Chapter 10
Drop the Deadline, Grab the Lifeline
"Each person is born to one possession which out-values all his others - his last breath." Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
"Throw out the lifeline, throw out the lifeline - Someone is sinking today." Edward Smith Ufford (1851 - 1929)
"What is the actual meaning of your sage advice to 'drop the deadline and grab the lifeline?'" inquires Ed.
"Well may you ask," replies the man, "since so many worthy people fail to give it the forethought it requires and end their lives castaways (the unseen majority) in an uncaring society.
"As to the need for this advice, it is amply explained in the following quotes taken from The New York Review of Books, 12-16-99, Page 30. 'There are all sorts of missing. The world is full of missing persons, and their numbers increase all the time. The space they occupy lies somewhere between what we know about being alive and what we hear about the ways of being dead.' (Quoted from Andrew O'Hagan's book, The Missing).
"Hilary Mantel (her latest novel - The Giant, O'Brien), the reviewer of O'Hagan's new book, Our Fathers, published by Harcourt Brace, provides this added comment. 'How can it be that our society, so subject to surveillance, both adults and children, can come unstuck, go adrift, vanish without a trace? Are they dead, or have they remade themselves? And what does personal identity mean, if it can be shrugged off in this way? What is family, what is society, if our bonds can be slipped so easily?'
"As to what I mean by 'deadline' - it is a limit a person reaches beyond which it seems there is nothing to live for - a limit which must not be passed, a crucial moment, a defining moment, a moment of truth, the reality of oblivion," explains the man, "and there to the rescue is the 'lifeline' - an escapeway, a 'Mae West,' a life preserver."
Part 1. Lifeline to the Rescue
"A 'lifeline' for this 'search and rescue mission' must be designed to meet the special requirements of each individual," says the man. "The best kind is the one generated by your own psychic apparatus, without the help of others."
"Enuf of that, Olde Farte, we are not impressed, " says Ed. "Now how about telling us in plain English where to find that psychic thingumajig? Give us the facts, man, plain and simple. What's a 'lifeline' made of, how is it deployed, and where can I order one?"
"As Ronald Reagan used to say ad nauseam, 'Let me make myself plain,'" replies the man. "A complete 'lifeline' for saving an individual would need as many strands as a DNA molecule, and indeed the two are related. But humans don't have the smarts to build such complex structures, so they must depend for their salvation on a limited number of strands."
"I'm not only with you, I'm ahead of you," gibes Ed. "I know a cop-out when I hear one, and that one's a beaut."
"Point taken, Ed, but since you are a figment of my imagination, don't expect to outdistance me in the grey matter department. To be frank, Ed, my chemistry was taught back when Sir Humphry Davy (1778 - 1829) wrote that best seller, 'Chemistry of the Candle,' so don't expect me to be the last word on DNA molecules. But I do know, my 'life line' contained exactly the right strands to salvage my life, and I hope that others who face similar adversity will be as lucky.
"It's safe to assume that in most people, the survival instinct remains strong, even when fate strikes a low blow, a bummer and a downer," explains the man. "Then, it's essential to retain a 'grown-up' view of this cruel world and to accept that sympathy is a shaky vehicle for salvaging your life. It is not that friends and family are unfeeling, but many people, especially the older ones, may be teeter-tottering over their own cul-de-sac, occupied with maintaining their own stability.
"As to the younger ones, call them selfish if you will, but that's an obsolete explanation of why the ties between old and young are weakening,"continues the man. "The middle-aged generation has grown up in a frantic, materialistic, self-serving society that has seriously undermined traditional family values, and respect for conscientious employment. This upbeat presentation of the world, as it pours out of television screens, looks so lively, glamorous, fetching, and loaded with the potential of technological wonders. All of this mind-boggling hype turns to ashes when the Middle Ages barbarism, accepted as a justified part of our society, is considered.
"These energy-consuming technological wonders are promoted by affluent societies, hell-bent on placing the very atmosphere of this planet at risk. Their brand of economics demands ever increasing GNPs which directly add to Global Warming. These societies indulge in vigorous arms manufacture and trade. They test killing capabilities by bombing innocents from airplanes, and claim it as a safe way to defend human rights," pontificates the man.
