Dawn’s yellow fingers scratched away night’s sky and clouds.
The solar timer lights dimmed, and the rest area/truck stop shook itself awake.
Cramped from another night in the Honda, I walked off the stiffness along the perimeter, listening to the caterwauling gulls, taking in deep breaths of sea-tang, and watching ships navigate the channel.
Each captain had chart, compass and helmsman. I had a second-hand Civic, an ipad, iPhone and no sense of direction.
I wondered if one of the freighters would lend me a helmsman for a day or two. I’d promise to return him, once he’d set my course, and help mend my broken heart.
For Priceless Joy’s 90th Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers Photo Prompt Challenge. This week’s photo provided by Footy and Foodie.
*I had a crush on the character Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek series.
November 24, 2016 at 5:19 am
This is lovely Lorraine – so micely written, with spot on detail and description. And why wouldn’t you have a crush on Chekov? Better than James T Kirk any day :)
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November 24, 2016 at 11:19 pm
Thanks! One of the times the lines just seemed to flow from somewhere in my mind to the keyboard.
BBC America has been showing the original Star Trek, so I’ve been reliving my crush days when the episodes with Chekov are on. Popcorn and blowing kisses! lol
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November 26, 2016 at 5:19 am
I watched it as a kid – tribbles stick in my head. And William Shatner’s peculiar line delivery and staring just off camera when he wanted to show us he was thinking. Chekov would be my choice every time :)
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November 26, 2016 at 6:29 am
Shatner was initially a stage actor, maybe he was looking off for his cues, lol.
Thanks for the vote of confidence re Chekov. Tribbles remains one of my favourites. The original Star Trek wasn’t as dark in many ways as later incarnations. No, not a Trekkie, just not a lot of pleasant childhood memories — watching Star Trek was one.
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November 27, 2016 at 12:28 pm
Shatner as stage actor – that would explain alot. Though he comes across as a stage actor from the 19th century, full of bold actions and larger than life expressions. I can imagine him now in his panstick :) No, not a Trekkie here either, though there’s something comforting about the original series – like old slippers :)
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November 27, 2016 at 7:29 pm
Yes, like old slippers. He did do a lot of Shakespearean acting and that is often very 19th century to me.
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November 28, 2016 at 4:44 am
Ah, bless him. His singing was interesting too as I recall :)
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November 28, 2016 at 4:47 am
I’d forgotten about that! Seems to me Spock put out a record too. Off to bing and google.
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November 28, 2016 at 7:46 am
You’re right – Leonard Nimoy sung a song about Bilbo Baggins. The video features girls with big rubber feet as I recall. Odd
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November 28, 2016 at 8:15 am
I will have to look for that — I was caught up in searching for other lost ephemera on youtube (or fooltube depending on how you watch/look at it).
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November 28, 2016 at 8:29 am
Haha! And there’s a lot to find on there :)
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November 28, 2016 at 8:39 am
Oh, the threads of it all! I start at A and hours and many stops later stagger into B
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November 28, 2016 at 8:40 am
:)
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November 28, 2016 at 8:17 am
Which made me find McArthur Park, with Richard Harris (easy pop-up of lyrics and video on Bing search) again . . . oh, no . . .
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November 28, 2016 at 8:32 am
Such an odd song, isn’t it? Richard Harris, renowned drinker and hellraising actor, singing a really peculiar song about cake with green icing that he’s left in a rainstorm that’s somehow a symbol of his lost youth – I think. The oddest thing is that it was a hit and is played even today. It’s a mad world
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November 28, 2016 at 8:38 am
‘Tis indeed! How does it go — The whole world is mad save me and thee, and I wonder about thee?
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November 28, 2016 at 8:40 am
Haha! Yep, something like that :)
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November 23, 2016 at 1:54 am
One word to describe this piece, beautiful :-)
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November 23, 2016 at 2:20 am
Thank you so much! : ] :
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November 22, 2016 at 6:21 pm
Interesting piece. Very nice Lorraine.
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November 22, 2016 at 8:53 pm
Thanks! : ] :
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November 22, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Smashing piece of writing, I too liked the opening and ending lines.
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November 22, 2016 at 8:52 pm
Thank you! : ] :
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November 22, 2016 at 3:50 pm
This was a lovely response to this image Lorraine, and a crush to remember…
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November 22, 2016 at 8:44 pm
Thank you, kind sir and thank you.
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November 22, 2016 at 9:31 am
Absolutely wonderful! I sensed the pain in her/him and the ending confirmed it. Well done!
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November 22, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Thank you — there seemed to be something aching in the photo — a loss.
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November 22, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Yes, I agree. There does look like something aching in the photo.
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November 22, 2016 at 8:31 am
It which we really could make people set our course in life. I think we could all use that :-)
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November 23, 2016 at 1:23 am
I certainly could use a helmsman, even if it wasn’t Mr. Chekov! : ] :
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November 22, 2016 at 8:02 am
Nice idea, we could all do with a captain to show us the way now and then. Great first line too :-)
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November 23, 2016 at 1:24 am
Thank you — yes, I think we all can get off course along the way.
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November 22, 2016 at 1:17 am
Really nice set up on the scene. All that to get a helmsman? 😉
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November 22, 2016 at 1:37 am
BTW, I fixed a comment on wolfwomen — I had written a make no, now I think it makes some sense that is.
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November 22, 2016 at 8:49 am
As much as I do love you darling, explaining the irrational does not make it either rational nor make sense. Only the belief that we see part of the real world is in play here
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November 22, 2016 at 8:42 pm
I had left out words and letters — now that means nonsense to me. I am both irrational, and rational — depends on the time of day.
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November 22, 2016 at 9:33 pm
Only an irrational mind would imply words that aren’t there, but justifying it is rational….. You are slightly complicated. Somewhere between how do these app things work and the gravitational theory of dark matter in complicated-Ness. My humble opinion 😉
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November 22, 2016 at 10:57 pm
Wow — only slightly complicated. That’s a relief. I’ll tell my therapist — that will make her very happy. She thinks I am dark matter.
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November 23, 2016 at 12:13 am
The good news is you hold together the universe. The bad news is it’s expanding faster then ever so you may be more stressed
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November 23, 2016 at 12:25 am
Explains why I’ve been feeling extra stressed lately.
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November 23, 2016 at 12:45 am
it does explain a lot of things
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November 23, 2016 at 12:51 am
Yes, not all my bipolar 2 after all
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November 23, 2016 at 9:08 am
It could be other issues deep repressed by the bipolar, reaching up for their day in the Sun
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November 22, 2016 at 1:39 am
I’ve been aboard ships, ya know . . . .
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November 22, 2016 at 8:50 am
It’s not the motion of the ocean, but the……
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November 22, 2016 at 12:44 am
Nice writing. I really appreciate your rhythm and flow. Dat jazzy goodness haha
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November 22, 2016 at 12:50 am
Thanks! : ] :
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