The true account of a middle-aged couple pursuing life aboard an ocean-sailing yacht while savoring blue skies and crystal waters, sparkling beaches, romantic settings and glowing camaraderie afloat — forget running out of money, three fiendish sailing companions, everything going wrong, impossibilities . . . and nearly dying.
The word “sailing” evokes idyllic images — new and exciting places to visit, sunny blue skies to enjoy, refreshing free winds, crystal waters, colorful aquatic life and moonlight peeking between scudding clouds on balmy evenings. Throw in those refreshing drinks after satisfying hours of delight, perhaps while sharing experiences with other boaters and planning the next day’s exciting, sun-blessed experience. Providing the sailboat is big and comfortable enough, funds are plentiful enough, sailing experience is ample enough, the weather kindly enough and the destinations reasonable, the only items remaining are the decision to go, someone to watch the house, good health and substantial long-term financial security. We had a few little glitches in our enactment of this dream, trivial items such as selling our house and belongings and cars, and going into hock. The biggest boat I’d ever commandeered was a rowboat — a small one — so I had zero experience. Our boat was too big for two people in their fifties. The weather was unbelievably bad. Our investments tanked and then disappeared completely. We had three brushes with death, unbelievable bad luck all around, and three sailing companions we never saw, never wanted and would rather not have known. Their names: Murphy, Finagle and Sod. Everyone has heard of Murphy. Some know Finagle. Very few know of Sod, but he knew us. They all did! In fact, Murphy and Finagle were Sod’s protégés. Sailing was the easy part. The real problem was trying to get the darn boat to go uphill!
For a time, I perched myself on a flat rock, comparing my life with the Guyandotte River. Just as its tributaries replenish it daily, changing it in some small—sometimes great—degree, so have the day-to-day occurrences of life changed me. Like the ri
After a long awaited weekend visitation caused by false allegations of sexual abuse, Glen got to see his children for the first time in over two months. He promised them that they would never be apart again and then they disappeared.
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