The Ocean
There’s something about the ocean.
It summons people to its sandy shores. It must be the positive ions. Possibly
it draws all those who are trying to escape society, reality. Like sailors surrounded
on the lonely seas, their life is based on one purpose, subsistence. Just as
any other lonesome member of the outcast group, outlaws, rouges, tramps,
cowboys, they are what the best folk songs are written. Their solitary life,
lived amongst other solitaries, who also long to depart this world into ocean
or country, whatever may suit them. Once they return to civilization for the
important things in life, drink, sex, and sustenance, they become bored, only
to retire to their life of solitude. Even Ishmael could not remain on land; he
was beckoned by the sea. He was drawn as all matter of the rootless are.
Condemn the land dwellers their roots are too deep for proper adventure. Life
is dull without it. However, once in the throes of it’s obsession no one knows
what peril lies ahead, just as Ismael had no concept of what was about to
threaten his whole existence.
Like Ahab, who was on a never-ending
quest for the great whale, so are travelers searching for their Moby Dick in
whatever guise it may take. This is what lies beneath most travelers, not quite
prepared for the journey at hand. Once entering this occupation, they either
experience the devastation of self and become caught in its web, or they
realize that the solitary life is not for them. They may settle, try to mold
life into what is seen in media. However, they remain in small ocean towns.
They find other means of escape through the mind and share these sources of
exit amongst themselves. I haven’t witnessed many coastal towns on the east
coast, however this exemplifies the west coast from Seaside to Eureka. Once
living there, I would never understand the charm of visiting it again. Those
coastal towns are full of alcoholics and drug addicts. Meth is a great problem
there. It’s as if the people realized they could possibly go no farther and
completely gave up all use in life, not knowing how to settle, travelling being
the only thing they’ve known. Their only choice became drowning themselves in
the drink they hold so dear. The sea has power. The energy cannot be taken in
large doses, for it will destroy any man drawn to it.
