"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.~
This quote belongs in the last post, but I thought it may be too much of a slap in the face for some. Hopefully it's slappin' you in the face now! Wake up and take back your community people!
Week 21 was a transitional week in The Island Chronicles. I received an offer that was hard to refuse. Because of it, my entire timeline, life, situation, and writing was about to be thrown for a loop. I was fine with this because as I have said before, I am making this up as I go along. Throwing the unexpected into things should be expected................know what I mean?
Before moving on I needed to tie up loose ends and finish a commitment I had made to D.J. and Venture Richmond. My last week of work at the marina was a good wrap up to the summer. I worked on small projects with D.J., and visited friends that I had not seen in a while. On Friday D.J. and I had a light day at work and in the afternoon took an exploration trip to the lower reaches of the Canal, which is technically part of our territory. The area on the south side of The Canal across from the Tobacco Row Apartments is very unexplored and inaccessible. The Ship Lock Park Trail System backs up against this area, but no one ever goes back there. It was an interesting exploration to a part of The James that very few see. With one final gator ride, and D.J. trying to convince me I needed to fill out an exit interview (I almost bought that one) my tenure with Venture Richmond came to an end...........for now. It had been an interesting summer and I had learned a great deal about the “other side of the fence”, as well as learned a lot about myself. I am grateful to D.J., Jim, Alex, and everyone else at Venture for the opportunity and look forward to seeing you all on the other side. And to D.J., you are more than a friend. You are a brother, and the only family I have left. Thank you for always being there to steer me in the right direction and tell me when to shut the hell up………I am a lucky man to have a friend like you.
"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
~Albert Camus~
On Saturday I had made plans to meet up with an old friend that I went to high school with. Our original plan was to go rafting, but once we included her, her daughter, her daughter’s friend, and her friend, the group was too big. The rivah was running low, and the middle lines provide great summertime swimming holes, so I decided to take them on a rivah hike instead.
We walked up Pipeline to the access point directly below Browns Island and slowly swam and walked across the pool above Pipeline, making our way to the bird toilet rock. After 20 minutes or so of lots of screams, swims, and the amusement of a group of girls in the middle of the James, we made it to the Middle Lines and stopped for lunch above Deception Rapid. The girls swam in the calm pools of The Middle Lines while the adults caught up on life. I was impressed by the group’s willingness to participate and take a chance. A lot of people would think I was plain crazy for living on an island and wanting to take someone there by swimming across the rivah………actually mostly everyone would probably think I was crazy. But these ladies were open minded and willing to take a chance and the day ended up being a success.
While we were exploring the Middle Lines I noticed that there were other people close to The Island doing the same thing we were doing, enjoying the summer day. As we came closer I realized there were a few different people and one of them was swimming in the middle of Triple Drop, just above the main pour over. I was about to tell the guy that he should be careful, but then realized there was no need when I saw who it was…………………The LSD Dude! The self proclaimed “rock crawler” was out doing his thing, crawling around on the rocks. I was just excited to see that he was still alive. (remember that he disappeared in the middle of the night......he explained later that he was hungry and needed 7-Eleven) We exchanged a friendly hello, and then I invited him and his friends to The Island, along with all the ladies……..The Island had just created an impromptu Island party, right in the middle of The James.
There is a custom that must be followed when it is your first time on The Island……….you must take a big ole’ swig of Absinthe and give a blood curdling war cry from War Cry Rock. I took my friend from high school to the rock and demonstrated a proper war cry for her. I told her she needed to feel it deep down in her gut, and it needed to come from within her soul. She paused, and then told me she didn’t know if she had it in her. Then I said, “think about something in this world that really pisses you off. Think about all the people that have done you wrong in life, all the bull shit you just want to get out.”……..I don’t know who wronged that girl, or what it was she found deep down inside, but she gave a war cry that wasn’t only blood curdling, but made even ME lightheaded. It was amazing that a 5 foot three, 110 pound frame could produce something so loud. The LSD dudes friends followed by giving their own War Cry’s, followed finally by my friends daughter and her friend (minus the Absinthe of course). We hung out together for a short time and enjoyed the view from camp. Then the ladies and I made our way to the eastern end of The Island where it is possible to swim across the channel to the neighboring island. From that point it is a short walk across the Train Bridge and back to the car. If you fear heights then don’t look down while crossing the train bridge. (some of the girls discovered this the hard way) The day was a success, and we ended the evening with dinner at Bottom’s Up. Another great day on The James Rivah!
