↑ Vantage pt for Jay Levine at tippity top of crow's nest before he jumped.
Das Boot: the first and perhaps most profound of the Dreamscape categories in that it describes not only the day-to-day adventures of a Caribbean escape, but also a moment that was much of a fulcrum or a rubicon for everyone involved, both a gathering and a dispersal. They were all twenty-four or twenty-five years old, an age where everything in the past seems like prologue and the next turned page is where the story really begins. There was a lot of debate about what comes next: plans hatched, destinies reconsidered. And soon after: Sebastian heading for Brazil, Christoph to Argentina, Helene to New Zealand, our pal Jayson and Natalie both to New York City. And the more we studied these pages, the stronger the urge became to apply allegory and deeper significance to everything that was written. And although 'reality' strongly resists such neat and tidy structuring, nonetheless here it is.
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Das Boot (33/33)
December 26, 1990
Choose a different dreamscape
Later – 1:30?
And floating now, not on water but air 38,000 ft above anything resembling earth in a remarkably luxurious Airbus 2000. Nice name. Gives familiarity and security to what, in reality is nothing more than a glorified tin can.
And what awaits? Well, first, a vacation from my vacation. A real vacation… with no thoughts of nothing ‘cept rearranging my bulk into a more comfortable position. And, of course some thinking, some deciding ‘bout stuff. I guess… Watch TV? At least 3 movies! Eat food. Warm showers. Walk in the woods. Continue writing like thus? Or resort, anew, to the frothing mass of Tangled Motives? Both? Not much time to do any of this if the truth be known. December ends in some 5 odd days, and with it so too go I And why not? Get the show on the road, I say. Get a move on. Push it, to coin a phrase. NYC? For the new year? Why not?
Rumour brings tidings of cold cold weather. What is that? It’s been awhile, but soon enough, I shall be reacquainted, as though I never left…
And why am I going to NY? Don’t ask me. What are you asking me for? What do you think I am, some knowitall or something? Huh? I just go ‘cause I go, okay? Maybe something about the world of published prose… it’s there, after all, is it not?
This Airbus is so luxurious and spacious. So unlike the cramped prop-plane that dropped us, standing, on the hot tar tarmac of San Juan. Standing! We literally crossed 3 runways on foot, hoofing it toward the terminal, following some stewardess like a tour guide.
“On your left you see the intricately modulated luggage carts designed to transport all your valuables from point A to point B with minimal stress or breakage. And here, on your right, you will notice one of American Airlines finest DC-9s just coming in for… look out! Aaaagghh ah, on your left, an American DC-9, just landed, taxis toward the end of the runway. And across here… WAIT! Okay, run!!”
But it was refreshing to hear, while on that cramped, prop-plane, a stewardess emit an exclamation of almost human emotion when she inadvertently upended some poor passenge’s ginger ale. This is why, no doubt, she works in such a small and hidden corner of the friendly skies.
But, now, we ride an Airbus. Spacious. Roomy. With 42 rows of 8 seats each, and 6 video monitors which, we have just been informed will presently display today’s feature film: Don’t Tell Her It’s Me, starring so-and-so and so-and-so, and, subsequently, I must lower my window shade and write in the near-obscurity of my distant overhead light, if I am to write at all…
The movie will be broadcast in English on channel 8 and Spanish on channel 10, and those fortunate enough to possess headphones can listen. Headphones = $4 US. I will watch, nonetheless, without them.
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[And thus concludes the portion of this Dreamscape Project titled Das Boot. We hope you “enjoyed” the journey thus far. But why stop now? Next up… Hello NYC, in which our intrepid hero, Jay Levine, says (yes) hello to NYC. Actually, there’s more to it than that. Jay gets choppered in like a GI to the jungles of Nam to hack through wet foliage and fend off a variety of urban threats and– No, no, no, it’s not like that at all, either! There’s really no describing it. It’s ineffable. Anyway, see for yourself…]
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Comments (1)
That was fun. Enjoyed the reminiscing. made me want to get back there again -jack