Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Small

November 19, 2024November 19, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 60 Comments

I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 131. Without looking, I pointed to the page, and the word “small” was closest to my finger.

“Can you see it?”

“Damn, that is pretty small.”

“Here, take this magnifier.”

“It still is too small to see clearly.”

“For heaven’s sake. What’s the problem.”

“My hand is shaking too much to determine what I’m looking at.”

“Maybe if we get closer, it will come into view.”

“It’s not like I can’t wait.”

“It won’t be too long.”

“How long?”

“A couple of light years.”

“That’s all? Why am I straining my eyes then?”

“I thought you would want a first glance.”

“Naw, I can wait. After all, it has been eons since we have been on the road. What’s a couple of light years?”

“That’s very mature of you.”

“I forgot the name of the place.”

“It’s a rather stupid name.”

“What is it?”

“Earth.”

“Boy, you are right. Being so close to the Milky Way Galaxy, you would have thought they could come up with a better name.”

“Yeah, all the others have pretty catchy names. Since we have discovered this one, we should rename it.”

“Great idea. Got any names in mind?”

“Humm. The only one that comes to mind immediately is yogurt.”

“I like it. Let it be so.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Courtroom

November 12, 2024November 10, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 85 Comments

I opened Circumstances of Childhood randomly to page 189 and pointed at the page without looking. The word closest to my finger was “courtroom.”

“You may call your witness counselor.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. The state calls Ms. Charlene Roste.”

“Ms. Roste, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do.”

“Very well, Ms. Roste. Would you state your name for the record?”

“Certainly. My name is Charlene Maywood Roste. My friends call me Chuck.”

“Thank you. Now tell the jury exactly what you saw on the night of June sixteenth.”

“Well, there I was, minding my own business when a guy approached me.”

“Is that guy in the courtroom?”

“Yes, right over there.”

“Let the record show the witness has identified the defendant, Farmer Brown. What happened next?”

“He had a pail and three-legged stool, which he immediately used to assault me.”

“By assault, you mean he hit you?”

“No. He grabbed my parts and started taking my milk.”

“Before we go further, the defense insists that you were under contract, which allowed Farmer Brown to take your milk. Do you agree with that?”

“I never saw a contract, nor have I signed one.”

“So here is the paper the defense says you signed. Does this look familiar?”

“I’ve never seen it before.”

“Is that signature yours?”

“Heck no. I always sign with my right hoof. That clearly is a left-hoof forgery.”

“Objection, your honor.”

“Yes, Mr. Travis?”

“The witness is not a certified hoof analyst, so her statement is conjecture.”

“So noted. The jury will disregard Ms. Roste’s last statement.”

“But you say you did not sign the contract.”

“I did not, and that man humiliated me.”

“Thank you, Ms. Roste.”

“Mr Travis, your witness.”

“Thank you, your honor. Ms. Roste, how long have you been on Farmer Brown’s farm?”

“About four years.”

“How many times has he taken your milk?”

“Twice a day.”

“So for four years, that would be over twelve hundred times.”

“I guess. I don’t do well at math.”

“Why did you object this time?”

“To be honest, I was looking for a ‘thank you.'”

“A thank you?”

“Yes. That man has taken my milk over twelve hundred times and never said thank you.”

“I see. What if he says ‘thank you’ now?”

“That’s all I want.”

“Your honor, for a directed acquittal, I will guarantee that my client will say ‘thank you.'”

“What say you, Mr. Prosecutor.”

“Yeah, fine.”

“Ms Roste?”

“I will be good with that.”

“So directed. Yes, Mr. Brown?”

“Thank you, Ms Roste.”

” You are welcome, Mr. Brown. Also, some warm water would be nice in the winter.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Starts with Under.”

November 9, 2024November 8, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

A bright new day is underway. (Is this poetry or what?) The Coffee machine senses the need for fast service. A mere touch of the start button sets a series of machinations in motion that end with an olfactory-pleasing mug of the life-saving elixir. Understanding the memory restoration properties of Columbia’s second most lucrative export, the first sip is taken.

The clock is set for November 8th, 1924. The location is Austin, Texas, and the duration is an hour. Another sip, a pull of the plunger, and we find ourselves at the University of Texas Memorial Stadium. We are here for the first game played in the new stadium. The teams playing each other are the Texas Longhorns and the Baylor Bears.

