Float Collector

by Dennis Yates

Haunted by memories of war and still grieving over the loss of his wife, a man moves into his father's house near the coast with the hope of finding peace. He soon discovers, however, that his obsession over finding Japanese glass floats has gone way too far. As he confronts his past and shaky present, a growing hatred for a competing beachcomber fills him with rage and thoughts of murder.

About Japanese glass floats: Glass floats, glass fishing floats, or Japanese glass fishing floats are popular collectors' items. They were once used by fishermen in many parts of the world to keep their fishing nets, as well as lines afloat. Large groups of fishnets strung together, sometimes 50 miles long, were set adrift in the ocean and supported near the surface by hollow glass balls or cylinders containing air to give them buoyancy. These glass floats are no longer being used by fishermen, but many of them are still afloat in the world's oceans today, primarily the Pacific ocean. They have become a popular collectors' item for beachcombers and decorators.

Float Collector is the length of a short story (4,400 words)

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 8, 2013

About the author

Dennis Yates is an American writer of novels and short stories. He is a native of Portland, Oregon and enjoys

thrillers, horror and suspense.

Dennis can be reached at yates.author@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Annk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book today and then I sat and thought about it awhile. It's a beautiful story about a Vietnam veteran still trying to come home many years after the war. There are so many of these guys out there who are still trying to come home, and my heart goes out to all of them. In this story, the man lost his wife, and his son has gone to fight his own war in Iraq. With the worry over his son and his own horrid memories of Vietnam, he seems to have reached his limit. With therapy, he appears to be doing much better but it's the book's ending that gave me hope for him and all the veterans out there who are having a tough time. God bless all of you have served your country.

[Crystal Rafuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting and beautiful in so many ways. This is the tale of a man who has reached his limits of physical and emotional endurance, and is given a second chance (so-to-speak), by a shadowy figure on the beach. The ending was surprising and came quickly for me, without even realizing. I actually wish this story would have been a little longer, it seemed to fly by so fast!

[Rosa M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written prose, setting descriptions very sensory and vivid. At first reading, the story was hard to follow, but it was such pretty writing, I reread it. It seems the man was in such despair over his family's loss, that his thoughts jumbled and anger seethed. I love the surprise ending.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very descriptive short story about a Vietnam Vet and his ongoing journey home.