Esther asks us to write a story in exactly 51 words
and she wants us to include these words: ‘roadworks’,
‘millipede’, ‘beer’, ‘Wi-Fi’, ‘tarot’ and ‘scarf’. This should
be interesting! Here’s where the prompts took me.
Home from work, I discovered my family had turned into zombies! Harry was playing Atari Millipede, Janice was into Tarot Realms on her PC, Ben’s game was Roadworks Simulator, and my wife was watching scarf-knitting videos on YouTube. No wonder I can’t get Wi-Fi service when I want to play Beercade!
NAR©2025
51 Words
This is “Pac-Man Fever” by Buckner & Garcia
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
Hahaha! Well done, you!
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Thanks! This was fun! I seemed to remember a video game with the word ‘millipede’. Google showed that there is one and that got me curious about some of the other prompt words, if there were games with those other words as well. I struck gold as four of the prompt words were part of actual video games. The story just fell into place after that.
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I was wondering if you bullshitted your way for some 😂🤣! Excellent research!
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Moi?? No way! I’m highly circumspect regarding the placement of my BS! 😎
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Of course, of course… I did realise that but cannot lie that the thought had crossed my mind 😉
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Crazy!
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Thanks! 😜 Those are all real video games! 🎮
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Even crazier!
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Well, at least the fan-dam-aly has a variety of interests! heheheh
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And they’re all zoned out together!
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That’s hilarious, Nancy. I love how you’ve linked it to game playing and the names you’ve given them. Great fun!
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Thanks very much, Esther. I had a little help from Google; I wanted to include actual video game names but my knowledge on that subject is sorely lacking, so I researched some of the prompt words. It made it a double challenge for me and was great fun to write!
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Brilliant!
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Oh dear, a household full of digital zoombie users, soon the AI zoombies will be running the world and telling us “normals” what to do and where to go!! …
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Thanks for your great comments, dear Ivor, and for this cool video! 🥰
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Was never much of a Pac-Man guy…
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No, I was never any good at it.
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I haven’t heard this song in many years….it’s pretty much reality with teens and twenties…and some older ones.
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Neither have I, Max, but I thought it was perfect for my story. Yes, art imitates life for sure. Thanks very much.
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Wow, Nancy, that’s truly impressive! 🙂
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Thanks, Christian. Google helped with this one; there’s no way I know any of those video games! Writing for Esther’s prompts is always great fun.
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I certainly would be completely lost. Video games aren’t my world at all.😆
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Nor mine! 😎
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I really enjoyed your take on this 51 word tale, Nancy. And it is probably an uncanny reflection of reality in some homes.
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Thanks, Fan. I have no doubt you’re right. A definite case of art imitating life.
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So clever, Nancy!
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Thanks, Lisa. I have so much fun with Esther’s prompts.
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Great take Nancy. I was never any good at Pac-man. I do spend a lot of time on my laptop though, but there’s not much else I can do laid up! Hopefully I can get up tomorrow and DO things!!
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PacMan wasn’t my strong point either, Di. I think most of us who are dedicated bloggers spend quite a bit of time on our devices; I do but I never play games. Hopefully you’ll be back in the swing tomorrow.
Thanks very much, Di.
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🙂 I do play a few games before bed, suduku, solitaire, and cribbage
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I like word games; good for the brain!
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I find numbers relax me. I like to play scrabble and do the wordle challenges, but not at bed time.
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Its unfortunately very true these days 💜💜
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That’s for sure, Willow! One of the schools here just started a No Phone Policy. I can see not allowing phones to be turned on during class but in the event of an emergency, it’s great to have one with you.
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It begs the question how did we manage before the mobile ?
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Double edged sword. In some cases I’d say rather well (like sitting around the dinner table and actually talking to each other). In other situations, not so well. How much worse could a school shoot up have been without phones to call for help? Every scenario has at least two sides and nothing can or should be summarily dismissed. Excellent question, Willow.
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Yes indeed is a double edged sword . No , Three Words App that can find you even when you so lost, or you are passing out!
Yes a school shooter or any type of mad person/ terrorist act would be so much worse.
Shopping, travelling , health everything is affected for worse and by the same token affected for best. …I think the devil devised the mobile and the internet as a bad joke 💜💜💜💜
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Ha! It certainly has been responsible for the breakdown of person to person contact and that’s a shame.
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Sad days Sis, sad days 💜💜
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I was never any good at playing Pac-Man, as I always got eaten by one of those ghosts.
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Me either, Jim. Video games aren’t my strong suit; I’m much more into trivia games and word puzzles but I did enjoy playing pinball whenever we took the kids to the arcade.
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A sign of our times!!! 😆
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Unfortunately, it is.
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How realistic 😂
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For sure. Thanks Sadje.
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My pleasure 😍
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