The crowd is estimated to be 13,500 people, and unfortunately for Texas, the Baylor team beat them 28 to 10. So, the underdog Texas team could not rise to the occasion and set a positive precedent in the new stadium. Just as happy Baylor fans were tearing down the goalposts, the alarm went off, and we were back on the couch.

I hear a text tone and see one from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with ‘under.’” Find a word that starts with “under” and use it in your post. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/11/08/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-9-2024/

“It is amazing that those two teams played 100 years ago.”

“Yeah, and until Texas left the Big Twelve they played up to last year.”

“So, 99 years.”

“Yup, and that last score was Texas 38, Baylor 6.”

“Sweet revenge.”

“I suppose. We must understand that Baylor is no longer the powerhouse they once were.”

“You folks in Texas take the game seriously.”

“Yeah, we do.”

“You know what else is serious?”

“Does it have anything to do with VooDoo Ranger?”

“You are a genius.”

“Uber?”

“Over there. Before you look, don’t underestimate the beauty.”

“Beauty? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Well, yes. I just wanted some way to use an “under” word.”

“We can’t ride in that.”

“Sure we can. Besides, it’s free.”

“Why free?”

“The owner is on the way to the dump, and he passes the pub.”

“How do we get home?”

“Call Uber.”

“The circle of life. Okay, let’s go.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Wave

November 5, 2024November 3, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 55 Comments

I opened My GRL randomly to page 73. Without looking, I pointed to the page, and the word closest to my finger was “wave.”

I will be away from my computer this morning and will not get to comments until later.

“Look out there.”

“Where?”

“Past the third wave.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“You have to look when the wave is low.”

“Oh, I see it. What is it?”

“Hard to say from here. We have to wait until it gets closer.”

“treasure, maybe?”

“Come on, treasure doesn’t float.”

“If it is food, someone will grab it before it gets to shore.”

“You have a point. This island has been deserted forever, so the grab might be a shark.”

“What should we do?”

“We have to go out there and get it.”

“We? With a shark roaming around?”

“Alright, I’ll go.”

“My hero. How are you going to do it?”

“I figure I can grab it on the fly.”

“I see it now. It is a bag of wavy potato chips.”

“OMG. Are the gods smiling or what. No shark will grab those.”

“I haven’t seen Wavys since we left Miami Beach.”

“Remind me again why we left?”

“Peregrine Falcons.”

“Oh yeah. Not a gull’s best friend.”

“They love us, though.”

“They always want to invite us for dinner.”

“Not as a guest either.”

“Look, the Wavys are here.”

“You still know how to open that bag?”

“Never lose a skill, my son.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Chill

November 2, 2024November 1, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 80 Comments

The message on the control pad was clear in its meaning. The lone word, “Chill,” meant coffee would be delayed. Drumming fingers on the kitchen counter does no good whatsoever. An eternity passes until the slow drool of lifesaving elixir begins from the twin spouts.

Finally, I take a first sip, which comes just as the caffeine warning light in my head starts to rotate. The calm after the storm is a relief. Unfortunately, the calm lasts a brief two seconds before the Westminster chimes of the doorbell send the hounds of Baskerville into a frothy barking frenzy at a decibel level that manages to destroy every lightbulb in the place.

The only thing to do is open the bedroom door and toss a jar of peanut butter inside. Once the baying hounds pass the doorjamb in pursuit, the door is slammed, and silence returns. The security system is the next item of attention.

The turret machine guns are set to stand by, the boiling oil cauldron tipping mechanism is turned off, and the automated arrow launching pods are unarmed. In addition, the Trebuchet, ballista, and falling rock device are switched to manual. The claymore mines are set to manual, the mote net rolled back, and the concertina wire retracted. The Iron gate is raised, and the bolts are thrown on the front door.

Standing there is a guy with a chill expression and two massive ears. He is munching a carrot and asks me, “Eh, what’s up Doc?” He hands me an envelope, turns and disappears. Inside the envelope is a message from Linda Hill. It reads:

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

If you want to see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2024/11/01/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-2-2024/

“Why no time trip?”

“The only news from 1924 was an accident in Chicago and a first time crossword puzzle in London. Pretty boring.”

“You know you don’t have to stick with 1924.”

“Yeah, you are right but that damn doorbell went off and I ran out of time.”

“Was that Bugs Bunny?”

“Hard to say. Since I don’t have a Warner Brothers waver of their copyright I’m saying it was somebody else.”

“You a lawyer?”

“No but I play one on TV.”

“Any thought about Voo Doo Ranger?”

