I have been invited by Terry of Through the Lens of My Life to participate in a Five Day Challenge. Each day, I will post a photo and write a story to go along with it. (I probably will interpret the term ‘story’ quite loosely. I do that.) I will also invite one person each day to take up this challenge on his/her blog. This challenge has been a lot of fun! It’s interesting to see where my brain makes connections between fact and fiction and how an image is a jumping off place for those associations.
This last little story is called “The Gold Coast”:
Jake is a bit of a space cadet, but he’s harmless. He does things like arranging the dried kelp on the beach into celebrity images. His Leonard Nimoy was quite touching, given the timing. He’s rather a local hero in Santa Cruz. You can see him cruising the volleyball courts near the boardwalk in the early morning, chatting up the homeless and delivering donuts. Seagulls follow him around because he chats them up, too, while providing breakfast. The other day, he gave an impromptu lecture on the California Gold Rush of 1850 from the middle of the wharf. Between his barking and the sea lions’, a small crowd of curious tourists gathered. Somehow, he managed to convince them that you could still find gold on the beach where the river emptied out, just beyond the eucalyptus grove. A few of them followed him to the spot. “Now, it’s only just flakes that are left,” he began. “You can say that again!” one of the gawkers snickered. “…so ya gotta get down real close, combat-style, to see ’em. Right down on your belly in the sand, dude, like this, and follow their trail to the sea!” Yup, Jake is a real scenic attraction. You never know where he’ll turn up next.
— Next, I invite you to visit Victoria Slotto at her blog. She is a published poet and author who is delving a bit more deeply into her photography as well. Peruse her site for lots of beautiful images, verbal and digital, and stories that will spark your own connections. She does quite a few writing prompt challenges, so there are lots already there in her archives.
© 2015, essay and photographs, Priscilla Galasso, All rights reserved
scillagrace 
Quite an interesting image 🙂
I think these were actually University students doing some kind of group challenge…not sure. I was just walking across the beach toward the tide pools.
So funny! Thanks for sharing.
Wasn’t quite sure where I’d go with this one…turned out to be quite fun!
Thank you for the mention, Priscilla. I love the word-painting you gave us. I used to live in Half Moon Bay…no university, not quite so funky as Santa Cruz, but the wonders of the ocean do have an influence on us. Sorry that I’ve missed out on reading your stories. Perhaps when things settle down a bit I can go back and enjoy.
Take your time, Victoria; they’ll be there for you when you have the leisure. Glad you liked the little visit to the coast! It’s a very special place, one where I spent some of my teenaged years. I was accepted to UC Santa Cruz, but went elsewhere.
LOL! A very curios image and a great story to go along with it! What made it even more enjoyable for me is the fact that I know people like Jake. Many of them are regular performers, exhibitors or attendees at east coast Renaissance festivals. Others are just colorful characters. 🙂
I did a stint at an annual Faerie Festival once and have met a few Jakes in other places as well. They certainly help me loosen up the creative impulses when I’m around them.
I have a very good friend who is a regular at a fairy festival here in the north east. She has fairy wings and other assorted stuff in the back of her mini van which, with the back seats removed, is set up for sleeping and camping out at shows. One day I was driving her mini van and got pulled over because a headlight was out. The officer looked at me dubiously as he shined the light in the back and caught site if the wings. A funny exchange ensued!
I bet! 🙂