[All] Things Fall Apart

Mankind produces great monumental works, especially champions of man against the power of the seas and oceans. I’ve been privileged to board many such gorgeous vessels. A sampling:

The RMS Queen Elizabeth, longest passenger liner in the Cunard fleet.

The Italian Line Leonardo da Vinci, sister ship of the doomed Andrea Doria, and most beautiful ever.

The Presidential yacht Sequoia (FDR) and later Williamsburg (Truman)

The S.S. United States, longest and fastest ocean liner ever. Did all I could to save her.

All efforts to save the United States ended in failure.

I was on board all of them. Almost died on the Leonardo. Hurricane Beulah, 1963. 135 mph winds. Left my family sitting on the main lounge floor at age 10 to go stare into the abyss through the promenade windows. 

All of these beautiful vessels died as burned and forgotten wrecks. I’m still here, More’s the pity. Seen plenty of other kinds of abysses since. No PTSD to report. Until now. The Death of the Republic, while predictable, has finally broken my lifelong sense of invincibility. This time they really will succeed in killing me. But hey! I’ve been living on borrowed time for 30 years. Do your worst. 

P.S.

Oh. What they looked like before their ruin:

RMS Queen Elizabeth

Leonardo da Vinci

The Williamsburg

The S.S. United States

Do you remember hope?


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