Tag: thriller fiction

Views of the Neighborhood

~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

You will recall that I ran this picture of what looked like an eyesore of a freighter.

Ugly Freighter

Well, as follow-up our local newspaper “The Island Moon,” ran an article by reporter Dale Rankin because a lot of people were asking questions. The article is very complete, so I am going to use it here.

Island Moon

Around the Island
By Dale Rankin

Rusty old dredge
“We’ve had several questions about the rustic ship making its ponderous way up and down the ship channel in Port Aransas the past week. While the paint-challenged vessel might look like it came straight out of Waterworld, it is really the 8432 ton, 351-foot dredge Stuyvesant from Mobile. It is cleaning up some shoaling in the ship channel. It is called a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge that drags a sled along the bottom and sucks up the silt and stores it in onboard bins until the ship goes out to open water and drops the silt back into the water. The rusty sides are a result of the overfull bins belching out saltwater over the sides. Think of the stains as the red badge of courage.

In the background of the photo, you can see the mothballed drilling platform that arrived a few weeks ago and is being stored on Harbor Island. Now, this may be a Fish Story, but the word around Port A is that the platform brought part of the ecosystem that lived under its steel columns that support it, including a population of rather large Red Snapper which a few locals have been helping to reduce. The person who told us that said to keep it to ourselves, but as we told him, there is no way in the world you are going to keep that a secret in Port A.”

Sorry to have to run the photo again, but now we have an answer.

Friday JohnKu – TGIF

~ John W. Howell ~ 34 Comments

FridayAs you can tell, I’m in the middle of launching Our Justice. This has been a busy week and seems like it just started. This is the reoccurring idea of time flying when you are having fun. Today’s JohnKu talks about things we enjoy.

Enjoy by John W. Howell© 2016

A job that seems tough,

No longer produces pain. . .

When we enjoy it.

Thursday – A little Personal Kreative Kue #93 by

~ John W. Howell ~ 14 Comments

Here is another of Keith Channing’s Photo prompts. I am pleased to report that this is the 52nd Kreative Kue in which I have participated. That makes it a year. Here are Keith’s words describing what we are doing. “Using this photo (below)as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr 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 – pingbacks don’t work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo.

Kreative Kue

The House by John W. Howell ©2016

“You going to go up there?”

“To that place? Not on your life.”

“Why not?”

“Look at that porch, those rails.”

“Yeah, so what?”

“They are in a bad need of painting and we are painters.”

“But we’ll make money.”

“There is not enough money in the world to make me stay to paint.”

“I guess I don’t understand then. What is wrong with the place?”

“You can’t see them from here, but the site is loaded with crazy people.”

“Crazy people? How do you know?”

“I had to visit one time to see my aunt and got an eyeful.”

“So how do you know they are crazy.”

“Okay let me describe them and you tell me.”

“Fine. Go ahead.”

“First of all,everyone sits in front of a computer.’

“Okay so far sounds normal.”

“They sit there pounding on the keys for hours.”

“Most offices are like that .”

“Then they print off something and pass it to others.”

“Okay, maybe a review process.”

“Then they sit in a circle and tell each other what they think is good and bad about what has been written.”

“Some kind of critique group.”

“Some get real touchy about what they have produced.”

“Human nature.”

“Then they all go back to pounding on the computer keys again.”

“I think I know what’s going on.”

“You do?’

“Yes. These are political speech writers.”

“What do political speech writers do?”

“I would say nothing of value.”

“Still look crazy.”

“No mistake they aren’t as crazy as the politicians who take those words and give speeches.”

“Or as crazy as those who believe what is said.”

“Amen, brother. Let’s find another place to paint.

 

Wednesday Story Day – AKA Hump Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 27 Comments

Funny College

 

Well, it is Wednesday again and time to lift our weary bones and stagger back to see what the Worthe’s and Ben are up to this week. You will recall that Ben got a hold of some gasoline and was throwing it around the garage to the point that the Worthe’s could smell it inside the house. Mr. Worthe forgot about it and warned that Ben could start a fire with the spark kit that came with the propane torch. So let’s see what is going on.
“Ben you dear boy. What are you doing?”
“Mrs. Worthe I’m going to burn this place down if you don’t let me go.”
“Ben don’t be a fool. If you ignite that gasoline, I’ll simply slam this door, and you will be like a chicken in a covered grill.”
“Yeah, but the police and fire department might want to ask you how the chicken and the gas got into what passes for a bomb shelter.”
“You don’t have the guts to incinerate yourself, you little dweeb.”
“I know this much, you bitch. The time it takes to snuff me will be nothing compared to the time you’ll spend in the big house for murder.”
“Oh please. Aren’t you being a little bit too dramatic. Put down that spark thingy and come inside.”
“Then what, Mrs. Worthe? You and your family take off for the Cayman’s, and I do what?”
“Please come inside. I think it would be lovely if you join us in the Cayman’s. Wouldn’t you like to get a little rest? Sit by the pool perhaps? Have a few drinks?”
“When are you going to get rid of me?”
“You have my word. We won’t get rid of you.”
“What about this starve to death plan you put in place with this bunker here.”
“We were going to call someone after we got clear of the US.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Your choice. You coming in?”
“I’m a little unsure. I know there are a lot of people rooting for me to get the better of you.”
“People? What people? Are you nuts?”
“Never mind. They are there and if I come in they will certainly lose faith in me.”
“Now you are raving like a lunatic. I’ll give you fifty thousand dollars if you go with us.”
“Uh. When will I get the money.”
“Come into the house and I’ll give it to you. It is in the back bedroom.”
“After you Mrs. Worthe.”