It was over so quickly — the Newport-to-Bermuda Race. Speedboat won. Seems fitting, doesn't it?? But I found myself, when we were out there at the starting line with hundreds of other spectators on Friday, wondering at the names of the other boats. Not just what they were named but why they were named what they were named. In most cases, it was obvious ... or seemed so after a quick bit of thought. Based upon the clues. Perhaps a minor amount of research. Though, in a few cases, I really wondered what the owners were thinking ...
The same applies to children's names. Every so often, when I hear one that strikes me oddly, I'll think, "What were those parents thinking?" It doesn't happen often, and I realize it's not my place to comment. All we can do is name our own children.
And boats, as that's the topic at hand.
Coincidentally, I'm not sure what it implies (or why it matters), but it took Mr. Betty and me years to decide upon a name for our modest little speedboat (nothing like Speedboat), the one in which we were riding on Friday. Must say, it felt cool to leave all those big fancy boats in our wake ...
Still, when it was over — "it" being the mere start of race — I was left thinking about canvas. Or sails, more accurately, as none of the high-tech materials used to propel wind-powered vessels these days is canvas. And how I prefer sail to power, though power certainly gets you there. And I wondered: Do people even paint on canvas anymore?? I think (hope) they do, as at least a few things should stay the same through time ...
That's mostly what I was thinking, as I looked up at all that graceful-if-mod and no doubt super-efficient patterning illuminated from behind on sails, head to clew, as they headed South: that it'd be so great if some things (like age at a certain mid-point??) could stop "progressing" ...
Oh, now I get it: Speedboat (and the one just above her) is rather wide, as boats go. To put it nautically, "She's beamy." But some names still give me pause. And 45 would be a great place to pause — wouldn't it??