“Do you have an Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“A 1968 Dodge Charger. Now we are living.”

“Yes and no riding outside either.”

“I’ll even sit in the back.”

“What a chill gent you are.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Prompt – Position

October 29, 2024October 28, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 55 Comments

Today, I opened Circumstances of Childhood randomly to page 115. Without looking, I pointed at the page, and my finger fell closest to the word “position.”

“So, what position do you play?”

“I pretty much play them all.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, I figured if I was going to do well, I would have to learn them all.”

“But that is almost impossible.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“What did the coach say.”

“When I tried out, you mean?”

“Yeah.”

“The same thing as you, impossible.”

“So what happened?”

“He had some guys run me through the positions.”

“And?”

“I start tomorrow.”

“Wow, that’s great.”

“Except for one thing.”

“I’m starting to molt.”

“You can still play.”

“If I can’t fly, I can’t play.”

“Who said that?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of a high fly ball?”

“Oh, brother.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Mug

October 26, 2024October 25, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

The coffee machine has the day off. Here’s what happened. Daughter went to Costa Rica and brought back some coffee. The coffee was already ground, so using the machine to brew a cup was not impossible, but it was close to it. A French Press was conscripted into action. Boiling water, tablespoons of coffee, and a four-minute wait was almost like camping out.

Finally, the cup is ready. The coffee is remarkably smooth compared to Columbian. It has a floral finish, which could be offsetting if one is unfamiliar with that element. The primary benefit of caffeine delivery is accomplished, so in the end, it is a success.

Just at the finish of the cup, the Westminister chime doorbell causes Twiggy and Tempeste to take up the protective high-octave warning system that can cause the ears to bleed. Wondering why people can’t pay attention to the “PLEASE DO NOT RING THE DOORBELL” sign is beyond me. The shutdown of the security system begins.

Standing there is a guy with a mug that looks like Al Capone. He has a letter and says it needs to be signed for receipt. He also has a clipboard and tells me to sign on line four. I do that, and he hands me the letter. “Don’t leave town,” he says. Before my response, he turns and walks away.

I open the letter, which is from Linda Hill. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “mug.” 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/2024/10/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-26-2024/

“There was no cartoon character.”

“Yeah, just a creepy guy telling me not to leave town,”

“What does it mean?”

“If I didn’t know better, I would say someone is trying to intimidate me.”

“Who would do that?”

“Beats me.”

“Should you call someone?”

“Like who?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe Yosemite Sam.”

“We don’t need that hassle, for sure. How about we go to the pub and forget it?”

“Imagine that. You bring up the pub. I have an Uber right over there.”

“Look at that. A 1940 Ford Tudor Delux.”

“Yeah, it’s a beaut. And good news. No bugs in the teeth either.”

“This can make one forget troubles immediately.”

“Good cause that is want needs to be done.”

“Let’s go.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Word that starts with Kn”

October 19, 2024October 18, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

One knows when the machine is going to function correctly. There are no knocks or pings, and the aroma begins immediately. This knowledge comes from years of experience relying on machines for life-affirming elixir. Today is good in that the liquid pours from the twin spouts like it is happy to see me.

One sip and my mind turns to the clock. It is set for Saturday, October 18, 1924, and the location is the Polo Grounds in New York. The duration is an hour, and when the plunger is pulled, we find ourselves in the stands surrounded by screaming fans.

In one of the most anticipated games of the 1924 college football season, played before 60,000 at the Polo Grounds stadium in New York City, Notre Dame defeated Army, 13 to 7. Nationally syndicated sportswriter Grantland Rice wrote his famous “Four Horsemen” column published in the next day’s newspapers.

The article included the famous lines.”Outlined against a blue-gray October sky,” Rice wrote, “the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore, they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction, and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley, and Layden.”

Just as it was time to run on the field, the alarm goes off and we are back on the couch. A text from Linda Hill has this week’s prompt. It reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with ‘kn.’” Find a word that starts with the letters “kn” and 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/2024/10/18/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-19-2024/

“You went to Notre Dame, didn’t you?”

“I sure did. Got my MBA there.”

“I don’t think Notre Dame fans have changed.”

“No, just as enthusiastic as ever.”

“I’ll bet you all knocked back a few beers on game day.”

“That we did. Of course, being older, I was under control.”

“I’m sure you were. Your knack for keeping me in line should be applauded.”

“Speaking of that, did you contact Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“An old Dodge Ram?”

