Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Pitch”

October 17, 2026October 17, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

Thinking of the pitch made by the guy selling the coffee machine. He said, “It will anticipate your needs before you know them.” It is a wonder, then, why the touchscreen remains dark. My need is a cup of coffee, and if the machine knows that, why not deliver? In desperation, the machine is given a good thump, and like magic, comes to life. Say what you want about technology, sometimes the old methods work best.

The first sip calms the drum line beating of the Fightin Irish marching band in my head from caffeine withdrawal. The second (as we have come to know) is accompanied by the Westminster chime of the doorbell in duet with the “To St. Louis” barking refrain of Twiggy and Tempeste. A quick toss of two new toys into the soundproof room, followed by a slam of the door, brings a kind of hush over my world.

A glance at the security monitor shows Daffy Duck on the porch with an envelope and clipboard. My knowledge of characters on the front porch means one thing: the security system needs to be shut down.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. Monty Python’s Harmless Little Rabbit’s cage is closed. The front door is opened.

Daffy hands me the clipboard and envelope. Passing the clipboard back with a fiver brings a smile to Daffy’s face. One inside the envelope from Linda Hill has the following message: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “pitch.” Use it as a noun, use it as a verb, use it the way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link:https://lindaghill.com/2026/10/16/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-october-17-2026/

“Well, you got the prompt out of the way pretty quickly.”

“Yeah, was rather proud of that.”

“I thought you would go to a sports theme.”

“Why’s that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. You know, like, Ten Things Not to Do on the First Pitch of a Baseball Game.

“You know, I’m not a big sports fan. When I was a kid, the Detroit Lions and Tigers scarred me for life.”

“Scarred how?”

“They never won.”

“Oh, I see. So winning is everything?”

“To a kid? Yes.”

“Well, we are winners today.”

“Yeah, how?”

“You know that Okragly guy?”

“Of course.”

“He found us a terrific Uber.”

“Where is it?”

Right over there.”

“What is that?”

“A Ruxton Front Wheel Drive luxury car came out in 1930, with only 96 produced. The Great Depression bankrupted the company, and it became defunct. Only about 40 were sold as new cars to customers; some were given to debtors, but most of them ended up in wrecking yards.”

Alright. What’s the catch?”

“Oooh, opposite of pitch. I like it”

“Come on.”

“Okay, no catch whatsoever.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Right behind you.”

”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Verification

October 13, 2026October 12, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 48 Comments

Today I opened The Last Drive at random to page 199. With my eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “Verification.” This is our prompt.

“May I see your ID?”

“Why’s that?”

“I need verification of who you are.”

“I told you.”

“I know, but verification is important; otherwise, I can’t let you in.”

“I just showed you my invitation.”

“All well and good, but verification is still needed.”

“I don’t have any ID.”

“Well then, sir, would you please step aside. You are holding up others.”

“Wait a minute. There has to be another way.”

“Don’t know what that might be.”

“Do you have a list of those invited?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why not check the list with the invitation?”

“That won’t give me the verification that I need.”

“Seems silly. What’s one more at a feeding frenzy anyway?”

“If we let in every stray shark that comes by, there would not be enough prey to go around.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll miss this one then.”

“You know, on second thought, you have been nice about this. I agree the rules are a bit stringent. Go ahead in. Mackerel are the subject of the frenzy today.”

“Thank you.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Familiar”

October 10, 2026October 9, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 54 Comments

The familiar routine of morning coffee, followed by bedlam, is comforting even though it’s annoying. A touch of the two coffee icon on the touchscreen brings the coffee machine to life. The first sip quells the jackhammer-on-concrete noise in my head from caffeine withdrawal. The second sip is accompanied by the Westminster chime of the doorbell and the simultaneous baying of Twiggy and Tempeste, obviously auditioning for guardians of the gates of hell. Two new toys tossed into the soundproof room, followed by the door’s slam, brings the kind of peace Leon Bridges describes in the song Peaceful Place.

A glance at the security monitor shows Horton the Elephant on a nest on the porch. He has an envelope and clipboard. Obviously, the security shutdown process needs to begin.

Horton passes me the envelope and clipboard. The signed document, with a fiver clipped to the board, is returned. The question, “How long are you going to sit on Mayzie’s egg?” goes unasked, and the front door closes.

The envelope is from Linda Hill. The letter inside reads:

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

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/10/09/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-october-10-2026/

“I’m not familiar with Horton.”

“He’s a character out of a book titled Horton Hatches the Egg.”

“Odd thing, an elephant sitting on an egg.”

“From the mind of Dr. Seuss.”

“What made you think of that character?”

