Staring at the cup as the machine finishes its work, the residual effects of my second Covid booster have me fixated on the beauty of the dark frothy liquid. For two days, my body has been in a state that could best be described as hungover. Recalling the days when copious amounts of gin were consumed with an equal quantity of abandon and mirth. The next day was payback for all that fun. It has been years now, but today I feel the effects mirrored by that libertine care abandonment of years ago.

The cup is ready, and it appears that life will continue a sip later. But unfortunately, my phone has sent an alert of a front door visitor. A deep sigh indicates that this might not be the time to entertain whoever may be there. Deciding to ignore the Ring camera and try sipping coffee from a reclining position on the couch, I move the magazine in my way. The cover picture would rattle me on a normal day. Today the sight of a piazza in a cast iron pan is almost enough to inspire a call to 9-1-1.

Forgoing the couch, I go through the process of opening the front door. Chains undid, Locks unlocked, steel bars rolled aside, explosive device unarmed, the door is swung open. I tawt I taw a puddyy tat,” was the first thing to come out of Tweety Bird’s beak. y shock at seeing her was only exceeded by the fact she was ten feet tall. You been hanging around that Alice person?” was my question.

Tweety just smiled and handed me an envelope, turned, and was down the driveway. Pity, the cat, was my thought as I opened the envelope. Inside was a message from Linda Hill. Here’s what it said.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “a picture from wherever.” When you sit down to write your post, find a picture, whether in a magazine, newspaper, or even product packaging. Write whatever thought or emotion the picture provokes. Enjoy!

If you want to enjoy, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link

https://lindaghill.com/2022/06/10/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-11-2022/

A Picture from Wherever by John W. Howell © 2022.

“Feeling rough, huh?”

“Yeah,  a little. better than yesterday.”

“The booster did that?”

“Yeah.  t was the same last time too.”

“So what was with the magazine?”

“The pizza you mean.”

“Okay, the pizza.”

“Can’t explain it.   shot of a pizza in a pan, and I about lost it.”

“You should have gone right to the door.”

“And what come face to face with a ten-foot Tweety earlier?”

“I see your point. hose characters can be a pain for sure.”

“I just can’t figure out why they come around me.”

“Maybe they think you’re a character.”

I suppose that’s it.”

“Well, at least Resa McConaghy thinks it’s a good thing.”

“You saw her post?”

“I sure did. t was terrific so let’s go celebrate.”

“No pizza, right?”

“Just hops and barley.”

“Music to my tastebuds.”

”

Out of coffee beans was the message on the machine. Time to switch from Columbian to French Roast. Filling the reservoir brought a tweak of excitement in anticipation of a new dark roast flavor. Sure enough, when the process is activated, the machine seems to be in a similar frame of mind. No hesitation, and within seconds, the 10 ounces of life-saving Elixer was delivered into the cup.

With a shaking hand, the cup reaches the mouth for the first sip of the unique blend. Slowly the brain picks up the cues of deep taste, aroma, and mind-altering chemical rush. Yes, indeed, this is heaven on Earth.

Sitting with the coffee and laptop and just starting to go through the day’s mail, there was a crash sound that seems like what a falling bus would sound like if it landed in the backyard. Why that sound is familiar is a piece of irony and a story for another time.

Getting up from my comfort and hazarding a look into the backyard, there was no surprise in seeing a big yellow iron bus buried up to the hubcaps in the turf. A sigh escaped my lips since it appears that an investigation would be necessary. “First finish the coffee” was an order from the brain department. A second or two after returning to my seat, the doorbell rings.

What the hell good is it to put a sign on the doorbell not to ring it when every Tom, Dick, and Harry ignores the sign? Theseare the thoughts as I pull Twiggy and Lucy from the ceiling. The front door requires a disarming procedure which takes a few minutes. The door finally gives way, and a stranger asks. “Have you seen a bus anywhere around here?”

“Elmer Fudd?” The question shoots out of my mouth before the brain can catch it. The answer is a surprise. The character declines to admit he is Elmer Fudd but hands me an envelope and tips his hunting hat. “That Waskely Wabbit took my bus, and if you see it or him, tell him he is on the menu for tonight.”

Rather than get involved, I thanked Elmer for the envelope and slowly shut the door. The bus will have to wait while the envelope receives full attention. No surprise, it is from Linda Hill with a message inside. The message reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “iron(y).” Use “iron,” use “irony,” or use both. Use them any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use both. Have fun!

If you would like to have fun, just go to Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link.

https://lindaghill.com/2022/06/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-4-2022/

Iron(y) by John W. Howell © 2022

“So you burned up all our time with that silly story.”

“Had to be told.”

“Iron bus in the backyard.”

“Funny visual, wouldn’t you say.”

“Good thing there is no fact-checker on this blog.”

“It’s fiction, remember.”

“Yeah, but a falling bus.”

“The irony here is how do you get a bus out of your backyard?”

“Let’s not even go there. so the prompt is iron?”

“Iron and irony. Got em both. Bonus cha-ching.”

“Which reminds me.”

“Of what.”

“Iron City beer. Ever hear of it?”

“Of course. The producer is from Pittsburgh.”

“Think we can get some?”

“The pub master can certainly tell us.”

“The irony is we need someone to tell us if the beer is available.”

“Rather than what?”

“Sitting drinking it.”

“Good point. Let’s go.”

Back home after a week of family and fun, looking forward to sipping the hot frothy beverage that has been hailed through the centuries as one of the pillars of life. The machine finally presents me with ten ounces of heaven, and a stroll in the garden is top on the list.

Disengaging the security system, flipping the machine gun tower switch to stand by, powering back the concertina wire, and disarming the claymore mines renders the backyard clear for a walk.

Passing the array of flowers gives new meaning to the word “home.” It is clear that rest is a welcome thing after a journey of a thousand gins. While admiring a particularly gorgeous rose, a sense of not being alone comes over me. A quick turn brings me face to face with a Cheshire Cat smoking a hookah while drifting about three feet off of terra firma.

“You, John?” A funny question coming from a cat. The short reply, “yes,” seems to satisfy its curiosity since its smile becomes more extensive. The cat takes a drag of the hookah pipe and hands me an envelope. A Thanks to the cat is met by a nod and puff of smoke. Once the air is clear, that cat is nowhere to be found.

I open the envelope, and inside is a message from Linda Hill, which reads, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “clear.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

If you would like to enjoy this frivolity, visit Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link, https://lindaghill.com/2022/05/20/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-21-2022

Clear by John W. Howell © 2022

“Clear.”

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to start my airplane engine. You always yell out the window to ensure everyone knows to stay away from the propeller.”

“I don’t see an airplane.”

“I know. It’s my imagination.”

“Like that Cheshire Cat?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m starting to worry about you. It’s clear you are having some kind of event.”

“I’m just making sure I have the prompt covered.”

“I think you are in the clear on that.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment. You have me concerned.”

“Why?”

“Those tales about machine guns and concertina wire. I think you have some kind of bout with paranoia.”

“You wouldn’t think that if you had to put up with the characters that come a calling on Saturday.”

“Delusional.”

“Huh?”

“Another issue getting harder to bear.”

“Sounds good.”

“What?”

“A beer.”

“I said bear.”

“Where?”

“Just shoot me. Okay, I give. Who’s buying?”

“Whoever said beer first.”

“You.”

“Okay, I’ll need to raise some cash. Know anyone who wants to buy a slightly used Cheshire Cat?”

“Never mind. I’ll buy.”