“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off–the, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings toward the ocean with me.”
Those are Ishmael’s mutterings at the beginning of Moby Dick. Is it the best opening to a novel ever written in English? Very likely it is. And why do I offer it to you? I offer it as a warning. Be careful out there in suburban world. In the world of clean living, granite counter tops, nice homes, rooms you don’t even use. In the world of disposable income, but no time. In the world of way too much TV. In the world of going, driving, running . . . and collapsing. Be careful out there. Be careful in Prosper. You might be closer to snapping than you realize. Ishmael was honest with himself. Are you honest with yourself? Or are you going to run till you hit the wall and fall over?
Be careful out there.
Maybe it’s time to take to the ship.
You can smell the ocean from 420 N. Coit.
Tom+