"Disenchanted citizens have lost interest in voting," he continues. "They remain passive while their constitutional governments are stripped of power and 'reconstituted' into self-serving global, financial Goliaths. This is a society where masses are entertained by big-money sports events which frequently injure players (much like the Roman Forum, where cruelty was the rule, and where the state 'fed citizens cake' to keep 'em happy); and how about the profitable corporate-run prisons? By what constitutional right are they allowed to keep citizens in prison and impose cruel disciplinary measures?"
"Stop, halt, desist!" shouts Ed. "What's the purpose of this harangue?"
"Its purpose is to point out that the willingness of this society to ignore morality may also place old people at risk, and this concerns me deeply," sighs the man. "If this is the kind of world it's going to be in the foreseeable future, then mentally and physically active older people had better not trust their planning to others. Instead, they should think about the quality of life they wish for in their later years, and a dependable support system needed to achieve it."
Part 2. How the Man Rearranged his Life
"Obviously, my success in staying the course during this ten-year odyssey required special aptitudes and physical stamina," ponders the man, "but I now realize that much was already stored inside of me, ready to appear on demand. Ability to marshal resources when needed is not unique. Consider how well people perform during emergencies, or when motivated by disasters and human suffering.
"But the show would have collapsed had there not been a strong will to live as a fully active, independent person. This ruled out marriage," continues the man, "since nobody nearly my age could be expected to identify with my desire to seek the unfulfilled longings of my youth.
"I was determined to regain that precious feeling of being in control of my own life," explains the man. "I wanted to shed the encumbrances of 'civilized' living; to get the feel of direct encounters with remote, rugged, out-of-the-way places; to read, write, and record experiences in some artistic way; and to plan projects designed to permanently keep me mentally active and challenged.
"Life without human companionship was at first very difficult, and loneliness would have presented a serious threat, if friendship and hospitality had not been so generously offered by total strangers along the way," says the man. "I considered each encounter important and rewarding, and arranged to keep in touch by sending letters and photographs. Now I have a long list of friends, some in remote places, and I manage to touch base with them at least once a year.
"I must remind you that Chapter 9 discussed some of the benefits of loneliness," says the man. "It is part of living, something we have all experienced, something we long for if overburdened with too many demands upon our precious time. It can be painful, but should never provide a reason for self-pity.
"But loneliness while constantly traveling was quite another matter," continues the man.
"After several years of life on the move, I was ready to find an anchorage in a special place of my own choosing. It turned out to be Cow Head, Newfoundland, where I purchased 'a piece of the Island' and arranged with Todd to built my cabin.
"As a part-time resident, I now have lots of friends, and I look forward to seeing them each year when I return to my 'second home,' but this year was far from a happy return," sighs the man. "Just a few weeks before my departure from the States, I was informed that Georgina had suddenly died. She was the much loved nucleus of her very large family, a key figure in her church, and highly regarded in the Cow Head community, where she had lived her entire life, in earlier years the wife of the lighthouse keeper.
"Things seemed so different with Georgina gone!" the man says softly. "She was a dear friend, always concerned about my welfare, and I felt honored that she included me in her prayers, especially when I was traveling. We discussed so many things, and understood each other. She was the soul of generosity, frequently handing me warm socks, mittens, and gifts for my cabin, including the 'golden mug' and the mirror shown below. The mirror bears the inscription:
'Side by side or miles apart, dear friends are always near your heart.'"
The man, deeply touched, but not well versed in airing personal feelings, abruptly changes the subject. "Many people are surprised when I assign so much importance to my two wonderful dogs, 'Dora' and then 'Theodore'. Their warm affectionate presence was a constant buffer against loneliness, and their keen senses provided early warnings if there was need for protective measures. In observing them in the wilderness I began to recognize and identify with their closeness to nature. I was no longer impatient when the dog stopped and devoted several minutes to sniffing a solitary twig. I learned to respect them as wonderful mentally well-balanced beings. I had no desire to train them, change them, or to claim an ownership role.
"Theodore has been my constant companion for six years, half of which we spent in Newfoundland," continues the man. "It's obvious he thinks he's my brother, and there have been times when he's spilled my blood, indulging in sibling rivalry. He knows and loves every member of my family, and many of my friends as well. We eat the same food, and I make sure we both get a well-balanced diet of natural foods, and plenty of exercise. So you see, we share the benefits of good food, regular physical activity, and good health."
Part 3. Memorabilia
"The process of departing from an established life of many years and starting a new one unavoidably includes disposal of valued possessions. It required a number of years, but eventually I decided it was unhealthy to cling to mementoes which were painful reminders of my wife and other departed loved ones," explains the man. "So my living quarters in North Carolina have become austere, simple, efficient, and substantially free of past reminders.
