Wow. All I can say is wow. Both in awe, in happiness, and in disgust.
Grad night was amazing. 10:15, drove to school. Checked in. Boarded bus, took off around 10:45-11. Can't remember. It took forever. Turns out the class of 2012 has no manners and doesn't know when or how to shut up. They were getting up in their seats and playing with the flashes of their cameras and putting everybody in serious danger. We went all the way from my town up past San Mateo to pier 5 in San Francisco where the Hornblower boats were docked. I recognized it because I don't know if I blogged about it then but a while ago I came up here with family and we walked from the marketplace in the ferry building ALL the way up to Chinatown. The boats were beautiful. I was so surprised. They were HUGE! The San Francisco Belle (ferry), San Francisco Spirit, Hornblower Empress, and a couple others. The Empress was our ride.
We went down the gangplank to board, trying to ignore how dumbasses were rocking the gangplank, and boarded. My heart was pounding in anticipation. I had previous adaptation to the rocking of a boat and got my sea (rather, bay legs as I later found out.) legs and began looking around. Call me a soon to be chronic gambler but my eyes were instantly drawn to the two blackjack tables on the sea level deck. I intended to play soon. Checked out the buffet and desserts. Salad, pasta, pizza, rolls. Nothing special. Grabbed some cookies and brownies (didn't finish those. Had nuts. Yech.) and snacked as we took off. The gentle rhythmic rocking of the boat instantly entranced me as we slowly made our way out into the bay. I was taking so many pictures through the window.
Sipped some sprite. Someone who I knew from school sat and we chatted. Eyed the photo booth. Then explored. Went up a level. There was a dance floor and balloons and a live dj with karaoke and more buffet of the same kind. Everybody was already chill and grooving. I ascended another level. An unused dining floor. Nothing special.
There were ads all over for getting married on one of these boats. Like it'd ever happen, I mused. Outside on the deck, the chill San Francisco air swirled around me in the sea breeze and I wrapped my coat around myself tighter. The lights from the East side of the bay twinkled beautifully. I breathed in the air, relishing the salty taste on my tongue, snapped a few more pictures(will upload later to photobucket.) and headed back to the main level, where two poker games were already in full swing. Got myself a spot and impressed all the amateurs with my blackjack lingo and won a lot of chips. Eventually went back and forth and chatted with friends and acquaintances. Lazily, the red waxing moon rose over the horizon, a deep carnelian orange.
Nothing eventful, really, for a while. Went by alcatraz, idled by angel island. The fun didn't begin til when we neared the Golden Gate bridge. The sea swell rocked the boat and I gained my true sea legs once more. Everybody rushed to the bow of the ship to get a better look and take pictures. I had seen the bridge plenty of times and already from that angle. I snapped more pictures, anyhow, then tried to make my way down to the main deck once more.
After a few failed attempts I found myself on the stairs when it hit me. The clear peal of the ships horn. I clapped my hands to my ears, cringing. Call it cheesy but it awoke something inside me. I still don't know what it was so I'll sleep on it but it was the first epiphany I've had in a while. Not as strong as my abandoning of my monogamous tendencies that I was raised with but very strong, regardless. I hurried back inside and things went down from that loud climax from there. I went in and out a few times, read one of my books that I had brought with me. General chilling. Went outside. studied the stars. It was so peaceful.
I was very tired by then and was slowly being sleepily lulled into a sense of security, despite the regular pulse of the music from the promenade deck. I mused over how I was wrong about being so neutral over boats. They were nice. Very nice, I decided, and given the chance once I'd like to sleep on a house boat, and be regularly rocked by the waves.
We came back around 2:45 AM on the 9th as expected and docked. I observed the docking process, how nimbly the dock attendant stepped from the dock to the narrow ledge on the starboard side of the boat, slipping ropes over the dock anchors and eventually walking along the ledge all the way to the aft of the boat and slipping the last knot on, which had to be drawn from the water with the use of a longer and thinner rope attached to it. I marveled as I watched, baffled. I figured he had to be an ex-Marine to be so balanced and nimble. I wondered how many times of falling into the drink it had taken him to learn, as he was already middle aged looking as was.
We disembarked, and I said my farewell to the glorious leisure vessel. We boarded the buses. The one we were riding broke down as I knew it would and we had to cram into other buses. By then my drowsiness was painting shameless artful patterns across my conscience. I was thoroughly spent and ready to crash. Drove home. I don't remember much except that it was 4:25 AM when I finally crawled into bed... And that it was 6 PM when I woke up next.
-Sera
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