Page 15 - Exile-ebook

14 AN EXILE OF THE MIND CASTING OFF WITH A BANG 15

cannot be crossed unless one has the pay Charon the ferryman in the
courage to first lose sight of the land. afterlife should we need his services.
Sixteen-year-old Patrick was our Cheap bubbly pounded against
most experienced sailor. He had the boat’s hull in a christening clunk.
sailed small boats on the harbour Another seafaring lore to guarantee
for most of his life. His father, an a safe passage against dangers
important Hong Kong government unknown. The resilient bottle, well
official, was keen for his son to and truly agitated by repeated
experience the world through the whacks against the hull, exploded
eyes of a sailor. ‘To rob young its contents over the French Consul
girls of their hearts’ delight’, as he who was prevailed upon to do
jovially put it. Paul, a Royal Navy the honours.
petty officer, planned to return to Smitten by the beauty and
Hong Kong from Manila with grace of a clipper-style ketch
accumulated sea miles needed a year earlier at a Montréal
for his yachtsman’s license. boat show, I was truly travel-
Nicole and Marcel on the bowsprit of Le Voyageur. Steve, a brash American with bug-bitten. Her elegant lines
blond shoulder-length hair, held me spellbound and I
had never set foot on a yacht. scarcely dared to breathe.
He was to prove a natural I whispered to the sales-
sailor and cause for red-faced man, how much is it?
embarrassment later on the “If you have to ask, then
voyage. you can’t afford it,” was the
Queasy stomachs gurgled pompous reply.
with the rising swell. Seasickness, I saw my pipe dream of
the scourge of storm-tossed boats, cruising to exotic islands
took its toll on everyone except slip from its moorings and fade
Nifty. He grabbed the wheel with into the sunset. Sailing the high
maniacal glee, screaming impure seas had become an obsession.
oaths into the pelting rain. Many yachtie books were greedily
*** devoured until I came to the bits
A silver dollar had been placed about rogue waves, and containers
beneath the mainmast. It was an half submerged, toppled into the
A day’s outing. The French Consul’s wife is on the right. ancient boat builders’ tradition to ocean from passing ships, waiting to