In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (Below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or website, next Monday.”
The photo.
Fishing by John W. Howell © 2018
“So you got me up at the crack of dawn to come with you while you fish.”
“Trust me. You are absolutely going to love it.”
“No coffee even.”
“I brought a thermos. When we get settled, we’ll have some coffee.”
“It is so chilly out here.”
“I brought a blanket. We’ll be nice and comfy.”
“What is the first thing we need to do?”
“I’ll need to show you how to bait a hook.”
“Bait?”
“Yes. Here see this worm?”
“Ew, get that squirmy thing away from me.”
“Alright, I’ll bait the hook for you. You can watch.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m putting this worm on the hook.”
“But you are hurting it.”
“Well, it is only a worm. Fish like them.”
“Do you have to stab it like that? I think I’m going to get sick.”
“It is all over. All you have to do is sit down. I’ll cast your line out to the deep.”
“What happens if I catch a fish?”
“You turn this crank and bring it in.”
“When’s coffee?”
“I’ll get it as soon as my line is in.”
“Oh wait. Something tugged on my line.”
“Quick turn the crank. That’s it, nice and steady.”
“What is that thing?”
“Looks like a nice bass. Here let me put a net under it.”
“What do I do now?”
“Take the fish off the hook.”
“Oh lord no. I can’t do that. You do it.”
“For heaven’s sake, George you have to get a grip. It is not that big a deal.”
“This thing is so slimy. I don’t want to touch it.”
“Fine. There it is off.”
“Throw it back.”
“What?”
“The poor thing. I don’t want it to suffer.”
“Of all the he-men in the world, I had to hook up with a marshmallow.”
“Oh smores. I could go for a smore right now. Where’s the coffee?”
Fiction Favorites 
I’m with George… you’d have to throw me back John
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Ha ha ha. There are a lot of us in that category.
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Interesting role reversal, John. Oh yes – and a thermos won’t cut it when the poor guy’s used to his bean-to-cup machine.
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No wonder he is so whiney. Thanks, Keith.
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🙂
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🙂
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Could this be you and the producer? 🙂
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Ha ha ha. It could well be, Jill. 😀
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🙂
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🙂
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I like yours. Every shadow in the picture looks lost to me, but I couldn’t think of a funny punchline.
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I can feel your pain. Thanks, GP
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Thanks, John. But it doesn’t ache as much as the Singing Nun song!!
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Oops. Can’t think about that.
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haha, got you again, did I ?
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Almost. I avoided it by humming 100 bottles of beer on the wall.
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OMG – you are cruel!!!
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Moooohhhhhhahahahahahahah
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Guess fishing isn’t for everyone. Can’t disagree with the s’mores idea though.
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Thanks, Charles.
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S’mores, that would be good right about now. I’m not into fishing, but it would be a better way to spend the early am than driving to work. Good job, John.
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You don’t have to bait a hook you know. Just toss the line into the water and rest.
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Ahhhh, I get it.
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Only the sound of the sea and the tabs on the cans.
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LOL, this story brought me back to my youth when I went fishing with dad. I vividly recall those squirmy worms. Poor things! 😀
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I know right? I went to artificial lures. Couldn’t stand the squirm.
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Heehee, A nice reversal of roles. I loved it!
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Thank you, Mae.
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I love fishing… as long as I don’t actually have to do (or watch) any of the real fishing stuff…
Great take on the prompt, John. Hugs.
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I finally stopped bating the hook. So much more peaceful.
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Better throw him back fast. I think the gulls are waking up.
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Why are there so many gulls, Alfred?
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Excellent, John! Reminds me of going fishing with my dad and curling up under a big tree with a good book while he did the “dirty work”!!
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There you go. Best of worlds.
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I love the role reversal. I believed as a child the worm didn’t feel anything as told but now as an adult I do not. I did just recently learn that throwing them back a high percentage dont survive while researching barbed hooks…Nothing wrong with ending a day of fishing with some smores:)
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Thank you for some interesting facts, Denise. I agree on the s’mores.
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I thought it was going to be a horror story: killing worms, murdering fish. So glad it ended with smores.
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S’mores should always be the ending.
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Hurting that worm made me cry, dag-goneit! Stop it, ya heah! ♥
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Yeah okay. You need to adopt it now.
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Lol! Very well done. I didn’t know until almost the end that there were role reversals. And S’mores are good for any occasion – with coffee, of course. 🙂
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Of course. Unless it’s late and then red wine.
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First of all, I could ALWAYS go for a S’more.
Secondly. Well, yeah . . I could always go for a S’more.
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Notice how I work s’mores into the stories. This won’t be the last.
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There is no such thing as too many ‘smores. I mean, the name says it all, yanno?
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I heard heaven is paved with s’mores. Might just be a rumor.
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I’m willing to be on my best(ish) behavior if there’s even a remote chance this is true!
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ish is good.
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It’ll have to do. 😉
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🙂
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Boss,
As for this post, it reminded me of the first time I took my kids fishing. We ran low on worms almost right away, and then I realized why. My daughter was throwing the worms back in to ‘save them’.
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There you go. A conservationist in the making. 😀
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Yes, I knew right then and there.
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Ha ha ha.
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Anyone who wants to drag a neophyte fishing has to realise this: give them the coffee and blanket FIRST. THEN they will be more receptive to baiting and fishing and … well you understand, I am sure… 😉
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I always insist on the coffee first. 😀
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I should think so! 😉
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Blankie second.
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Brilliant ending, John. Loved this!
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Thank you, Jennie.
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You’re welcome, John.
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[…] Fishing by John W. Howell © 2018 […]
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OMG! I’ve had very nearly the same conversation in the wee hours of the morning with He-Man about going to see the sunrise so I can make a photograph of it!
I’ve said for years only Photographer’s, Fishermen, and thieves are out and about in the wee hours of the morning.
I convinced him to purchase a down coat, hat, good boost, and gloves to go with me, and yet he still says it’s waaaay to early. He just doesn’t get it. Sigh. Which is why I have found other like-minded photographers to hang out with…either that hang out with fishermen or thieves. 😜😃
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Ha ha ha. Maybe the promise of a big ole breakfast after would do it. Thanks for the laugh today.
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