January 15, 2005
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Flotilla of Good Company
It’s really hard to go sailing with someone and be mad at someone at the same time. I mean, it’s really hard!
Either the wind kicks up and you have a really great time, and end up bonding such that you can’t be mad at each other.
OR
You really can’t get along with the person, and it’s hard to go sailing with them because you can’t both be skipper at the same time!
Matt and I have accomplished both of the above.
But a flotilla of boats, such as those that travel the Great Lakes or the Gulf of Mexico shoreline or from island to island in the Caribbean, is an awful lot similar to friends and company that one keeps.
A whiner in the group becomes a real drag.
Someone who mooches off you without giving anything in return, becomes a pain.
Someone who is constantly giving you advice about how to trim your sails, when he himself isn’t doing so hot, makes you want to throw a cup of bilge at him.
The people I love most are those who, even in the doldrums, can drum up a six-pack (or soda, if they’re recovering AA’s), and set back and chat a while. And when the wind picks up, they whoop and holler and set off again. Sure it’s a race! But if they beat me to the camp, they can start the fire.
I am so happy in Texas. You couldn’t pay me enough to live anywhere else, especially now that Matt and I have found a place in town that serves really good gyros. This place needs a Waffle House, though. And a Steak ‘n’ Shake would be nice.
Comments (1)
You just reminded me of the great experiences sailing in the twilight series at my local yacht club. The race itself is designed to be secondary; it’s set at 6:30p when the wind is always 0 knots gusting to 1. The drunk crew member dancing on the foredeck is the highlight of the evening, while the boat just sort of drifts around the course.