Wordzzle 65 - The crows and the big sale

This is my contribution to this week's Wordzzle. Wordzzle is a game in which each week word lists, used to create stories, are given on the blog Views from Raven's Nest. Participating users post their stories on their own blogs.

This is the ninth time I've played the game.


Ten Word Challenge:

parasite,
meals on wheels,
crows,
it's my fault,
everything but the kitchen sink,
on sale,
patriotism,
the love of my life,
library card,
common sense

The roller-skating crows were nothing but meals on wheels to the parasites, but right now one of them had a more pressing worry.

"It's my fault," he said. "I should never have tried to sell my patriotism. I didn't really believe anyone would buy it, but I got full price and didn't even have to put it on sale."

"You're a spokesman for Peru now, better get used to it," said the second crow. "You've sold almost everything but the kitchen sink now. I wouldn't have believed that anyone could sell a library card, but you did. The first thing you should have sold is these parasites, but they're still here. It defies all common sense."

"At least I still have the love of my life," said the first crow.

"Not if you sell the kitchen sink," said the second.


Mini Challenge:

blackmail,
California,
stethoscope,
postage,
crank

In a place called California, a fat envelope apparently containing photographs went to the dead letter office because of insufficient postage and no return address, and from there was eventually discarded. Without the proof of the photographs, the blackmail money was never delivered. The blackmailer, a crank who hated doctors, and hated this one in particular, was enraged that nothing was happening, and fumed and paced.

He still had the doctor's bag, and could go ahead with the disclosure, and photographs of it and the stethoscope in the motel room, and photographs of the doctor by the cars talking to her. He had followed the doctor and hidden nearby with the camera. They had been outside talking and even kissing for a long time. Doing it openly. They had been so absorbed that he had been able to sneak into the motel room and take some pictures of it, and then take the doctor's bag.

He wasn't really after disclosure, though. Disclosure just seemed petty. He wanted the money, and he wanted the doctor to feel fear.

Why wasn't he getting the money? When he had mailed the pictures, he had included a note with the place and time for the money delivery, and how it was to be done. He had named a date several days after the mailing, to allow time for delivery and time for them to get the money. He had waited on that day, watching, all day long, but nothing had happened. He went back the next day, too, and the next, and the one after that. Still nothing. He continued pacing. He hated to go back and wait again. Some people were starting to look at him funny. They might be able to identify him if questions started being asked, or maybe even call the police themselves to report a suspicious character.

He looked at the doctor's bag one last time, and finally put it in the closet, next to the other doctors' bags. He couldn't understand why these things never worked out.


Mega challenge:

parasite,
meals on wheels,
crows,
it's my fault,
everything but the kitchen sink,
on sale,
patriotism,
the love of my life,
library card,
common sense

blackmail,
California,
stethoscope,
postage,
crank

On a tree limb the crows sat, watching the activity. Since they were California crows, they wore sunglasses as symbols of their coolness, though of course they already knew they were cool.

"Looks like everything is on sale down there," said one. "You'd almost think they were looting the place."

"I hope they leave some for us," said the other. "I'd like to go down there now, but I'm not sure it's safe. Normally we could scare people away, but the way they're acting they probably wouldn't even see us and we'd just get trampled."

"Well, it looks like they're taking everything but the kitchen sink, and we really don't need any more kitchen sinks. I really think pickings are going to be pretty slim if we wait. If we see an opening we better take it,"

"I wish I had a stethoscope, so I could hear what they are saying."

"Will a stethoscope work at this distance?"

"Maybe with enough batteries it would."

"We could always take the flag up there on the pole. We could put it on the tree and show our patriotism."

"I think it's bigger than it looks. We probably couldn't manage it. Besides, we've already got five small ones."

"Yeah, but five is such an odd number."

They watched for a while in silence. "Look," the first one said. "Some of them have started fighting over something, and it isn't even food."

"Yeah," said the other. "People can get so cranky at times. and being cranky is the opposite of coolness. People have no common sense."

"Although," said the first thoughtfully, "we can sometimes be something like parasites. Is being a parasite cool?"

"It is if crows do it."

They watched for a while more. "You shouldn't have mentioned food," said the second. "Now I'm really, really, hungry. Sometimes I really think food is the love of my life, my one true love."

"Good thing your girl friend isn't here to hear that, or something really uncool would happen."

The second crow seemed startled and looked around nervously for a minute. Not finding her, but afraid there was a chance she might actually be out there, he said loudly, "Of course, I love Mabel more than anything." Then, much quieter, "Man, you sure know how to destroy a mood. Still, I really wish we had some food."

They continued watching. "That guy on the edge there has something sticking out of his pocket," said the first. "I think I can swoop down and grab it."

"You'd better hurry then, before he manages to get back in the crowd."

The first crow took off and quickly flew down toward the man, then swooped around and plucked something out of his pocket with its bill. Landing back in the tree, it laid the things out on the branch.

"This isn't exactly food," said the second crow.

"Yeah, but I got a credit card and that might be useful. I also got some postage stamps. Maybe we can sell them to someone."

"I'm not sure the stamps are any good. They don't have any numbers on them. If they don't have numbers, how can you know if you have enough postage? And if you don't have enough postage, don't they just send your letter to the blackmail office?"

"Hmmm. Well, maybe. There's still the credit card, though."

"That's not a credit card, it's a library card. I think they have pretty low limits, because libraries don't have much money."

"Well, I guess it's my fault. I should've picked a different pocket. Still, we should be able to get something with it."

"Maybe, if there's anything left after these people get through."

They turned and stared at the scene some more. "I hope there's some food down there," said the second crow. "I see a bunch of stuff but no food."

"I think there's something over there to the left, not far from the entrance," said the first. "I think it might be a food vendor of some kind. People are getting things from it and eating them."

"A food vendor! Where did it come from!?"

"I think it must have rolled up while we we talking about the credit - er - library card."

They stared at it. The second crow said, "There seems to be enough room around it. We could swoop in and grab some stuff."

"Well, let's do it then."

And they took off and swooped down on the food cart and then back up, their feet grabbing as many hot dogs as they could hold.

"I love food carts," said the second crow, joyfully. "They can show up anywhere. They're just meals on wheels, meals on wheels."

"Yeah," said the first. "Too bad we couldn't have given him something in return."

"Don't worry," said the second. "I left him the library card."