#jswelch — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #jswelch, aggregated by home.social.
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A Ride in the Desert
short story by J. S. Welchtheme: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
https://tidal.com/browse/track/73744377?u#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #socal #oldfriend #arizona #meetup
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A Ride in the Desert
short story by J. S. Welchtheme: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
https://tidal.com/browse/track/73744377?u#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #socal #oldfriend #arizona #meetup
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A Ride in the Desert
short story by J. S. Welchtheme: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
https://tidal.com/browse/track/73744377?u#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #socal #oldfriend #arizona #meetup
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A Ride in the Desert
short story by J. S. Welchtheme: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
https://tidal.com/browse/track/73744377?u#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #socal #oldfriend #arizona #meetup
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A Ride in the Desert
short story by J. S. Welchtheme: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
https://tidal.com/browse/track/73744377?u#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #socal #oldfriend #arizona #meetup
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“That was totally awesome! Let’s go again!”
“Come on,” Matt said, “Let’s go eat. I know a great surf and turf place not far from here with killer lobster as cheap as McDonald’s.”
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #surfandturf #barrelride #joyful #spiritual
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The next instant was pure chaos as the wave threw him from his board and plunged him into the churning whitewater. His lungs began to burn from the lack of oxygen, as he waited for the washing machine effect to slow enough to swim for the surface.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #wipeout #whitewater #joyful #spiritual
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Jimmy felt the joy start in his soul and burst through him like an exploding star: “Whoo-hoo!” He stretched his arms across the inside of the barrel and stood up in triumph: “Whoo … mhgurf!”
He had stuck his head straight through the top of the wave.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #wipeout #whitewater #joyful #spiritual
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Time went from slo-mo to a standstill to timeless. In front of him were the glittering diamonds of the day’s last bit of sun reflecting off the water. The water all around him sounded like a freight train—yet, there was a cacophony of music brought forth inside the vibrations like a rejoicing.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #thebigone #timeless #courage
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Jimmy gathered every cell of courage he had and paddled into the oncoming wave.
He jumped to his feet, rode down the steep face of the wave, and turned into the pocket, crouching purposefully as a thick lip of water covered the sky and enclosed him inside the barrel.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #thebigone #timeless #courage
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“Here it comes, man!” Matt shouted.
“I see it, I see it!” Each of them paddled furiously to escape being caught on the inside of the break.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #thebigone #timeless #courage
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“Come on, I need some backup. I’ve got to at least try to catch one. Isn’t that what we came for?”
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #saltwater #thebigset #fromthedeep
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“Forget it, man. I’m wiped. You know you are going to get out there and the tide will change them anyway.”
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #saltwater #thebigset #fromthedeep
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Then the waves changed again—low tide was at its apex, and the on-shore wind strengthened. There in the fading light of the afternoon was the curl of a barrel, wave after wave or barrels.
“Let’s go back out, dude,” Jimmy said. “Look,” he said, and pointed to the break.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #bebrave #lifelessons #dontgiveup
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Jimmy stood next to the VW bus and looked out at the waves. He had heard that voice out there, too.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #bebrave #lifelessons #dontgiveup -
𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘱. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵. 𝘉𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #bebrave #lifelessons #dontgiveup -
A big part of him (the part that ran his life) told him to pack it up and go home where it was familiar. At least at home he had family and support, and he could figure things out. But if he was quiet and still for a moment, he could hear a little voice inside talking, too.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #bebrave #lifelessons #dontgiveup
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It went deeper than just missing a barrel, it reached deep down to something about his life overall. It made him feel lost and alone on his own in SD—no family, no love, no career future—not even satisfying surf.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #lost #alone #perfectwave
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Somehow, it was not enough. They silently walked to the VW bus. Jimmy wrestled with his feelings—it had been a great time in the water, and Baja was an adventure of rural coastal roads and new surf spots, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of failure.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #lost #alone #perfectwave
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Despite the solid session, it felt like a futile search for the Holy Grail—good waves but no barrels, no perfect wave.
“Damn, Jimmy. I was starting to freak out,” Matt replied, waiting on the beach.
“Did you catch a barrel?” Jimmy asked.