“An old Dodge Ram tanker, I might add.”

“The age-old question is, where are we going to sit?”

“There is plenty of room. I would wear your sunglasses, though.”

“why’s that?”

“There’s no windshield, so you need to protect your eyes.”

“Why do we get these junk heaps anyway?”

“Two extra VooDooRangers.”

“Huh?”

“We save enough for two extra VooDoo Rangers.”

“Okay, but who can drink two extra?”

“That is another problem. Here, let me help you get into the Dodge.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Contemplation

October 15, 2024October 14, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 57 Comments

Today, I opened Our Justice randomly to page 151. I pointed to the page with my eyes closed, and the word contemplation was closest to my finger.

“You’re quiet.”

“Yeah.”

“Is it a contemplation, or are you not feeling well?”

“A little of both, I suppose.”

“Aw. What is bothering you?”

“I think I overate at lunch.”

“I thought you seemed overly hungry.”

“I don’t think it was that.”

“What was it then?”

“I have been wondering why we were put on the Earth. I think the contemplation of that question just got me to a point where I binge ate.”

“Well, I have certainly had that feeling myself.”

“You have?”

“Yes. A while back, I was also wondering what is the ultimate meaning of life?”

“Oh wow. Then I’m not weird.”

“Not at all. I think most thinking beings ask themselves that very thing. Especially in our case, given the way we live.”

“By the way we live, what do you mean?”

“We have to rely on some unfortunate circumstance to happen in order to get a meal.”

“What do you mean by unfortunate?”

“Like today. We would never have had such a beautiful lunch had that raccoon not run under that car.”

“Oh, I get it. We need road kill to survive.”

“Exactly.”

“But I never thought such a thing was unfortunate.”

“No. Then ask our lunch host the next time.”

“Oh, my goodness. I never thought of them. Is there a way to change how we find food?”

“Like become vegans? Don’t make me laugh. We are vultures, and we are destined to eat what has gone before us.”

“So contemplation about such things is not very healthy.”

“Just think of this. If we weren’t here, who would clean up the mess left by a dead animal? Certainly not humans. They can’t seem to pick up a beer can, let alone a skunk.”

“So we have purpose.”

“You bet. And some pretty fine eats.”

“Thanks, you’ve helped me.”

“Good. Feel better?”

“Yeah. Let’s catch a thermal and find another meal.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Clip

October 12, 2024October 11, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

A note on the coffee machine held in place by a clip made a heart-stopping announcement: THE MACHINE IS OUT OF ORDER. This is the message from hell. There is no signature and, therefore, no avenue of appeal. How can the machine be out of order? What manner of trickery is this? Who is responsible? All are good questions, followed by the sound of crickets.

There is only one thing left to do before my carbon unit goes into shutdown mode.

A trip to the coffee store is now a matter of life and death. There can be no delay since neurons in my brain are beginning to misfire. One fist won’t open so it is clear before any more symptoms develop, survival demands a shutdown of the security system and quick exit.

There is a guy standing on the porch with a large carryout container of Dunkin Donuts coffee. “Is that world-famous author J.W. Howell?”

“Uh, I’m J. W. Howell”

“Good. Here’s your coffee.”

I take it in my only functioning hand and thank the man. He nods and then leaves. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, a big sip of the magical liquid brings me back to life. Just as my memory returns, I feel the buzz of an incoming text. It is from Linda Hill and reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “clip.” Use it as a noun or a verb, 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/2024/10/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-12-2024/

“Did you ever find out what was wrong with the machine?”

“No. I did a self-repair and was good as new by the afternoon.”

“Who put the clip with the note?”

“I have no idea.”

“Who called for the delivery?”

“I know this will sound strange, but I think the machine did.”

“Oh, come on. Machines can’t do that.”

“This one almost seems alive. I haven’t told anyone this, but I lock the kitchen door when I go to bed.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No. I know it sounds nuts, but that thing gives me the willies.”

“Why not get a different one?”

“Cause it makes the best coffee.”

“Yeah, that reminds me of the old joke about the five-dollar-a-day workhand.”

“Haven’t heard it.”

“This farmer has a five dollar-a-day work and who burned all his crops and set fire to the barn and house. When asked if he fired the guy, he said. ‘No.'”

“No? why not?”

“His answer was, ‘Where am I going to get a five-dollar-a-day workhand to replace him.'”

“Good one, Henny Youngman. Order an Uber.”

“Right over there. You have a choice today.”