Dan Antion

Have You Seen Skippy?—SoCS

Watching the birds eat
I’ll get some to go for Lulu
Modelo draft

Happy New Year’s Eve to all who celebrate on this night. I recall Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s sidekick on The Tonight Show, calling this “amateur night.” I will be ringing in the new year watching the Twilight Zone Marathon on SyFy. If you want to know more about that, and why we watch, check out Paul’s post. Anyway, Linda G. Hill has given us our Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, and one last chance for bonus points.

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘new/knew.’ Use one, use both, use them any way you like. Bonus points if you use both. Enjoy!”

If we were having the last beer of the year, we would be confused – and we wouldn’t be the only ones. Note: there’s a critical link at the end of this post.

“Cheryl, what are you doing here? I thought you had the day off.”

“I was supposed to have the entire weekend off, Dan, but Skippy didn’t show up and they can’t find him.”

“Well, as long as you’re here, could I get a beer?”

“Sure. Is David coming in?”

“I’m not sure. He’s knew Skippy was scheduled, and he’s not a fan. He might just claim to be too busy shopping or something.”

“Here’s your beer, and here’s your buddy. I guess he didn’t go shopping.”

“He did go shopping, and the craziness of the day brought me here for a John Howell’s Special, Cheryl. It’s nuts out there, Dan.”

“It’s nuts in here, too, David. Skippy is M I A.”

“Well, no loss there.”

“No loss? No loss? The loss is to me, David. I’ve lost a day off because of that nitwit.”

“Are you working the party tonight?”

“I hope not. But Skippy hasn’t answered his phone all day.”

“I think I saw him, Cheryl. He just came out of the Men’s Room.”

“Skippy! Where the heck have you been?”

“I’m sorry I’m late Cheryl. I wanted to take a nap before coming here. I had the weirdest dream. I was…”

“Put it in your novel, Skippy. Put it in Dan’s novel. Put it where the sun don’t shine. I’m outta here. The bar is yours! I’ll be back to watch the ball drop, but I’m off the clock.”

“She seems mad.”

“That’s a keen observation, Skippy. Care to try for two?”

“Huh?”

“My beer. It seems to be empty.”

“Oh, right. I forgot why I’m here. Does that ever happen to you?”

“What, forget what I’m doing as I’m just starting to do it? No, that hasn’t happened to me. Maybe it’s happened to David.”

“Nope, sorry. Once I start doing something, I usually remember what it is. For example, if I were you, I’d be pouring Dan another Modelo.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot again. Here, here you go.”

“Skippy, are you trying to tell us this is all the result of a dream you had?”

“Dan. It was so real. Do you remember that party you threw for that woman writer?”

“Teagan Geneviene?”

“Yeah. That’s her.”

“I certainly remember that party. I couldn’t get a drink all day.”

“That’s right, David. We kept missing each other. Well, at the end of the party, I met this woman. I think her name was Lulu.”

“Skippy. Lulu was a character in Teagan’s book. You were hallucinating.”

“No, David. She was real. I bought her cheeseburgers from Skooter’s and we danced. I remember.”

“Are you guys staying for the party?”

“No, Skippy. You can close out our tab. We’ll be going. And, if you forget what you’re doing, we’ll assume the drinks are on the house.”

Nine hours later

“Skippy, are you ready with the champagne for the New Year’s toast?”

“I filled the flutes, Cheryl, but I’m so tired, I’m afraid to try to carry them into the lounge.”

“Put the tray on the bar. I’ll take them down. We’ll be exiting from the lounge. I’ll turn the bar lights out. You can take off.”

Does Skippy make it home? If you want to know, you’ll have to slip on over to Teagan’s place and slide down into the subway station…

Sunrise during my walk
I think he’s coming down to greet me
The poles have been delivered. I’m curious how they’ll do this. There’s a gas main in there, too.
This color would never last until I got outside. I shot through the screen.
Nom nom nom
Next morning
Foraging
A reach, but I see a swan
While the ice was still 100% frozen. It’s water today
About to start my walk
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut lowered to half-staff in honor of North Haven Firefighter Matthias Wirtz, who died in the line of duty this morning while responding to a residential fire.


If you like magical realism with suspense, action and a bit of family sarcasm, you will enjoy these books:

Knuckleheads
The Evil You Choose
When Evil Chooses You

Series page on Amazon

My profile page (and books) on Lulu

All available on Kindle Unlimited!

56 comments

  4. Happy New Year Dan , I hope you you and all your family have a great Celebration and are all safe, happy and healthy in 2023. I also would like to take the chance to wish the same to David, Cheryl, Skippy, Teagan and all your readers!
    Oh! I think I have found Skippy’s dream.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. Dan, you did a fantastic slam dunk for your year end post! Skippy reuniting with Lulu was a hoot. He’s quite the dreamer. Who knew?!

    I love the sky photos, but especially the one taken through the screen. The squirrel climbing down the tree doesn’t look real. It looks like a resin garden decoration that’s been attached to the tree!

    Old Glory spending the last hours of 2022 at half mast is really sad for Connecticut. Another innocent life lost and another family grieving.

    Wishing you and the Editor and Faith a New Year full of wonderful surprises, good fortune, especially good health and continued success with your new career as a writer. Looking forward to another year of your fabulous posts.
    Ginger

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Thanks Ginger. Skippy has been thinking about Lulu for two years.

      The shot through the screen was my only chance to capture that color. I took that, ran outside and all the red was gone.

      It’s always sad when a first responder dies in the line of duty. That’s what they’re willing to do, but I hate to see it happen.

      Thanks for your good wishes and for your support all year. I share all the best to you and yours in 2023.

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  16. Now THAT is a hamburger!!! Ahhhh you’re making me hungry!!! LOL And the cat at the door is precious. You have to wonder what’s going through their minds when they just sit there and contemplate the world outside. Cats are such an enigma.

    Liked by 1 person

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  19. Hi Dan – Happy New Year … sad to read about the firefighter … I’m glad the flag was lowered for him and his family. With thoughts – Hilary

    Liked by 2 people

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  20. 😂😂😂You’ve got me pegged, Dan. I love you guys and I love tending the bar, but don’t jackwith my day off! If Skippy wasn’t my only relief I might wish Lulu would hang on to him. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Happy New Year, Dan. Nice job on the creative intertwining of stories with Teagan’s. Skippy enjoyed himself too. I saw the swan too! ;-) Sorry to read about the firefighter, so sad.
    Beautiful sunrises…and the squirrels look like they’ve put on some holiday pounds. 🤔😊

    Liked by 1 person

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    • The squirrels might have resolutions about a diet, but you never know when we will get some snow. Losing a firefighter is sad. They volunteer for this duty. We can’t thanks them enough. It was fun to have Skippy get to connect with Lulu again.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • We watched a squirrel burrow under the snow with it’s tail wagging in the air…must’ve been glad to find something it remembered down there? LOL.
        Yes, so sad, you’re right, we can’t thank those volunteers enough.
        Yay for Skippy and Lulu adventures. :-)

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  22. I really enjoyed how you and Teagan intertwined Lulu and Skippy. Well done, Dan! I hope your Twilight Zone marathon was fun last night. Thanks for a great photo collage, too! Happy New Year.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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