"When Life takes unexpected turns, the best asset I carry with me, is the ability to smile "

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Voyage of Jeffrey, the paper boat.


"Yeah, obviously, it will rain today", my friends told me when I put forward the idea of spending an evening in the beach. They may be right because it’s too windy today; also the sky is darker than usual. I love this climate and I love to watch the sea now… more vigor, more lively, and I believe that this energy transfers to us when we stand there, watching the horizon. But that’s not the reason for me to go, I just love to be there now, and sea is just a few minute walk from our room.

I took a small notepad with me and a pencil, sometimes I like to scribble down when I sit alone in peace and calm. The music of waves is the only sound you hear when you sit in the beach now. Nobody will be there; they all like to watch the sea from their balconies, when it rains. There are lots of rocks on the beach. They make a good sea-wall (a form of hard and strong coastal defense constructed on the inland part of a coast to reduce the effects of strong waves). This means that the sea can sometimes be a little bit mischievous. I sat down on a big rock. The waves always caress some rocks in the front row, and they have become incredibly smooth and beautiful over time, they have green algae on them, giving a lovely color to the rocks. The waves are a bit high today (or I like to believe that they are). Wind is stronger today, which I am quite sure, and when the wind blows on you, it brings tiny droplets of sea water and sprinkles on you everywhere… In the distant horizon, you can see fish boats; they seemed to be so still in water. There are lots of seagulls and other birds near the beach; they fly all around making funny noise. I wanted to go a little bit into the waves. I tore a paper from my notepad and made a small paper boat. Just wrote a name on it, Jeffrey (It’s a childhood habit; I always name my paper boats. And this name… I don’t know how the name Jeffrey came to my mind…) I walked above the rocks and went into the water, with the paper boat in my hand. Oh man, the water was goddamn cold. I placed the boat in the water, it came back to the shore thrice… I went a little bit more far, I really wanted to see my boat ‘traveling’. And you know - it did.

It was a cute little boat, white paper with blue lines on it. On one side it was written ‘jeffrey’ with a pencil. As Jeffrey sailed by itself, I was looking at it with utmost happiness. Wind is now cooler and faster, in some distant cloud, I could clearly hear soft thunder. "Yeah, obviously, it will rain today"

When I reached room, it started rain, it was a smooth downpour. Raindrops spatter on my windowpanes. I sat down on my bed with a warm coffee.

There is a sound right? When we throw pebbles in water, or when small waves break on the shore, maybe that’s the only sound Jeffrey can hear now, or he can hear the sound of wind that accelerates him, I don’t know if he is wet now, due to rain…

I wonder how it could be so sunny in the sea now, when it rains so heavily here. Jeffrey is really enjoying the climate, and he is sailing so fast. The wind really accelerates him; can’t believe that a small boat can sail in this speed. I am afraid if the salt water spoils his facade, but Jeffrey is so smart than I imagined…

It’s getting dark, and now the wind is cold… Jeffrey could see a small light in a distance which was getting closer to him. It was a gigantic cargo ship, it made huge waves. Jeffrey could hardly poise in water. The noise of the turbine was unbearable, it also made huge whirlpool around Jeffrey, and slowly he drowned and was sucked through the turbine. He was completely wet and crumbled between a huge bolt and nut. It was a terrible voyage for him, he could feel the change in taste of water. Several days and nights passed.

“Coast is 6 Nautical miles” somebody in the ship commanded. Jeffrey could feel the anchor cable loosening; he was released in a new world, where he is so wet to sail. But waves pushed him to a new land – Atlanta.

Atlanta is a beautiful coastal town. The seashore is covered with golden sand and small pebbles, kids running all around, playing with small plastic shovels and sand carts… It is so sunny in the beach so that it took less than 5 minutes for Jeffrey to dry up and take his original shape.

“Pappa, from where do all these ships come from?”

“Son, they come from a faraway place in the sea…”

“Really…? So where are they going pa, why are they sailing like this?”

“Son, ships love to see us, they are coming to see people, they sail to different places, they meet lot of people, they enjoy their voyage … in the sun, in the rain…”

“I didn’t know it Pa… why do they love us? Can I take a ship to our home…? ”

“Dear, look the ships are really huge” Father pointed towards a huge ship in the sea… Jeffrey was smiling; he could faintly hear the conversation between a father and his little son. The son had cute blue eyes, he always asks questions. His father finds joy in answering all of them too…

“Hey Big Boy, come over here… we have a pool in our home and I will give you my water ducks to you” The kid screamed running towards the sea. He was staring at a big cargo ship in the sea. While he ran his hair flew in the breeze…. “Come here Big Boy….”

Suddenly a wave wet his shoes, he laughed like anything… and when he bend down to touch the waves he got Jeffrey in his hand…, “Pappaaa look, I got a small one… perfect for our pool, he can sail with my water ducks” The kid screaming in joy...

“Come here, it’s getting late, and leave it there son, it may be of somebody else”

“Who told Pa, the Big Boy gave this to me, if not, how come my name is there on this boat?”

“Come on Jeff, we need to hurry, it’s getting late”

“Pa, I got a boat… Hurray… thank you Big Boyyy”

“Jeffrey, come on….”, father called him once again.

One loud thunder woke me up; rain was still so heavy… I got up and walked towards the window, I really didn’t have any idea, why I was smiling… :)

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