It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. This week’s prompt is “coin.” Linda Hill says we can use it any way we want to use the word. She granted the participants the ultimate freedom. We are humbly grateful. If you would like to join this fun visit Linda’s blog and read all about it. Here is the link.

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Oct. 8/16

Coin by John W. Howell © 2016

The old man limped up the payphone coin return. He had checked at least fifty phones before this particular one. Half expecting nothing he sighed as he used his finger to check to see if someone forgot their change. He felt something cold against his bare digit and involuntarily jumped back . He suddenly felt foolish for being so afraid of what he felt. The temperature he felt was shocking and wet which took him by surprise. He shook off his silly feeling and put his finger back into the coin return.

He could feel some coins for sure. They were slippery and he couldn’t get them to come out. He would have to free up his other hand by putting his bundle down to retrieve them. He dropped the bundle on the sidewalk and reached over to cup his hand under the coin return. Using his finger as a wedge, he tried to drag the coins out into his waiting hand. The coins resisted, and for a moment he flashed on the thought that some wiseacre had glued the coins in the chute. Further stroking did not yield the coins, and now he was sure someone was playing a joke. He looked around thinking maybe there was a camera with a smirking millennial behind taking what would be viral on You Tube.

Deciding to leave the coin box and get a needed drink he pulled his finger out. Realizing he was sweating he wiped his face and inhaled the metallic odor of blood. Looking at his bundle he was shocked to see the sidewalk splattered with someone’s blood. The blood was fresh, and the sight of it filled him with the fear of knowing it was his. Gathering his courage he raised his hand to his face. The shock of seeing the fountain where the tip of his finger used to be brought him to his knees. He hit the sidewalk with a force that drove the air from his lungs. He paused wide-eyed in shock and fell over hitting his head.

“You okay Dad?”

“Huh? What are you asking?”

“If you are okay.”

“Yeah. I’m okay. Why do you ask?”

“You were talking in your sleep.”

“Sleep? What sleep?”

“You fell asleep reading dad. Your chair must have been super comfortable.”

“Where is the coin box?”

“Coinbox? What do you mean.?”

“Aw never mind. Must have been dreaming.”

“We will be having dinner in a half hour. Do you need to wash up?”

“Yes. W-what is this on my finger?”

“It’s a bandage. You got cut somehow, and we took you to the doctor.”

“Cut? How did I get cut?”

“We don’t know, Dad. We found you in the bathroom bleeding.”

“Did I have a knife?”

“No, dad. Nothing.”

“Son?”

“Yes, dad.”

“Don’t let me go to sleep. I don’t think I’m going to wake up next time.”

“Right, dad. Get washed up. We have lamb. Your favorite.”

It is Saturday again and time for a little Stream of Consciousness. This week’s prompt is “bus.” Yeah that’s it, “bus.” Linda Hill says we can use it anyway we want and even include it in a word or words. Well, this prompt make me hot. I can hardly wait to get going. If you want to join in go to Linda’s site and read the words of wisdom there. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2016/09/23/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-2416/

Bus by John W. Howell ©2016

“I read a post by some erudite author that unattributed dialog is not the thing use to start a story.”

“Oh yeah. What does he know.”

“Hey he’s a big deal. Okay, I never heard of him but he sure was full of himself.”

“So why are you starting this story with unattributed dialog?”

“I guess you can call me a rebel. Anyway, how I start a story is none of his business.”

“You are pathetic you know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The way you worked business into the conversation. Bus is in business.”

“Honest mistake. One other thing. There was a group of literary snobs who visited some of these posts and thought the unattributed dialog was not proper.”

“What do you mean not proper.”

“Well you know there was the absence of “He said,” and other attributions.”

“So? Do they know how hard it is to have a story make sense without attributions? Did they understand you do it on purpose since people never say, “He said,”in conversations?”

“Naw. They just said I was not eligible to join their organization.”

“Sounds like you were bushwhacked. Do you care?”

“I’m too busy to care.Well, maybe a little.”

“Well I’m sure the busiest is the  best.”

“I think we are through with this subject. how about a beer?”

“How about a bushel? See what I did there?”

“Let’s go Ace.”

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and this week’s prompt is “est.” That’s right “est.” What the heck am I supposed to do with “est?” I guess I will just have to figure it out once I start my story. Linda Hill says to have fun with it so as a good soldier I will try. If you want to suffer a little go to Linda’s post and read how you can jump into this exercise. https://lindaghill.com/2016/09/16/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-1716/

Est by John W. Howell © 2016

“I was wondering why you continue to invent these dialogs?”

“What are you talking about?. This is fun stuff.”

“Maybe for you, cause all you have to do is come up with sentences in response to what I say. I’m the one who has to work in the prompt.”

“Oh, poor baby. Are we feeling a little oppressed?”

“‘We’ are feeling like we have more of the heavy lifting on this prompt business.”

“Okay then I’ll take over the prompt part, and you just sit there and react to what I say.”

“You’re on. Go ahead.”

“What’s the prompt?”

“I can feel this is going to work well. The prompt is est.”

“What? Dis you hiss at me.”

“No. That’s the prompt E-S-T.”

“Est? What the hell kind of prompt is that?”

“Stop now. You are either going to play or give it back to me.’

“And have you whine for the rest of the day no thanks. Okay, I’ll give it a try. Ahem. Your girlfriend is the nicest.”

“Okay, you got one. Now leave my girlfriend out of this.”

“My, my. You certainly are sensitive. I would say the sensitivest.”

“Beep. No such word. Try again.”

“Hmm. Before I met you today, I was the busiest. Now I’m playing a word game.”

“That works. How are you going to keep folks entertained with this stuff?”

“What’s the problem I have two.”

“Yeah and no one cares. You are not doing anything with the prompt.”

“Like what.”

“Like tell a story. You are just picking words out of the air.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so. Here goes. There was a guy who was the baddest, ablest, calmest, deadliest, evilest, and most contrary person in town.”

“Now you’re talking go on.”

“Well he walked into the bar and yelled,’who is the fastest gun in the place?”‘

“Then what?”

“Some other guy jumped up and said ‘I may not be the fastest but am the gnarliest.'”

“Now I see where you are going?”

“What?”

“You are saying “est” words in alphabetical order.”

“Story is good though isn’t it?”

“No comment.”