September 24, 2013 Prompt–What Would Happen If….

What Would Happen If….

All the electrical currents stopped working.

People depend too much on machines and do not use their brains anymore. Math skills have been lost because of calculators.

People do not communicate in person as much, or even talk, because they use the art of texting.

It would be interesting to see how these children that live on video games and are eternal couch potatoes would react to a different reality, A REAL ONE. Put them on a farm; make them play a sport, no engaging in anything technical for a week. A certain lifestyle of the past is now lost and is gone. The ‘good old days’ are gone forever.

Every generation has their memories, but none is as pleasing to remember as those of the baby boomers are. Can you imagine being over 100 years old and watching the first car and/train appear and towards the end of life, see jet planes and cars that do not need fuel to run? It must be really hard to comprehend, but what a gift to have all of that knowledge and be able to share these experiences with others.

I am sure a lot of it would be more than inconceivable to todays’ youth. It would be fantasy to them and hard to comprehend at all.

I would love to watch this happen to several young people that I know or would enjoy knowing better; if they could slow down and have a down to earth or real conversation, on a one to one level.

This loss of energy or power will more than likely actually happen. Bank records and everything important lost because people do not keep handwritten records anymore. No money can be taken out of the bank everyone goes back to bartering or some/many stealing for a meal.

We need to prepare ourselves in many ways and be at least somewhat ready for a major disastrous event. Even an earthquake that is long overdue could happen at any second. Are you ready —I am not?

Shirley Lentz

 

What would happen if I chose not to respond to this prompt at all?

Would the sky turn black? No problem there. It’s already black (if you get high enough above the earth’s surface).

Would terrorists blow up a few more of our buildings? No problem there. We build them as fast as they can blow them.

Would all our great universities crumble into disorderly heaps of dried cow dung ? No Problem there. What else is new?

Would I lose my virility? No problem there. Most of its gone already.

Would my writing group cast me out in disgrace? No problem there. That can happen at any time for any reason.

Would my adult children desert me? No problem there. They already have (thank God).

Would I lose my fine writing ability? No problem there. It’s not that great to begin with anyway.

Would my wife trade me in for a newer model? No problem there. She could definitely do better but I don’t think she’d be able to duplicate my comical and cynical outlook on life. She’d miss that.

Would my dog go on a backpacking trip around the country and abandon me for a better partner? No problem there. She’ll never find a better caretaker than I am, especially one who loves her as much as I do.

So, in view of the total absence of negative consequences for non-participation, I think I’ll just kick back and daydream about hot sex, cold beer and life on a desert island .

No prompt response today.

Lloyd Rain

Sept. 10, 2013–I saw it in the sky

I saw it in the sky. Hover. Beep, beep, beep, land. The window opened. Heads with three eyes looked out and searched the scene before them. My head buzzed and my body shook. All went dark.

I opened my eyes in a world of four dimensions and colors unseen before. Ahead was a deep canyon with animals buzzing on the ground below. They glowed in the front and faded into a long tangled trail in the back.

Ahead, stood a bizarre creature starring back at me with only two eyes

Kevin Draper

 

I’m Including a second prompt response from one of our members who missed the meeting as I found it so apropos.

 

It was a warm October night when George stopped the car in front of my house. As we were walking to the front door I looked up at the clear sky rich with stars.

“George, look there is a star moving.”

“Stars don’t move, it must be a plane.”

“No, it is no plane. It is one steady light. Don’t you believe me? Look for yourself, there,” I said pointing.

He turned his face in that general direction and said, “I don’t see any star moving. Stop making things up.”

“Good night George, thanks for taking me to the dance,” and quickly went into the house.

Next day the newspaper headline was RUSSIA LAUNCHES SPUTNIK.

What I saw in the sky was Sputnik, and yes, I broke up with George.

This is how I remember that event October 7, 1957.

Ellynore Smith