Thursday, March 7, 2013

the churning vast

one of these passages that didn't even seem to have a genuine interest in reading!
no way no way no way no way no way no way no way no way no way no way no way n 
shut up and listen!
as if there were so many other things to do on sea voyage of 2 to 3 weeks!
you really think it took that long?
no, keng, it went that quickly- totally different emphasis here.
one of those strange passengers that sort of just keeps to himself for the entire length of the voyage?
pretty much.
what was that you were saying earlier about the deep night slash the interstate?
you mean my trip out west?
I thought you said you went so far west that you ended up in the east! 
I was in a strange mood that day, calv.
no problem, keng.
no big deal, you're sayin'?
emphatically no major deal.
(long pause)
how do you know for sure that he was spending all that time reading?
what else could he have been doing?
did he have any art supplies?
you mean like pencil and paper?
those would certainly qualify.
yeah, I think he was probably keeping some sort of sketch journal.
what's that?
sorta like an old fashioned ship's log.
(pause)
but ya know, the more I think about it, the more it seems likely that he was doing nothing but reading.
that doesn't sound very healthy, keng.
who ever said rick was healthy?
but what if this was one of those obscure passages that one hears about on occasion wherein the "occupant' is later discovered to have had no genuine interest in reading?
you mean no lasting interest in reading?
genuine, lasting, authentic, bone deep, in-built- take your pick.
I don't think interest in reading is necessarily in-built, keng.
oh?  but speech is, perhaps?
that's one theory.
and what about the deep night?  the interstate?
genuine, lasting, authentic, bone-deep, in-built- whatevers.
it's a brand new trip every time.
even for the captain and crew?
especially for the captain and crew.
vladivostok, you're sayin?
that's what it said on the ticket.
have you done any research?
calv, I haven't even done an initial search!
well what are you waiting for then?
(pause)
I just keep thinking he's gonna call me up one of these evenings.
and he probably will, keng.  
(pause)
and you think I should do research in the meantime?
well, it's one way of dealing with problems.
who said I was having a problem?  and besides, what if I'm one of those so-called "passengers" who doesn't have any genuine interest in reading?
look keng, there are other ways of doing research besides reading, you know.
(pause)
(deep sigh) yeah, I know.