Happy Saturday in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. No one here to take our money except the bartender. David and I are trying to relax from the whirlwind around us. Last I heard, Linda was hitting the Black Friday sales, but she did leave us a prompt to work with. She’s a trooper.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “cool.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
SoCS by Linda G. Hill
If we were having a beer, you’d be ready for some bourbon.
“Hello David. How are you?”
“Tired, Dan. I – Am – Tired.”
“Hopefully, nothing a splash of John Howell’s Bourbon won’t fix. Hi guys.”
“Hi Curley. New guy drew the holiday weekend?”
“I don’t have family around here, Dan, so I took the shift and let Cheryl stay home.”
“Count your lucky stars, Curley — count your lucky stars.”
“Let me guess, David. You spent Thanksgiving with the in-laws.”
“I did, and never has a more ungrateful group of pinheads roamed the earth. A John Howell’s Special for me, and fill a nice cool glass with Modelo for Dan.”
“The family visit was two days ago David. Was it so bad that your shorts are still twisted?”
“I wish I could say the in-laws were the final twist of November, Dan, but I can’t”
“Here you go. I gave you a hearty pour, and four cherries. Of course, the snifter of seltzer and the glass of ice.”
“Thanks Curley.”
“You’re welcome. Dan, here’s that tall cool draft.”
“Thanks. Cheers David. Now, what else did November do to you.”
“Well, without delving into politics, it started with the unending news and fundraising around the election. Then the calls and emails badgering me about Medicare Open Enrollment – Like I don’t know what time it is – I swear, the next person that tries to save me money is going to get smacked.”
“Those calls are annoying.”
“Not just the calls, Dan, the commercials. I even got mail. I guess they figure I’m old enough to remember when important stuff came in the mail.”
“Well, Open Enrollment ends with our beers next week – I’ll buy, you celebrate.”
“Yes, but then the holiday fiasco came. And, because I had to drive to the event, I couldn’t even drink!”
“Nothing? Not even a glass of wine with dinner?”
“Dan, a glass of wine with dinner with those people is like peeing on a bonfire.”
“Well, it’s over. You’re not going back for Christmas, are you?”
“Perish the thought. But November didn’t end with Thanksgiving. I was bombarded with Black Friday ads. Ads on TV, ads in email. I’m even getting ads on my phone!”
“Well, that’s over, too.”
“No, Dan. No, it’s not! Look at this – ‘Black Friday Sale Continues Today’ – they’re going to roll this straight into Cyber Monday, and then, then comes the absolute worst!”
“Monday is December, David. November will be in the past.”
“Ahhh, but they’ve already started hounding me, Dan. Stupid Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. Who created that gem of a pi…?”
“Whoa, David, there are some kids in the lounge for a birthday party. Here, have some more bourbon. Calm down and watch the language.”
“Sorry, Curley, it’s just…”
“I know. I understand, and I have plenty of bourbon.”
“Who’s hounding you for Giving Tuesday, David?”
“Who isn’t, Dan? My alma mater wants money. In fact, they want me to put them in my will. They’ve even invited me to a free estate planning seminar.”
“You better think about that. If you don’t, they may send requests into the great beyond.”
“I think they’re researching that, Dan. I really do. But, the worst is my PBS station. I mean, they have a three-week fundraising drive every month as it is. Now we have to have a special day?”
“Yeah, mine sent me a Giving Tuesday reminder.”
“We support the same station, right?”
“No. I’m a member of the one in Massachusetts.”
“Why?”
“As Schools Match Wits, the high school quiz show starts next week. I love that show. They’re the only station that has it. It’s been locally produced for over sixty-five years.”
“Are you any good? I mean, I assume you try to be smarter than the high school kids.”
“I tend to beat them at math, science and history.”
“That’s only because their history was your current events.”
“Thanks for that, David.”
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