The Wind in His Sail

The Wind in His Sail
"Ahh, there's no wind today," sighed Cobi as he tacked his sail around and headed
for the shore. Cobi was a sailor. Cobi wasn't a typical sailor, Cobi was a National
Championship winning sailor. A sailor who thrived on high winds and rough seas, who
has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in Canadian sailing. He is the envy of
every young sailor and child. They wish, aspire, and dream to be like Cobi.

"Hii Cooobiii," wines Julie. Julie just happened to be standing on the dock of the
Yacht Club as Cobi tied his luminous, new, nine-thousand dollar boat to its mooring.
Julie, was just one part of Cobi's large female entourage, who followed and prayed on his
every move and breath. Cobi Jones was not only very skilled in the nautical art of sailing,
he was the most popular, the best looking, and even one of the smartest kids in school.
"Hi Julie," moaned Cobi in reply, "what are you doing here?"
A shocked, but smiling Julie answered, "Just came to see ya."
"Well visiting hours are over," Cobi uttered as he pushed past Julie and trekked up
the rocky shore to his home. His home! His home was a picturesque array of
hand-crafted pillars and intricate woodwork that beautified even the aesthetic sandy ocean
beach that encompassed it. As always, after sailing practise, he was greeted by a honk and
a wave from his father returning from work. His father was a partner in Jones, Jefferson,
and Deveau, the most successful law firm in Nova Scotia. He was able to fund Cobi's
sailing career from the start, and his money played a very large role in Cobi's sailing
success and popularity. Other than Cobi's majestic surroundings, Cobi led a typical
eighteen year-old after school life. He ate, did homework, spoke to his many friends the
phone, and then fell asleep with a remote control in his grip. This evening wasn't an
exception.

The following day at school, Cobi was greeted by all of his friends and sailing
cohorts and he sauntered to his first class. The greetings ranged from "Hey man", to
"What's up", and to the simple "Hi". Cobi habitually responded with a mumbled "Yo."
Sometime after an insightful, and invigorating lecture from his favourite English teacher
Dr. Noble, he ran into his friend and sailing crewman Greg. "Hey man, what're ya doin'
after school today?" asked Cobi.
"Nothin' man, it's too messy out. That hurricane's gonna hit tonight you know,"
replied Greg.
"I know man, that's why I asked"
"You don't wanna go sailin' do ya?"
"Yeah man, the winds lately haven't been much of a challenge for me, eh."
"I don't know man?"
"Ahh c'mon, you're coming to my party tonight aren't ya."
"Yeah"
"Well, we can go for a sail, then to the party"
"All right"
"Cool, meet at the club at 4:00. We're takin' the Laser"
"What!?! Okay," sighed Greg as he made his way to his last class.

At the Yacht Club, the forty-five knot winds were drubbing the Dangerous Seas
warning signs into the clubhouse as the two young sailors began to rig their boat of a mere
fourteen feet. The boys rigged their boat quickly and set sail. Cobi was the helmsman and
hence, called all the commands. Greg responded with needle-point precision. They
tacked, gybed, and heeled in complete unison. If anyone else had had the craze of mind or
desire of body to be on the water that night they would have found their sailing
awe-inspiring. But the strong forty-five knot winds briskly became Herculean fifty-five
knot winds that no one could sustain. Then, the foreseen occurred, a quick change of
wind direction came about and toppled the great Cobi's boat and threw the two into the
cold and bitter ocean. Greg was hit with the boom as the boat slammed onto the ocean's
surface, he was knocked unconscious and drowned. "Ahhh, nooo. Why did I come out
here tonight? Greg!! Ahhh..." exclaimed Cobi. Weeping, Cobi frantically moved to right
the battered boat. He succeed but the boat was well out of his reach and it was impossible
for him to swim to it in the high seas. Then another gust of mighty wind came and flipped
the boat driving the mast of the boat through the abdomen of the struggling sailor. The
boat soon sank with the slain sailor in tow.