“No barrels but solid waves, I guess,” answered Matt.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #surfsession #lost #perfectwave
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Scanning for Matt, Jimmy began to walk back to find his friend.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #surfsession #lost #perfectwave
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Matt was not in sight, and worse, Jimmy couldn’t see the VW bus. He had drifted south with the current. He thought of surfing back, but it would take too long. He surfed toward the shore, then walked through the water to reach the beach.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #baja #surfing #surfsession #lost #perfectwave
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The waves had grown, and a lip began to form as the waves crashed in the shallow tide.
“I think we got our spot!” Matt replied.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #surfgods #ocean #tide
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Driving north the breaks looked different. The tide had begun to go out, and the daytime wind remained. They stopped at the westerly surf spot.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #surfgods #ocean #tide
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Defeated, they turned north for home, hoping the trip wasn’t a bust.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #surfgods #ocean #tide
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They drove down to check it out, but saw similar results. The surf gods were not in their favor, and Jimmy’s hope for the perfect wave was fading. They drove further south, but each spot was as bad as back home. The day was turning to late afternoon with neither of them yet in the water.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #surfgods #ocean #tide
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“No worries,” Matt replied, reading Jimmy’s mind. “There’s another break a few miles down that gets a westerly swell. I’m sure it will be raging.”
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #shortboard #vwbus
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They parked and walked to the dunes overlooking the empty beach break.
The south-facing swell was producing small, mushy waves, perfect for longboarders, terrible for their shortboards.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #shortboard #vwbus
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Bob Marley was playing on VW’s cassette player, and Matt was already in the snack bag before Imperial Beach. The vibe already had Jimmy feeling positive and hopeful. With no hassles at the border, they made the first surf spot around 9 am. The land was still waking—no wind and a desert dew still in the air.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #bobmarley #baja #surfing #shortboard #vwbus
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His life was becoming something wonderful. Yet, it still felt hollow, like there was something more to life. His life needed a defining moment.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #sandiego #surfing #bestfriend #perfectwave
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Or rather, Roger surfed and Jimmy practiced trying to swim in the world’s largest washing machine. But he spent every free moment in the water and quickly found his life’s love. He was hooked on chasing that joyful rush that came from riding a great wave.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #chasingtheperfectwave #sandiego #surfing #bestfriend #perfectwave
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With the numerous crossings he’d made, the border patrol already knew him. The search was more punishment than serious. They made the cursory search, which included a drug-sniffing dog, but the lockbox stayed hidden.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #parttwothejourneybegins #prospector #citizenship #nocountry #lockbox #usborder
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“I’m a citizen of life, man,” he replied with a bit of an edge. “God’s my guide.”
“Right, pull over there.”
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #parttwothejourneybegins #prospector #citizenship #nocountry #anycountry #usborder #godismyguide
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Bounty’s calling was full of mortal undertones, but The Prospector was determined that when he died it would be here in Baja. The lazy, hot days, the cool water, and walking on the beach was the way to end it. He wanted to die after watching the sun setting over the Pacific, drinking his last beer on the beach with his dog, Cora, by his side.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #parttwothejourneybegins #prospector #baja #beach #ocean #dog
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Cover photo: Thomas Smillie, Flickr: The Commons / Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Public Domain Worldwide
Theme Song: Streets of Laredo by Willie Nelson
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #thelegendofthebountyhunter #bountyhunter #outlaw #mountains #desert
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It had occurred to him that if a route could be mapped through the maze of rock, it would be the perfect hiding place for an outlaw.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #thelegendofthebountyhunter #bountyhunter #outlaw #mountains #desert
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For most of the time he had been searching for The Giant, Frank had been searching the mountain farthest from the oasis, as the stories told that was where the outlaws attacked. Frank had since searched the other mountain, but neither of their higher regions, which were too rocky to be safely traversed.
#writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #thelegendofthebountyhunter #bountyhunter #outlaw #mountains #desert
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He ventured out to the flat desert valley between the two mountain ridges and built a long-term camp at the foot of the one closest to the oasis. That’s when he began his search higher up into the mountains.
#writersofinstagram #writersofbluesky #writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #thelegendofthebountyhunter #bountyhunter #outlaw #mountains #desert