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 next Monday.”
The photo.
Mate by John W. Howell © 2020
“Ahoy on the boat.”
“Yes, I hear you.”
“Permission to come aboard.”
“Oh, there you are. Who are you?”
“You ran an ad for a mate and here I am.”
“Oh, I see. Welcome aboard.”
“Thank you. This is a nice boat.”
“I’m rather proud of it. I have had it for ten years.”
“My goodness, it looks immaculate. You’ve had a mate then?”
“No, never have. Have been alone.”
“This must be a lot of work then.”
“I spend most of my time on her, so the work doesn’t seem so much.”
“Why do you need a mate, then?”
“A man gets lonely after a time.”
“You want to ask about my qualifications?”
“Not much to ask. You cut a fine figure.”
“Just so we’re clear, and since I am one of the few female mates around, I don’t believe in fraternization with my employer.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t do that either.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Yup, I’m a one-woman, man.”
“Where is your woman, then?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“I don’t think so why?”
“Why do you think I ran the ad?”
“To get some help on the boat?”
“Don’t need help. I need a mate.”
“I’m confused. You ran an ad in the Boatman’s Times looking for a mate. That means you need help.”
“I see where the confusion is.”
“Tell me.”
“My ad was for someone to share my life. A mate. Not someone to work for me as a first mate.”
“Ah. Now I see. Okay, then.”
“I guess you have waisted the trip.”
“No, I think I would like to apply for the life mate position rather than the first mate job.”
“The position is yours if you want it.”
“Why so fast?”
“I have a feeling that life mate who knows how to be a first mate is exactly what I’m looking for.”
“I’m going to need to know a lot more.”
“There is a nice thing about a life mate arrangement.”
“What’s that?”
“Life is a long time to get to know more.”
Fiction Favorites 
Nice one, John. Lends a whole new dimension to speed-dating!
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Yes it does. I guess the original ad was not very clear.
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It was clearly missing the essential GSOH tag.
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Yes. A sense of humor is definately needed as well as a Great Sack of Hardtack.
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Ads can be so misleading…nice job, John!
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Yes they can. Thank you , Jill.
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Nice twist. Love the ending line.
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Thank you, Charles.
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Well, now I want to know how it worked out for the two of them!
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Yes. Maybe someday, Liz.
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🙂
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It’s a good thing we have you. I’m not the only one who didn’t have anything to add😊!
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Hahaha. Thanks, GP.
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That worked out well.
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Yes it seemed that the two were looking for the same thing but came at it from different angles. Thanks, Craig,
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Hey, it could work out. There have been arranged marriages that turned out great. Who knows?
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When you look at a life time to make it work the odds are good. Thank you, Dale. 😊
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I don’t see why not? 😉
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This made me feel good, John. Nicely done. I hope their life on the boat is less stressful than another boat story I once read 😏
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Hahaha. Thank you, Dan.
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I suspect a good first mate knows a lot about life, at least life on the water. This story needs a followup in a few months…just to check in on these two. 😀
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Hahahah. Thanks, Gwen. Good idea on the follow up.
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An ad run in the L.A. Free Press many, many years ago.
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Hahahaha, Thanks, Greg.
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Nice twist, John!
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Thank you, Teri.
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Well done, John. A two for one mate!
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So true. Thanks, Jennie.
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You’re welcome.
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Great job, John! Love the twist!
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Thank you, Lauren.
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Well done, John.
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Thank you, Robbie.
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I’d give them a 50 percent chance of success — whatever arrangement they arrive at! Nicely spun, John.
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I think you are right, Debbie.
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Ahh, true love 🙂
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Yes it is.
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Maybe they could go on a few three hour tours just to see . . .
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That would be fun. Thanks, Marc.
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🙂
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I’m doomed now! We Aussies call everybody mate! You’d need to send bail money. I do like those odds though, a lifetime could be just long enough.😊
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There you go mite. 😀
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Groan. Crocodile Dundee has much to answer for. 😁
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You bet he does. I forgot to mention that 1/4 of my family on my grandfather’s side live in Sydney. They would never say mite. Although my great uncle asked me if I thought he smelled like shep. I thought he was talking about a dog but he was asking about sheep since he heard some thought aussies smelled like sheep since they ate so much lamb. 😁
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lol … you probably have more relatives in Sydney than I do. John. That M word is verbotten in this house. With the current price of lamb at an all time high, methinks we may smell more like chickens. Eeek … run save yourselves. 😁
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Yes run and save all of us. Thanks, Soooz.
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👍
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Maaaaate!! I didn’t know you were a fellow Aussie, Sooz! Where are you? I’m regional Victoria 🙂
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Oh good. An Aussie convention. 😁
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50 Shades of G’Day, Jessica! 😁I didn’t realise you were an Aussie, either. My Daughter, grandson and I live in rural Bathurst, NSW. I hope you and yours are staying safe and well as the second wave of Covid19 has hit your state hard. This year has been a nightmare on so many levels.
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We’re in Ballarat, so we’re close enough to Melbourne to be worried, but not close enough to be locked down again (thankfully). Let’s hope the numbers start to stablisie again!
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Alright, ladies. If you are going to use my comments section you need to start spelling words in American. Good to see a couple ofShelas having a nice smoko. 😁
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Hahaha! So funny 🙂
I wrote my entire book in American, so you should have seen my poor editor correcting all my Australian!
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Well, there are plenty of arranged marriages…and although I have never watched it, we have shows like The Bachelor. Stranger thing have happened, LOL!
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You can never tell what would happen. Thanks, Mae.
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Aw, this was so sweet! I expected him to zap her with a weird ‘duty’ of the life mate position and her to flounce off. Instead, it was an ‘aw’ moment 🙂
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Yes I have a few aw moments. Thank you, Jessica. 😁
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You old if fast moving romantic!
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I know right? 😂
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LOL! The captain of that boat would have a good mate with her as she’s two mates in one!
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So true. Like getting two for the money. Thanks, Deborah.
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I think you may have started a new technique in the dating world John! Move over “Plenty Of Fish.” 🙂
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Hahahaha. Love that name. Thanks, Mark.
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[…] Mate by John W. Howell © 2020 […]
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