Bertrand’s Interpretation

When my professor of philosophy, Mr. Gilmbol, said to expand my horizon, I don’t think he meant literally. However, as one learning to define greater things I thought it’d be only fitting if I did just that. So packing my bags, I venturing out to find the point where heaven and earth are so said to collide.

You must realize, I’m not one for physical adventures, books satisfy my minds wonder quiet thoroughly. This spontaneous decision was made for nothing more then to show my professor my seriousness in pursuit of knowledge.

If your coming along I suppose I ought to give you a context of my person. Words people often use to describe me are brilliant, genius, clever, brainy, shrewd, and uptight. It’s that last one that always pricks me. Not that I disagree, as a matter of fact, I agree entirely! And it’s not that I don’t think it most productive to be uptight, I just wasn’t always that way. We were all children at one time after all. In association with becoming quote “uptight” was when my father thought it best to forsake my mother and I to the streets of the old world. Childhood became nothing more than a idea to me. I began working, as children without homes do and my mother gave me my education. I owe her every penny of where I am today. She was one for adventure. Always speaking of another world which she belonged too. I can only hope she was right, being that she died of illness at the age of thirty-nine. I feel as if my joy died that day. I find satisfaction and happiness in other things, but constant joy has been far from me since that dreaded moment.

Enough about my old life’s sob story! Back to the present!

I was now standing on a wooden pier awaiting the chariot that rides on water. I was told we’d be at sea two days and one night, but I packed for seven days knowing how time frames and the ocean are rivals. My hair was unkempt because the wind insisted upon putting me through a cluster of air in all directions, my shoes were newly polished, and my watch was in perfect sink with the other four clocks sporadically placed in my home. I hadn’t seen the boat that I was in trusting myself too, but the watch that I in trusted my time too said it should be here. I looked around, but the only boat in sight was a small wood sailboat that had stained white sales and barnacles threatening to pirate the little ship. Aboard the craft was a man who looked to be about 105. Matted down gray beard and ears that would inspire Walt Disney’s characters. The name on the side of the boat was “Horizon” some would say it was a sign, others a joke. With no other option in sight I approached the old man and his vessel.

“ Captain Huss?” I questioned.

“ Bertrand?” He asked back. Not the most productive means of communication, but I knew I was in the right place. Although by the looks of the boat I was in the wrong one.

“ Yes. I was the one who paid well to be escorted to the horizon.” I state clutching my suit case in front of me. The Captain mumbled something bitter under his breath before replying.

“ Then I’m your captain. Get in the boat, sit where you’d like, the winds are ready for us.” I hesitated examining the state of the boat and more concerning the captain. “Well! I’m not going to role out a red carpet if that’s what you’re waiting for!” The Captain named Huss complained. I begrudgingly got on the boat and awkwardly found a seat on the a wooden chair that was tide to the mast. “Might as well rest your eyes, school boy! We have a few hours before we get to the horizon.” The Captain said, getting behind his wooden wheel.

I was too uncomfortable and afraid to sleep, so I resorted to counting the birds that flew over head. It had felt like we had been sailing for hours! There was nothing surrounding us or insight besides water. I’d always imagined the desert only having this feeling of desperation and emptiness, but here in the middle of the ocean I felt much of that same feeling.

“We have some time before the horizon is at her finest.” Captain Huss said, dropping an anchor off the side of his boat. I inhaled looking around to see nothingness. He settled down and exhaled relaxing his decaying frame.

“ So, what are you?” He asked me. I furrowed my brow tight.

“ What do you mean?” I asked.

“ I mean, what are you? What do you do with your life?” Huss questioned with a sense of aggravation.

“ I’m a student and teacher. I teach history at a school in the city. I’m also a student under Professor Gilmbol, studying philosophy.” I answered better understanding his request.

“ So you’re an aspiring know-it-all? Sounds exhausting!” He exclaimed. The boat had now settled to a rhythmic sway. Quite calming actually.

“ It can be. I enjoy it, though.” I say looking up to the cloudy sky.