“I was looking at the Warner Brothers characters when Horton popped up. I remember seeing the cartoon and reading the story to my kids.”

“A bit of nostalgia, huh?”

“I suppose. The story is great, with lessons of greed and commitment.”

“Does it end well?”

“It does. Like most of our Uber rides. Speaking of which.”

“Right over there.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a VW pickup truck.”

“I didn’t know they made pickups.”

“They did between 1980 and 1983.”

“Okay, so what’s the hitch?”

“A small thing.”

“Never small.”

“One of us has to ride in the back.”

“The person who hired the VW, raise your hand.”

“Okay, I’ll ride in the back.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Direct”

October 6, 2026October 5, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 48 Comments

Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The Final Stop to page 143 and, with my eyes closed, pointed to the page. “Direct ” is the word closest to my finger. That is our prompt today.

“Okay, you men, listen up.”

“Yes, sir.”

“This next mission is going to be a tough one. I’ll need every one of you to do your best. Any questions?”

“Sir?”

“Yes, Jones.”

“You indicated that the plan is an all-out direct assault.”

“That’s right.”

“That’s going to be costly in terms of casualties.”

“We all signed up for that, Jones.”

“I know, sir, but I have an idea.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Instead of a direct assault, we break up into groups and hit the target from several angles.”

“Hmm. Tell me more.”

“Well, in that way we neutralize the threat and at least save some of the troops for a later engagement should it be needed.”

“Are you sure separate attacks will neutralize the threat?”

“I have seen these kinds of attacks before. The enemy comes in with bravado and even killer gas. After a couple of hits, they pull back immediately. Deep down, they are very soft.”

“I must say you have seen more action than I have. Okay, let’s go with your plan. Okay, everyone, you heard it. We are going to attack the enemy in groups. Simpson, you and your troops are group one. Jones, you are group two. Kawolski, group three. Here are the targets. Any other questions?”

“Sir.”

“Yes, Kawolski.”

“What if this dope doesn’t retreat?”

“Just have your troops keep biting. Remember, you are fire ants, and those tall ones can’t stand for long. Besides, your target is the ankle, and that is the tender zone.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Breeze”

October 3, 2026October 2, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments

The cup of coffee was delivered in a breeze. No funny messages, no pout, no workplace demands, just a double cup of coffee. The first sip brings calm to the Berlin Symphony Orchestra playing the Anvil Chorus in my brain from dangerously low caffeine levels. The second sip (wait for it) is accompanied by the cacophony of the doorbell, Westminster chimes, and the baying of the Hounds of Baskerville by Twiggy and Tempeste. A quick toss of a knucklebone into the soundproof room and a door slam brings peace like Björk singing “It’s Oh So Quiet” on the soft parts.

A glance at the monitor shows Winnie the Pooh standing on the porch with an envelope and clipboard. Knowing conversation is impossible, the security shutdown process begins with a sigh.

The clipboard is returned after signing, with a fiver attached. Winnie’s smile let me know Clarabell is happy with the tip. Closing the front door, the envelope contains a letter from Linda Hill. It reads:

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

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link:

https://lindaghill.com/2026/10/02/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-october-3-2026/

“Winnie the Pooh?”

“That’s who it was.”

“Too bad Christopher Robin didn’t show up.”

“Why’s that?”

“We could breeze through a lesson or two.”

“On positivity?”

“Or honey consumption.”

“That should be spelled hunny.”

“Okay, you got me.”

“Speaking of honey.”

“Uber is over there.”

“What the heck?”

“It’s a 1950 Ford Highway Patrol cruiser.”

“I can see that. This one has plenty of room, so there must be a big catch.”

“Just a small one. We have to drive Broadrick Crawford to the set of the Highway Patrol TV series.”

“That actually sounds fun.”

“10-04.”

“Okay, let’s go. Wait a minute. That series ended in 1959.”

“Since when are you averse to a little time travel?”

“Since I would like to get to the pub for a Voodoo Ranger without being caught in some time continuum glitch.”

“I guess that could happen.”

“Okay, so do we need a different Uber?”

“No. We’ll skip the filming.”

“Thank you.”

Tuesday – Anything possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Responsible”

September 29, 2026September 28, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

Today, I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 63 and, with my eyes closed, pointed to the page. The word nearest my finger was “responsible.” That is our prompt today.

“All right. Who do you think is responsible for this mess, Jackson?”

“You think someone is going to own up to this?”

“They’d better, if they know what’s good for them.”

“I think you are dreaming if you think someone will step forward.”

“Well, let’s just see, shall we. Johnson.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you know about this mess?”

“Nothing, sir.”

“You sure?”

