been successful. Their planes are named Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans. The route will take them West over Alaska and then over Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Paris, London, and Hull, England, and then return via the Atlantic Ocean across North America to Seattle. It is expected to take 175 days to complete the mission. (We know they did complete it and were the first to do so.)

The alarm goes off, and my trusty couch receives me. My text tone tells me Linda Hill has sent a message. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “express.” Use it as a noun, verb, adverb, or adjective. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

If you want to see what other bloggers have done with the prompt, here is a link to Linda’s post. https://lindaghill.com/2024/04/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-6-2024/

Express by John W. Howell © 2024

“Wow, 175 days to fly around the world. Not exactly express, is it?”

“Don’t forget it is 1924. Things were a little slower then.”

“I’ll bet that was a tough trip.”

“One plane crashed in Alaska, and the pilot and navigator spent 10 days in the wilderness.”

“Goodness. Did they survive?”

“Yes. They were rescued.”

“Anything else?”

“The plane named Boston landed between the Faroe Islands and Iceland and sank.”

“Anyone hurt?”

“Nope. Both were okay, and they got a replacement plane for the trip across North America. They flew a total of 27,000 miles.”

“No, VooDoo Ranger, I’ll bet.”

“You order Uber?”

“He’s right over there.”

“What is that?”

“I wanted you to experience a modern-day trip like in 1924.”

“I can see from here that one of us has to ride in the back.”

“That’s okay. We both will. It will be like flying around the world.”

“I’ll have to trust you on that. I hope it doesn’t take 175 days to get to the pub.”

“Naw, this is an express. We’ll be there in no time.”

“After you.”

 

 

If there was ever a need for coffee, it is now. Fingers drumming on the counter fail to rush the dreaded AI in charge of brewing the life-restoring beverage. Finally, a wheeze indicates that the aromatic liquid will begin its journey from the bowels of the fickle machine to my very welcoming cup. Yes, the trickle has started, and soon, the crema layer will form. Time for a sip and new awareness of the need for the clock.

Clock in hand set for March 30, 1924 for a duration of two hours. The plunger is pulled and we are tansported to Toledo Ohio. The US has enacted the eighteenth constitutional amendment that bans the sale and consumption of alcohol.

We have arrived in Toledo to witness the tradegy of 12 people poisened to death consuming denatured alcohol at a party. Denatured alcohol is used as a solvent and has additives that when injested are fatel. The police shief says it is a shame these folks didn’t know that they were drinking poisen. “It’s plain to see that whoever organized this party is responsible for these deaths.”

The alarm goes off and like a flying plane my carcuss is lofted to the couch for a soft landing. My text signal goes off and I see it is from Linda Hill. It reads:Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “plain/plane.” Use one, use ’em both, bonus points if you get ’em both in your post. Have fun! If you would like to see what other bloggers do with the prompt visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2024/03/29/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-30-2024/

Plain/Plane by John W. Howell © 2024

“Well you got the bonus points.”

“Yes I did.”

“You sure hauled out of there though.”

“I made a slight miscalulation on the time.”

“Well, that explains it.”

“Sad about those people.”

“Yeah. There was a lot of that.”

“It was plain stupid to drink that stuff.”

“Thos people ended up on a different plane.”

“Not like good old Voo Doo Ranger.”

“Speaking of which.”

“Ordered the Uber. It’s right over there.”

“Goodness what is that?”

“A 1906 Stanley Gentlemans Speedy Runabout.”

“How in the heck did you find that one.”

“The Stanley company went out of business in1924. I thought it would be a good tie-in to your post.”

“Okay then. Let’s go.”

“I call the running board.”

“Well if that’s what you want, you got it.”