The Captain - by Chris Hermann
Let me tell you a story ...
Once there was a Captain of a beautiful sailing ship that was sailing in very treacherous seas. At this point in the story the ship was sailing very close to a rocky reef. It was very difficult for the Captain to navigate and steer the ship through these waters because the sails were not properly furled to catch the wind and, even more importantly, because the crew often didn't trust or accept the Captain's authority and ability, and therefore didn't really obey his orders. Often a sailor would grab the Captain's wheel from him ... It was then that the ship would start to head for the sharp rocks of the reef ...
The sailors seemed unaware that the rough way the ship was handling while under the Captain's direction was not because of his inability to stay on course but because of the very rough seas that came as a result of the storm that the ship now also found itself in, as well as the reef's swells and breakers that tossed the ship to and fro. They also didn't realize that the more they tried to wrestle control of the ship from the Captain, the closer the ship came to the dangerous reef, where the waves and breakers became even worse and much more difficult to sail through. What they didn't know was that if they were to drift too close, the Captain may not be able to correct the ship's heading when he finally did get the tiller back ... in that case the ship would crash and sink ... they'd all then end up overboard leaving each person to fend for themselves in the churning waters.
Things really started to go wrong half way through their journey when the First Mate jumped overboard after leading a failed mutiny, having then joined Pirates after being rescued by them. It was the First Mate that was once really in charge of the ship ... especially when it came to the hearts and minds of the crew. All of the other sailors would look to the First Mate for example and direction as well as a sense of well being.
Crazy though ... there's no way the Captain could sail that ship alone ... the sails had to be looked after and constantly adjusted, someone had to navigate, someone had to sound (check the water's depth) ... thus while the sailors were fighting to be captain, or at least trying to keep the Captain from being one ... all those important jobs didn't get done ... And so it seemed like they were constantly floundering in the stormy seas next to the reef instead of sailing into the open ocean, on course, as they had planned all along, being moved only by the wind in the sails of their beautiful ship.
Now many of the sailors couldn't even recollect what it was like when the Captain and the First Mate once did work together. It seemed so long ago ... All the Captain could do now was remember, sadly, the course headings marked on the charts, hoping that the ship would not sink and get back on it's correct bearing. One day, he knew the storm would abate ... the sun would come out and it would be clear sailing! He knew from experience that the weather always changes ... and God knows, maybe his beloved First Mate would get sick of being a pirate and somehow return to their ship. Perhaps other captains would not be quite so welcoming to a returning mutineer ... But this one will respond with open arms and heart. That First Mate was the Captain's only, best and last Mate. As far as he was concerned, no one else could ever fill that position on their sailing vessel. No one.
A good captain never leaves his ship, even when it looks like it's sinking.
The End
Once there was a Captain of a beautiful sailing ship that was sailing in very treacherous seas. At this point in the story the ship was sailing very close to a rocky reef. It was very difficult for the Captain to navigate and steer the ship through these waters because the sails were not properly furled to catch the wind and, even more importantly, because the crew often didn't trust or accept the Captain's authority and ability, and therefore didn't really obey his orders. Often a sailor would grab the Captain's wheel from him ... It was then that the ship would start to head for the sharp rocks of the reef ...
The sailors seemed unaware that the rough way the ship was handling while under the Captain's direction was not because of his inability to stay on course but because of the very rough seas that came as a result of the storm that the ship now also found itself in, as well as the reef's swells and breakers that tossed the ship to and fro. They also didn't realize that the more they tried to wrestle control of the ship from the Captain, the closer the ship came to the dangerous reef, where the waves and breakers became even worse and much more difficult to sail through. What they didn't know was that if they were to drift too close, the Captain may not be able to correct the ship's heading when he finally did get the tiller back ... in that case the ship would crash and sink ... they'd all then end up overboard leaving each person to fend for themselves in the churning waters.
Things really started to go wrong half way through their journey when the First Mate jumped overboard after leading a failed mutiny, having then joined Pirates after being rescued by them. It was the First Mate that was once really in charge of the ship ... especially when it came to the hearts and minds of the crew. All of the other sailors would look to the First Mate for example and direction as well as a sense of well being.
Crazy though ... there's no way the Captain could sail that ship alone ... the sails had to be looked after and constantly adjusted, someone had to navigate, someone had to sound (check the water's depth) ... thus while the sailors were fighting to be captain, or at least trying to keep the Captain from being one ... all those important jobs didn't get done ... And so it seemed like they were constantly floundering in the stormy seas next to the reef instead of sailing into the open ocean, on course, as they had planned all along, being moved only by the wind in the sails of their beautiful ship.
Now many of the sailors couldn't even recollect what it was like when the Captain and the First Mate once did work together. It seemed so long ago ... All the Captain could do now was remember, sadly, the course headings marked on the charts, hoping that the ship would not sink and get back on it's correct bearing. One day, he knew the storm would abate ... the sun would come out and it would be clear sailing! He knew from experience that the weather always changes ... and God knows, maybe his beloved First Mate would get sick of being a pirate and somehow return to their ship. Perhaps other captains would not be quite so welcoming to a returning mutineer ... But this one will respond with open arms and heart. That First Mate was the Captain's only, best and last Mate. As far as he was concerned, no one else could ever fill that position on their sailing vessel. No one.
A good captain never leaves his ship, even when it looks like it's sinking.
The End
posted by Christoph Hermann at 9/27/2007 05:18:00 p.m.
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