I’m all dressed in white in a beautiful converted barn. They’re playing the old South American woowoo tunes. It’s the hooneyquin probably, who have become so terribly fashionable with all the rich folk who can afford like me to go and figuratively blow the top of their heads off on a December Friday when most people are having to knuckle down and watch the pennies. It’s grey here as it is everywhere at the moment, and the ground is soaking wet. I’ve drenched the bottom of my flared white jeans. They’ll dry soon though as it is warm in here. I think there might even be underfloor heating. Luxury indeed. These guys specialise in hosting retreats like this, and they’ve got it all sorted out. Normally I like to sleep in circle, but with these guys I’m sleeping in a pod on my own. I chose it by name – it’s called Black Sail. I thought it might be pirate themed, as at the time Brian was going to come with and it’s two single beds. It isn’t pirate themed. It refers to the myth of Theseus, in terms of the things we come to feel sorry about in our lives. I had a ladybird book of it at the time and it used to really upset me, the black sail moment. Perhaps that’s part of why I’ve ended up there.
Every year the ships from Crete would take the youth of Athens and feed them to the minotaur. One year Theseus decided to get rid of the damn thing, so he persuaded his dad the king to send him as one of these offerings. With Ariadne’s help and a ball of twine and all that he put paid to old cowface and returning triumphant in stolen Cretan boats he made a very costly error. The ships from Crete used to come with black sails. “If you succeed, when you return, fly white sails,” his dad had asked him. He forgot to change them. Easy to do when you’re swept up in monster killing and falling in love etc. But his dad saw the ships with black sails coming in, and since he was on a cliff at the time he decided the best option really was to jump off it in despair. So then Theseus docks and says “Where’s dad?” King Aegeus chucked himself in and got the Aegean Sea named after him. Ach. Just a simple oversight, but there’s no accounting for folks.
So I guess part of why I’m here is to look at the things I let pass just by simple acts of neglect. The little things I didn’t do that turned into big things for others. The little things in thinking and in behaviour and in speech and in diet that, individually feel so small they needn’t be minded but they accumulate and accumulate. That’ll be part of the tapestry of these two nights here when the world is cold. To examine some of these little parasites. I’m up for that. I’ve got a literal infinite amount of time.
First out I’m gonna switch away from digital and do my intentions, Florida water, maybe a bit of palo Santa and get someone to blow some yopo up my nose. Oh God here we go…
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Great. It’s buzzy in here now I’ve got the quilt Lou made, and a big cushion. I’ve got a stone from La Hougue Bie and the 2p piece of the spark of life. I’ve got half a bottle of Florida water and some Yopo which is active hapé, with a self applicator in case I fail to find someone and one for someone to blow it to me for preference. I’ve got the holy wood for stealth burning. A blackout eye mask so I can go deep if I want. A flask of water, some paper and a pen. A cigarette lighter, questionably wise given how I’ll be cosmic shortly. Don’t really need anything else though. Don’t need most of what I’ve got. Switching off my phone.
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Just as I went to switch my phone off, literally as pushed the button, it rang. An estate agent to ask about what I’m doing with my flat and am I going to rent it. Timing?!!?
Off
AlBarclay 