Last night my husband Mike and I went on a sunset sail. We love being on the water, especially in any one of the beautiful old schooners that sail the Key West waters. Generally, the crews are friendly, the wine and beer are well chilled and the wind is ample enough to stiffen the sails and make for a fun ride.
Last night was one of those perfect sailing evenings.
Perfect evening…until my brain kicked into Red Alert.
And we got to meet some interesting people, including a couple that has been married since their mid-teens! Tim and Pam, who live on their own self-built sailboat, were taking a busman’s holiday – relaxing in cushioned comfort while someone else did the actual sailing. And all was right in my world: The chitchat was fascinating, the scenery spectacular. I sunk into the cushions and relaxed.
A wonderful way to watch a Key West sunset…on a schooner.
My brain was in neutral, that state it (and I) loves so much. And then it happened. My brain, unbeknownst to me, shifted into high alert! It took me a sec; I glanced over at our young captain and the sailing couple. I focused on their words and realized with a sinking heart that they were talking about an approaching hurricane.
“Did you know this? And you didn’t tell me?” my brain shrieked in rising terror.
Have you been caught in a tropical storm or a hurricane? Well, my brain and I, along with my girlfriend Peggy, were caught in a wicked storm in Key West many years ago. The wind howled. The rain came down so hard it hurt when it beat against our skin. The streets of Key West churned with water well up over our knees. We’re talking waves in the streets, people! Some people evacuated, but most of the bars stayed open. The folks who live in Key West are either well lubricated with alcohol or have nerves of steel. I never want to be caught in a storm like that again. And neither does my brain.
I tapped my husband on the shoulder and cocked my head toward the discussion. His eyebrows went up. Even “Weather Mike,” the man who watches storms on the Weather Channel the way I watch Real Housewives of New Jersey, had missed the alert! While my brain screamed in terror I tried to regain my neutral state. We battled the old brain and me, but I won, at least for now.
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