In Keith’s words. “Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. 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. Thank you for taking part.”
The photo.
Sundown by John W. Howell © 2022
“Aye captain. You called?”
“I did Mr. Smyth.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Have you seen any trawls?”
“Excuse me, Sir. Trawls?”
“We have been up and down this coastline all day and not one trawl.”
“I don’t understand, Sir. What are trawls?”
“You’re kidding me, of course.”
“No Sir. I don’t know what you mean by a trawl.”
“This is your first trip, right?”
“Yes, Sir. I joined the crew last Monday.”
“And no one filled you in that we were fishing for trawls?”
“That’s correct. You’re the first to mention them.”
“That’s odd. Oh well, as you were.”
“Can I ask?”
“Sure.”
“What are they?”
“I have no idea.”
“But you said we were fishing for them.”
“We must be.”
“Why’s that?”
“What kind of boat is this?”
“A trawler. . . Oh for heaven’s sake.”
“Yup. Gotcha.”
“No such thing, right?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“So there is a thing called a trawls.”
“I have no idea.”
“Got me again, right?”
“Yup. Maybe you should go below. Don’t tell the crew.”
“I think they already know.”
“Could be.”
“You do this with the new guy.”
“Every time.”
“Trawler humor?”
“And not much to do.”
Fiction Favorites 
Bahahaha!
Whatever gets you through the day. Go with it.
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Good point. Thanks, Pilgrim. 😊
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I reckon a Trawl is just a Troll with a southern drawl. Though why you’d be fishing for them beats the hell out of me. 😀 Nice one, John.
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Thank you, Keith. I really liked that photo. Reminded me of some time spent in Alabama on Dauphin Island. Those trawler were almost in the living room.
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hanks, John. As I recall, the photo was taken looking north across Dubai Creek sometime between 1977 and 1979. It’s changed a bit since then!
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I would say it has.
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In the tradition of the left-handed monkey wrench. Well done!
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Ha ha ha. You are the best, Liz.😁
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Aw, shucks . . . 🙂
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😊
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Too funny, John, even had to look up trawl, because I thought I must be wrong. Then I realized you just were having fun. 😄
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Yes indeed. On my stuff you have to wait for it. Usually the silliness shows up at the end. Thanks, Gwen. Yu gace me quite a smile this morning. 😁
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😄
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🤣
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Ya gotta pass the time some way, eh? You’re the one with the funny bone, John!
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I could see the old salt having fun with the new crew member. Thanks, GP
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Hazing the new guy. Always fun.
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I can see the captain with a cup of coffee and a pipe doing his thing.
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A totally believable skit.
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Thanks, Charles.
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What is the best size net when trawlsing for humor ? Oh and the lookout reported one about 10 minutes ago. It was near the horizon off the leeward side. It was being pursued by a flock of snipes… mercilessly I might add.
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There ought to be some controls on those pesky snipes. 🤣
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Good one, John. 🙂 I can picture the captain enjoying hazing the newbee, too. Fishing for verbs?
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Ha ha ha. Thanks, Tim.
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Maybe he was an English teacher before he captained the trawler?
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I think he started summers during school breaks and then retired. He is actually a professor of English from Harvard.
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If I worked on a ship, I’d appreciate a captain with that sense of humor… even at my expense. Fun story, John.
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Thank you, Staci. I thnk I would like the guy too. 😊
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I think the new guy was destined to go through this initiation. Sounds to me like this isn’t the first newbie the captain has “welcomed aboard.”⚓
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I think you are right, Bruce. 😁
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Nicely done, John. A sense of humor (on both sides) makes a new guy relax. Pretty picture, too — the water looks like caramel!
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Might be oil floating on top. (just kidding)😊
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Laughing out loud at this one. It reminds me of snipe hunting. 🙂 Good one, John!
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Thank you for sharing that, Jan. Snipe hunting was always fun.
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That was fun to see a captin with some humor!
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Yes it was. Thanks, Denise.
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HaHaHa! Too much time and too few trawls.
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Yup. Thanks, Pamela.
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*snort*
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When the trawlers aren’t biting whatcha gonna do? 🤣🤣
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That is a good point. What are you going to do?
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Patterned my way through this one, John. Very nice. ♡
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Thank you, Audrey
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Messing with the new guy seems to come with the territory.
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It does. Thanks, Pete.
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Next he’ll have him searching for a Kraken, lol
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🤣
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A snipe hunt at sea. Good job, John.
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Thank you, Dan
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I grew up in AK where trawling was a thing. My dad came from OK, and in his accent, I heard “trolling,” so for YEARS I thought “trawling” was “trolling.”:-)
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I can see how that would be confusing. Thanks, Priscilla,
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I hope the new recruit has been offered counselling and there’s a safe space for him to… oh, sorry this is a John Howell story.. Forget what I said…
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Yeah, that would never happen.
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Haha! The newbie gets the ‘treatment’.
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As is the custom. 😁
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[…] Sundown by John W. Howell © 2022 […]
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