"However, a few artifacts that took refuge in my computer room became part of the historical background of my narrative," confides the man. "They are milestones out of the mists of the past which are somehow linked to my story:
"1920 - My parents purchased this table and chairs at an auction of an estate, over 80 years ago. It brings back memories of my mother, father, brother and I, sitting around this table talking, or working on school assignments. I vividly remember the feeling of true contentment and security when we were together as a family. This picture shows my friend Harold examining the furniture. He is asking why I avoid using it."
"1931 - A lowly freshman in college and I shook hands with General John J. Pershing, of World War I fame! Do I remember WWI? Somewhat. I remember an Army plane making a forced landing in a field near our house in Houston, and a big parade when the troops came home."
"1932 - Two photographs taken aboard the S.S. Salvor of Captain Bowdoin, and of me when I was 19. We were examining a serving platter recovered from the wreck which provided the first identification that it was indeed the S.S. Merida, 50 miles out in the Atlantic, with treasure from the Emperor Maximilian empire. The platter was later given to me as a keepsake."
"1947 - These two lanterns were used aboard the Liberty Ship, Douglas McArthur which her log showed was in service off the Japanese coast when the peace negotiations were in progress."
"1948 - I lived aboard my schooner, Scotia Lady for two years. Her sails were frequently mended by this Chesapeake Bay waterman."
"1960 - Some of the strange friends that appear in the 'Wildegeest!' story were in stories the man told his four children: About his dog Corny, and how he swam in his snorkel gear next to a whale; how he and Corny camped in the sewers of Paris, and were served food by kindly rats; a taxi driver on the Planet Beetlejuice; how ants were supervised by radio when they built a tunnel under Bogue Sound, and how they used beetles to pull loads of soil; and, the green snakes of Mars and one of their snakemobiles."
"1992 - Dora at sea, off Labrador, aboard M/V Taverner."
"1994 - Left, a block of polished petrified wood from Big Bend region of Texas; right, a block of Labradorite from northern Labrador; plus examples of unsuccessful attempts to find a perfectly round stone in Newfoundland."
Part 4. Listening and Reading Recommended by the man
"Canadian Broadcasting Corporation operates CBC-Public Radio stations all over Canada. I am indebted for the many stimulating ideas I heard expressed by some very bright people during interviews, and for the phone calls that tell a lot about the concerns of the average citizen in Newfoundland and in the rest of the country. One day, while driving through Gros Morne National Park and enjoying its exceptional beauty, I listened to a well-known author, James Hillman, being interviewed concerning his latest book, The Force of Character and the Lasting Life (1999), published by Random House, New York City.
"I was so caught up in what he said about character development in the elderly, that I bought the book and read it without delay. Here's a single paragraph copied from the jacket:
"'Aging is no accident," Hillman writes. 'It is necessary to the human condition, intended by the soul. We become more characteristic of who we are simply by lasting into later years; the older we become, the more our true natures emerge. Thus the final years have a very important purpose: the fulfillment and confirmation of one's character.'"
*** LATE NEWS! AN E-MAIL FROM TONY ***
"Coincidences and unusual linkages have been a frequent part of my life," says the man.
"Tony's message that his Newfoundland-Labrador voyages are now on the Web, was received the same day WILDEGEEST! A Search for Last Places was completed. But the ending lacked something interesting, 'As icing on the cake.'
"What better way to show visually why I love coastal Newfoundland and Labrador, than to refer you to www.wright-photo.com . This web site is a creation of Tony and his wife, Sue," continues the man. "It has just provided a chance to imagine a trip aboard his 32-foot Aloha sailboat, Meriah, along the entire west coast of Newfoundland; a layover at Cow Head http://www.wright-photo.com/cowhead1.htm; then north along the Labrador coast to Nain; and again north to the abandoned Moravian settlement, Hebron. How wonderful to see these beautiful places through Tony's eyes and photographic skill, and to recognize the seamanship and nerve required to reach such places single-handed.
"Thanks Tony, for including me in that picture of Theodore," says the man. "When there was a possibility of coming to Cow Head, you'd let me know by E-mail. But I had you pegged as a 'Foul Weather Friend' who'd pass us by in a wink, if wind and tide so ordained. That was understood. A good sailor never throws his blue chips into the drink."
December, 1999
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