” Yes, sir. I am.”

“Baker.”

“Yes, sergeant.”

“What do you know?”

“Nothing, sir.”

“Figures. You covering for someone?”

“No,o sir. I just got here, sir.”

“Wier.”

“Ye,s sir.”

“How about you?”

“All I know is the call went out to gather here. By the time I got here, this mess was already made.”

“This was supposed to be our lunch. Johnson.”

“Ye,s sir.”

“Who else was here besides you three?”

“I hate to say this, Sarge, but a few gulls were flying away when I got here.”

“Gulls?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Didn’t I tell you to watch our lunch while I got a few more fish?”

“They were so quick, sir.”

“You are an ospre,y for heaven’s sake. You could have taken them out.”

“Gulls are nasty, sir.”

“I’m not saying eat them. You could have scared them away.”

“Next time, sir.”

“You three go get more fish. I’ll stay here with Jackson and guard the one left. Now go.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Inner/Outer”

September 26, 2026September 25, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 53 Comments

Sometimes understanding the inner workings of the coffee machine is difficult, given its expressionless exterior. The machine certainly has inner quirks that show up as a lack of performance. For example, this morning everything looked normal as the machine was powered up. Then this message appeared briefly on the touchscreen.

The normal screen appears, but the mystery of the machine’s message is still with me. Two touches of the coffee icon produced a normal hot, steaming 8oz cup of soothing syrup, whose aroma began calming the Notre Dame Marching Band sound in my head from not enough caffeine. The first sip went further, and all that is left is a slight sound of that tiny triangle, which is seldom heard. The second sip is accompanied, as we all know, by the cacophony of the combination of the Doorbell Westminster chimes and the rock-crumbling bark of Twiggy and Tempeste warning the idiot who can’t read the “Do not ring the doorbell sign that death is imminent. A quick toss of a couple of Bennie Bomes into the soundproof room, followed by a door slam. The quiet reverberates like Disturb’s Sound of Silence

A look at the security monitor confirms that the doorbell ringers are Laurel and Hardy. With a sigh, the security shutdown process is begun.

Hardy steps forward to hand me the clipboard and envelope. Laurel taps him on the shoulder. He responds by asking Laurel to give him a minute. Laurel continues to tap. “What is it?” Hardy demands. “You are standing on my foot.” The clipboard goes back with a fiver attached, and once inside, the envelope is opened to reveal a message from Linda Hill

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “inner/outer.” Use one, use both, use ’em any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use both. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link:

https://lindaghill.com/2026/09/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-september-26-2026/

‘I see you repeated using the prompt.”

“Yeah, I have been getting a lot of folks who wonder where the prompt was used.”

“You could bold it.”

“But then the dialog turns into prose.”

“Too complex for me. How did you choose Laurel and Hardy today?”

“They are a favorite of mine.”

“They say slapstick humor is the lowest kind.”

“I never said I was sophisticated in my laughs.”

“I do think they are funny.”

“As a kid, I loved watching them. I saw a few reels recently, and they are still funny.”

“I’ll take your word. I haven’t seen them in years.”

Speaking of years, did you call Uber?”

“Yup. Right over there.”

“Now you are talking. I get dibs on the stretcher.”

“Not sure that’s going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“Because there is a catch.”

“Of course there is. What is it?”

“We have to transport a guy from the hospital to the care facility.”

“Why the heck do we get into these situations?”

“It’s all about the money. The trips are free.”

“I think paying would be better.”

“Ah, come on. Think of the experiences. You know first aid, don’t you?”

“Huh? No, I don’t.”

“Don’t tell the driver. I told him you did.”

“What if something happens?”

“It won’t. The guy is perfectly healthy.”

“Why is he in an ambulance then?”

“He is 102 years old.”

“Great. What if he has a heart attack or something?”

“Just follow the directions on the defib machine.”

“Give me a Voodoo Ranger.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Typo”

September 19, 2026September 18, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

The cofee (whoops. A typo) machine stands like a beacon in the post-apocalyptic world of my head during caffeine withdrawal. The steady flow of soothing elixir brings appetizer-like aromas that promise relief. The first sip stops the zombie moans in my brain. The second is accompanied by the combination of the Westminster Chimes of the doorbell and the eardrum-puncturing baying of Igor’s hounds in Twiggy and Tempeste’s reaction to the chimes. A quick toss of two knuckle bones into the soundproof room, followed by the slamming of the door, brings a Deep Purple Hush back to the room.

A glance at the monitor shows Chip and Dale, the chipmunks, each holding either a clipboard or a letter. Since talking to them is futile, the security shutdown process begins.