“ Tell me something profound?” The Captain said next. I hesitated; while nothing profound came to mind.

“ Well.” I started. We both sat there for a moment. I couldn’t come up with anything to save my pride!

“ You’re a sloppy intelectual. Let me make it simpler for you!” He said almost mockingly. “ Who are you?” I couldn’t help, but laugh.

“ Simpler! That’s a question as hard as they come! People describe me as brilliant, clever, shrewd, intelligent...” I paused “uptight”.

“ Is that so.” He grunted.

“ Yes.” I replied plainly.

“ Is that it?” He asked sounding unimpressed.

“ Uh. Let me try again. The word most often associated with myself is, as with all, my name; Bertrand. Not to be mistaken with the philosopher Bertrand Arthur William Russel, whom my ideas don’t intersect. My mother gave me the name based off the German name ‘Bertram’ meaning, ‘bright-raven’. She was an avid bird watcher and religious to the God of the Bible. Thankfully for my own sake the French meaning of my name “Bertrand”does, in fact, mean ‘Intelligent’. That is who I am. Was that philosophical enough for you?” I said smartly. He looked to me, then the clouds, then the point where the sea met the sky.

“ You put to much weight in the word you now call your own. My name is Cain or ‘wandered’. I did the same as you, based my identity off of it. Said it was my life’s calling! Adventurous, traveling, thrilling! I could never stay in one place. Constantly wandering around. The thing I wanted the most was a constant, but I never braved the deep of it. Feeling it to be a betrayal of myself. Seeing anything steady as a prison, I became confined to my name. I’m now old and lonely. I don’t regret my adventure, but I regret that I never stood against myself. Never through my anchor to the ground. Glowing bird or philosopher, you’ve already claimed yourself as nothing more. A friend, a lover, a father, a son. You speak intellect I speak experience. Who’s the better teacher? Chew on that for a while boy.” Captain Huss said before going to the opposite side of the boat.

I was surprised by his answer. My job is to think, yet his knowledge seemed greater then my own. I did precisely what he requested and what I’m trained to do, I thought about what he said. I think best without distraction, so closing my eyes I drifted away in my own mind.

“Open your eyes Bertrand, or you’ll miss what’s in front of you!” Huss hollered. I pulled myself out of deep concentration in a panic making me forget where I was or what I was doing. I looked around before my mind settled on what my eyes thought they were only imagining.

The sea turned to glass as it reflected the sky above. Seamlessly they joined together creating an a new world. A new concept. A revelation that exceeded my mind into my soul.

“ Lovely isn’t it?” The Captain asked as I stared at the horizon in front of me.

“ I’ve never seen anything as... perfect.” I replied. What was this feeling about myself. I felt like if I could only reach out I’d grasp every good thing in this world. I felt relaxed, calmed.

“ It is better then a thought. It’s reality. Where heaven and earth collide. It can even give a hopeless wanderer peace.” The Captain said sincerely.

I don’t know what came over me. Perhaps the captains speech. Before I could think about it I dove in the water and swam towards her. I knew I wouldn’t reach her or find her, but I felt free, like a child. Careless that I was now soaked to the bone, drifting in the middle of the ocean. But this horizon, this boat, this desert, that wandering man! How would I have known a ship on a horizon would have touched my soul. An old man of the seas wisdom. A moment not a picture. A spontaneous whim. I found something entirely different then I was looking for, but I deeply thankful I found it.

~Three months later~

Mr. Gilmbol had found no appreciation for my outburst of thought that was intertwined with feelings. It was no surprise to me when I was asked kindly to leave his program, which you’ll be happy to know I did. I’m now a writer, who spends his days roaming towns and speaking allowed to himself like a mad man. I always thought I was made to be a philosopher, and while I don’t hold the title, I can rest satisfied being a thinker. A thinker unconfined by a name. Words people often used to define me are mad, witty, clever, brilliant, and laid back. It’s that last one that brings a smile to my face. I’d love to stay and talk longer, but I must be going, I have a boat to catch. They call her the horizon, some would call it destiny, others a coincidence. For me, I’d call it greater things.