At a young age this sailor left for a lifelong sailing trip. He felt a little less adapted to city or country life, he did not speak the language of his friends, he was obliged to act introverted even though he not only felt extraverted, but also essentially was.

During big storms he went to hide, either inside his boat if he was in the middle of the ocean, in a deserted bay if he had enough provisions and reading material, or in a quiet harbor if he needed female company, connection, affection, passion, love or other food he was missing. However, he was never drunk, although he sang sailor songs, he was never aggressive, although fate could sometimes be tough, he was never hungry, for he worked for those who urgently needed a repair, psychologically or physically. He could survive with minimal stock, he was happy with many things. He was not really demanding, on the contrary, his appearance allowed him to have contact with almost anyone, to maintain these relationships, and to perpetuate it occasionally. Often his new friends were delighted with the fact that they were sketched by his side.

He did fall in love sometimes, so that he lingered in the same harbor for years, and one day he dared to ask his then best friend to marry him, and to give her two beautiful children. He taught them foreign languages, basic knowledge of economics and math, culture and religion, music and dancing, and of course sailing, hoping secretly that one day they would follow him if he went out again. But wife and children turned out to be stay-at-home, choosing the grass above the waves, preferring to read the FT rather than the weather forecast, hankering to eat ravioli rather than ship’s rusk, picking Leonard Cohen rather than the swell of the water, being afraid of seagulls and pigeons, and electing dogs and cats as best (childhood) friend.

The sailor was not disappointed, did not raise his voice, did not bang on the table, but simply stated that he went out again in full respect for everyone’s freedom and choices. Although he was slowly getting older, he encountered the same adventures on different routes in European, Asian and African waters. He got to know the languages, religion and food habits of totally strange cultures again, he dressed himself to the local customs, he drank water where needed, a small whiskey where possible. And very occasionally he came by his previous nests again, just to make sure that nobody was short of anything, that everyone still remembered his name, that he was not rejected.

And today the sailor, meanwhile senior captain, is ready for some settlement again. A large circle was ended, the events of the past must be consumed, not denied. They can and they will give rise to an extensive logbook, if slightly possible, but not necessarily, with a second mate and reader at his side…

But the weather is breaking, a major depression is imminent, and the forward-looking sailor is looking at tide tables to see if he can go somewhere for long-term and thorough repairs. Not only mentally, after all, the man has continued to read, count, think and exercise.  He signaled to the harbor master and received an immediate answer. Possibly there was a berth, but first the following searches had to be made and the following questions answered: “which shores did you visit, where did you learn what to whom, under what starry skies did you sleep, under which waterfall did you take a shower , to whom did you learn to write your own name, in which waters did you swim, on which beaches were you comforted …”

To be continued … of course.