Chip hands me the letter and Dale the clipboard. When signed, the clipboard goes back to Dale with a fiver under the clip. Thinking that they might have a problem with the money, a bag of unshelled peanuts follows the clipboard.

Once inside, the letter is opened, and it is from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “typo.” Use it any ~~wya~~ way you’d like. Have fun!

If you would like to see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/09/18/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-september-19-2026/

“Chip and Dale? Where did you come up with them?”

“I was looking around for a character, and they just came to me.”

“I can see them trying to spend the five bucks.”

“That’s why I gave them the peanuts.”

“Yeah. Where did they come from?”

“This is fiction, remember.”

“Ah. Poetic license.”

“You got it.”

“Speaking of license.”

“Did you call Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“What the heck is that thing?”

“It’s a 1939 Buick sedan retrofitted for rail inspections.”

“How is that going to get us to the pub?”

“The pub is on the mainline.”

“Since when?”

“This is fiction, remember.”

“Stumbled onto my own patard.”

“What?”

“Never mind. So we just hop in there and go to the pub?”

“Well.”

“I knew it. A hitch.”

“A small one.”

“Okay, give it to me.”

“We have to take a ride on the Reading Railroad.”

“Why’s that?”

“The card said so. We landed on chance.”

“For heaven’s sake. You are taking this fiction thing a bit far.”

“Fun, though, right?”

“Okay, let’s get going. We might get there by tonight.”

“The Reading is in Pennsylvania ”

“And we are in Texas.”

“I hope you have some VooDoo Rangers.”

“You bet.”

“Let’s go then.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Wringer”

September 15, 2026September 14, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

Today, I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 111. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word nearest my finger is “Wringer,” which is our prompt.

“Nice to have you visit.”

“I have really enjoyed myself. This hotel is the best.”

“I agree. I think it’s time for us to check out, though.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Well, they have cleaned our room.”

“I guess that’s a hint that we have to move on.”

“You said it. It’s too bad cause I like this place. The food is great.”

“I agree. Everything is so clean. Not like some other places we’ve been.”

“Yeah, talk about overcrowding and the lack of regular cleaning.”

“I have never visited a laundry before.”

“Well, if we hadn’t slept in, we wouldn’t be here now”

“What do we do?”

“We have to avoid being caught up in the washing machine and then the wringer.”

“What is a wringer”

“I don’t know exactly how it works, but I know whatever goes in comes out flat.”

“Have you seen it work before?”

“Oh yeah, plenty of times. I was just lucky to be able to avoid it.”

“So what’s our next move?”

“When they grab these sheets, jump over to the clean pile.”

“Won’t they see us?”

“Nah. We are too small for them to see us.”

“And so we will go to another room?”

“Yup. We can stay. But this time we have to be alert, and when they come to clean the room, we need to go onto the mattress.”

“Got it. I’ll tell you, being a bedbug is not easy.”

“You said it.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Reason”

September 12, 2026September 11, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 71 Comments

The only reason survival is possible is coffee. That golden elixir is the only self-medication that stops the spike-driving, rail-laying, metal-on-metal sound in my head from caffeine withdrawal. The aroma alerts my senses to be prepared for soothing peace.

The first sip quells the noise. The second sip, as we are all too familiar, is accompanied by the falling grand piano in the Grand Canyon sound as it hits the floor, a combination of Westminster chimes of the doorbell and the bark to St. Louis, picture window smashing sound of Twiggy and Tempeste treating the idiot who can’t read the do not ring the doorbell sign as a threat to life and limb. A quick toss of peanut butter-stuffed Kong toys into the soundproof room, and a slam of the door hails the arrival of the peace train.

A check of the monitor shows Marc Antony, the Bulldog, with a clipboard and letter. Knowing conversation is futile, the security shutdown process is begun.

The Bulldog gives me the letter and clipboard, which is signed and returned. A fiver is clipped to the board, so the Bulldog smiles and makes his exit. Once inside, the letter seems to be from Linda Hill and says: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘reason.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link.

https://lindaghill.com/2026/09/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-september-12-2026/

“Okay, what’s the reason you didn’t give the Bulldog one of your clever quotes?”

“I thought the fiver would be enough.”

“Don’t you think once he gets back to the delivery company, all the other characters will ask about the motivational tip?”

“How will they know he made a stop at my place?”

“Yeah, that’s a good point. I don’t suppose those characters compare notes.”

“I think they just do their job and go home. What reason would there be to mill around and discuss deliveries?”

“What reason indeed. I’m now sorry I mentioned it.”

“Nah, don’t be sorry. Enquiring minds want to know.”

“Speaking of that, you ready to go to the pub?”

“You get an Uber?”