early dawn1
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The engines cut out in the cold night and the loss of their incessant droning startles me awake as I roll from my bunk. In a mental fog, I search for my shoes while squinting against dim yellow cabin lights. I urge my body up the ladder to the deck where the early signs of dawn have yet to appear. This time, this place between darkness and light, where no city lights pollute the heavens view. Heaven seemingly glows to life as I hold the rail, peering into the dark to see my starry friends.3
The salty fragrance mingled with diesel and smells of coffee draw me to the galley where the cook grunts at my good morning; this is a job to him and a hard one at that. To me, this is beyond all normal expressive elation; to be on the water with the rising anticipation of dawn, of day, of all this morning has to offer. 4
I try to rub my face awake as I replace my hat grinning at nothing in particular but at the joy I feel. I reach for my favorite rod, glad I set it up the night before and stand at the bait tank carefully searching for a ‘chovie to cast out into waiting swells. It has become a routine of set movements after years, now second nature to me. 5
I watch the newbie’s contorted struggles as the bait wins the contest between the hook and angler. I remember that it has not been that long ago and attempt to offer aid, knowing not that much more. 6
This day holds such promise and however it ends, doing this, being here, is its own intoxication. And, well, feeling the tug on the end of the line, the pulling hard, making the reel sing its stated song; bowing graphite composite rod in arc bent curve, yelling “Gaff!!” at the rising color: well, that ain’t bad either.7
~r.8
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all rights reserved10
© 2004 Richard Braley (astralshepherd) 11
(Copying without permission for non-personal use is forbidden)12
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Author notes
(my "happy place")
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Comments
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An other fishing story - love those days that start off like this, with the anticipation of what is in store yet to come..This time, this place- check sentence, needs something else to finish it off. Well done.
Edited on Dec 06, 3:49 p.m. because ''. -
A wonderful place of solace and privacy. Quality time with yourself to enjoy Gods gift of nature. This was a very calming story. Thank you for sharing your happy place.
S♥m
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Lovely happy place lol. This is a wonderful piece with wonderful description and word usage.
Thank you for entering Awesome write
*~Rosey~* -
you need to write a book my friend,
you bring your days and nights to life,
its like getting a little look at what goes on on the inside,
bless you Richard
Lisa -
I have just started to play around with writing short stories and I must say from my own point of view, I felt you had great choice of words and it was easy to imagine.
I use to do a lot of fishing (on the lakes) and just couldn't wait to get out there before dawn and see the sunrise and if we were lucky to be still out there, I got to enjoy the sunset too.
You would do well in any writing that you choose. Cheers. -
This is really different, excellent word discription and choice! What I didn't like was how the first paragraph seemed choppy- like inbetween the sentences it was as rough as the engines... Please if you get the chance, feel free to check out my newest short story series, The DressMaker at allpoetry.com/list/7096.
I enjoy this story immensely, and I think that you could go far with it given the chance! -
I really think you have a gift. Your prose is very much a manifestation of a highly developed, personal and personable style, capable of doing justice to the literary profession. A very happy circumstance for the potential reading public. Fortune cookie: Don't balk at felicitous confluences.
Edited on Aug 11, 1:55 p.m. because ''.
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