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Hang Ten, by Jim Bartlett

24/9/2021

 
With the morning sun just beginning to show over the mountain’s ridge, its golden glimmer sparkling in the slow rolling swell, Glen paddles his board through the gentle waves until he makes his way to that sweet spot he so craves. For him it can only be found in the calm just beyond the surf’s break, as it’s the place where he can straddle the board, sit back, and take in all the ocean has to offer. It’s his before work morning ritual. His sanctuary from a world that seems to be falling apart at the seams.

Eyes closed, he breathes in the sea, lets its soft touch brush up against his soul. He’s been doing this for ten years now. No, wait. Fifteen. He sighs and shakes his head, flinging a spray of salt water off his long sun-bleached hair.

Where does the time go?

Before he can give it much thought, a splashing sound catches his ear, and he shifts on the board. A dolphin peeks up from his left side, the little guy’s (or gal’s?) face bringing him a smile that comes from his heart. But even as he marvels at his good fortune, a second, followed almost immediately by a third, surfaces, each making their comical, yet wondrous clicking, as if to wish him a good day.

He looks to the shoreline, hoping to share this magical moment, though he knows few will be on the beach at this hour. He’s quite surprised when he sees several people standing at the water’s edge, most waving their arms. He broadens his smile and waves back – they’ve obviously seen his new friends – yet this only seems to make their swinging efforts all the more frantic.

Another splash pulls his focus back, and he turns to see there are now six, maybe seven dolphins, and they’re circling his surfboard in a sort of aquatic parade. It’s then he realizes his surfer buds are gray bottlenose dolphins, rare for this area, rather than the black and white commons.

“Are you guys lost?” he calls out.

But as he does, he feels a bump from behind, and he spins around to see two of the dolphins at the rear of his board giving him a push.

“What the—“ he starts to say. However before he can finish, or even react, two more join from the side, adding their noses to the board, which is now skimming the water’s surface and heading – very quickly – toward the shore.

Rather than fight his fate, he sits back and enjoys the ride, the dolphins not letting up until his toes touch the sand below. Slipping off, he turns to say thanks, but his newfound friends have already vanished into the surf.

As he stands there smiling, though quite perplexed, a young woman comes racing up.

“Wow!” she practically screams.

“Awesome, right?”

“Awesome IS right...those dolphins just saved your life.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you see the Great White Sharks? There were two right by your board...”
Doug
24/9/2021 07:28:01 am

And they say dog is man's best friend.Nicely done Jim. You made me feel as if I was in the middle of the story.

Jim link
24/9/2021 03:50:27 pm

Thanks much, Doug. Guess we humans can use all the friends we can get ;-) Appreciate the comments.
Jim

Michael McCarthy
24/9/2021 03:48:07 pm

beautifully descriptive, i particularly loved the opening paragraph and, with relatively few words, one feels an affinity with the surfer.
great story and a reminder of the importance of animals in our lives

Jim link
24/9/2021 03:51:57 pm

Thanks ever so much, Michael. Not my finest hour, but I enjoyed putting those descriptive phrasings in there. So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for the comments.
Jim

Marjan Sierhuis
24/9/2021 05:45:59 pm

🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️🐬🐬🐬🌊 Your descriptive words, Jim places the reader in the middle of the action. Your surprise ending is the icing on the cake. Wonderfully executed.


Jim link
24/9/2021 06:19:32 pm

I missed the boat on this one - should have named it "So Long, and Thanks for the Fish...."

Thanks much, Marjan
Jim

Mike B.
24/9/2021 11:53:03 pm

Loved the story Jim!!! I felt like I was on a board right next to the surfer. The fact that the dolphins saved the surfer’s life, without considering what his world views were, or even that he wasn’t one of them, is a Great lesson for us humans.

Jim link
25/9/2021 12:59:22 am

So glad you enjoyed the story, Mike. Thanks ever so much for the kind comments!
Take care
Jim

Sue Clayton
25/9/2021 05:07:47 am

A delightful dolphin ditty that was a joy to read. They are awesome creatures. I've leaned over the prow of a boat while six or seven swam beneath me. A delight to watch.

Jim link
25/9/2021 03:53:54 pm

Used to have a boat and ventured quite often into the Santa Barbara Channel where dolphins would come up and surf the boat's wake. If you were lucky, you'd come upon a pod of a thousand or more out by the islands. Thanks much for your comments, Sue!
Take care
Jim

Padmini
25/9/2021 03:25:34 pm

It has the beginnings of a gentle story about a man lost in sweet nostalgia, but turned into an adventurous one. Thank God for the life-saving dolphins. Very well-told.

Jim link
25/9/2021 03:55:57 pm

Thanks so much, Padmini. Story almost stayed with the lull in the beginning, but the dolphins saved it ;-)
Take care
Jim

Don Tassone link
27/9/2021 01:52:11 am

Dolphins as guardian angels. Well done, Jim!

Jim link
27/9/2021 04:04:54 pm

Hmmm - good analogy! Hadn't thought of them like that, but they most certainly were (and can be in real life as well). Thanks so much for the read and comments.
Take care
Jim


Comments are closed.

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    Friday Flash Fiction is primarily a site for stories of 100 words or fewer, and our authors are expected to take on that challenge if they possibly can. Most stories of under 150 words can be trimmed and we do not accept submissions of 101-150 words.


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    One little further note. Posting and publishing 500-word stories takes a little time if they need to be formatted, too.
    ​Please note that we tend to post longer flash fiction exactly as we find it – wrong spacing, everything.

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