We walked up Pipeline to the access point directly below Browns Island and slowly swam and walked across the pool above Pipeline, making our way to the bird toilet rock. After 20 minutes or so of lots of screams, swims, and the amusement of a group of girls in the middle of the James, we made it to the Middle Lines and stopped for lunch above Deception Rapid. The girls swam in the calm pools of The Middle Lines while the adults caught up on life. I was impressed by the group’s willingness to participate and take a chance. A lot of people would think I was plain crazy for living on an island and wanting to take someone there by swimming across the rivah………actually mostly everyone would probably think I was crazy. But these ladies were open minded and willing to take a chance and the day ended up being a success.
While we were exploring the Middle Lines I noticed that there were other people close to The Island doing the same thing we were doing, enjoying the summer day. As we came closer I realized there were a few different people and one of them was swimming in the middle of Triple Drop, just above the main pour over. I was about to tell the guy that he should be careful, but then realized there was no need when I saw who it was…………………The LSD Dude! The self proclaimed “rock crawler” was out doing his thing, crawling around on the rocks. I was just excited to see that he was still alive. (remember that he disappeared in the middle of the night......he explained later that he was hungry and needed 7-Eleven) We exchanged a friendly hello, and then I invited him and his friends to The Island, along with all the ladies……..The Island had just created an impromptu Island party, right in the middle of The James.
There is a custom that must be followed when it is your first time on The Island……….you must take a big ole’ swig of Absinthe and give a blood curdling war cry from War Cry Rock. I took my friend from high school to the rock and demonstrated a proper war cry for her. I told her she needed to feel it deep down in her gut, and it needed to come from within her soul. She paused, and then told me she didn’t know if she had it in her. Then I said, “think about something in this world that really pisses you off. Think about all the people that have done you wrong in life, all the bull shit you just want to get out.”……..I don’t know who wronged that girl, or what it was she found deep down inside, but she gave a war cry that wasn’t only blood curdling, but made even ME lightheaded. It was amazing that a 5 foot three, 110 pound frame could produce something so loud. The LSD dudes friends followed by giving their own War Cry’s, followed finally by my friends daughter and her friend (minus the Absinthe of course). We hung out together for a short time and enjoyed the view from camp. Then the ladies and I made our way to the eastern end of The Island where it is possible to swim across the channel to the neighboring island. From that point it is a short walk across the Train Bridge and back to the car. If you fear heights then don’t look down while crossing the train bridge. (some of the girls discovered this the hard way) The day was a success, and we ended the evening with dinner at Bottom’s Up. Another great day on The James Rivah!
"As accidental as my life may be, or as that random humor is, which governs it, I know nothing, after all, so real or substantial as myself."
~Anthony Ashley Cooper~
~Anthony Ashley Cooper~
I do not know if I will return to The Island, but I hope to. There are a lot of unfinished (or un-started) goals that I have promised myself I would complete. I did not expect Week 21 to be the end of The Island, but as I stated before, when you lead the life I lead the unexpected should be expected. I hope one of those unexpected turns in my future path is a return to The Island, because it provided everything I hoped it would provide while living there, and I truly believe that I can build and live a successful life out on that big ole’ rock in the rivah!
“A little talent is a good thing to have if you want to be a writer. But the only real requirement is the ability to remember every scar.”
~Stephen King~
See ya on the rivah................hopefully back on The Island one day. PEACE
