Billy and Ike

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable. ---Helen Keller



Last night I dragged my friend Billy to this newly opened Cajun restaurant close to where I live. Billy is my foodie buddy. On our way there Billy came up with a spur of the moment idea to drive south and meet Ike - the hurricane that is about to inflict Houston and the neighboring coasts sometime tonight. "I have not seen a hurricane, why don't we go meet him?" I looked at him like, are you crazy? But he was serious. Really, I thought it was a great idea too, because in my childhood when typhoons visited Cebu, the day after always brought a feeling of serenity within me. I loved the stillness of it, that even now, subconsciously I long for the storm if only to experience the calm the day after.

Anticipating the adventure we were going to have, I was euphoric. I felt the adrenalin rush as I imagined myself bracing against the rainstorm. Billy has a brand new double cab pick-up truck and the plan was to go as close as we can to Galveston, then sit and watch the waves lambast the seawall or buildings and whatever else the 130mph wind would do. We planned to stay awake and watch the chaos all night but book 2 hotel rooms just in case. But in our planning we didn't consider the fact that traffic going in to Houston was blocked. So the temporary euphoria was dashed quickly. Billy instead went fishing today and I went to Barnes and Noble and sifted through the Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Billy is battling liver cancer but he seizes each moment. After working for 40 years with Texas Instruments he retired two years ago only to be diagnosed with liver cancer the next year. I have watched Billy live each day like it's his last and yet he makes provisions like he's going to live forever. His friend's son plays minor league hockey and Billy follows them cross country not because he loves the game so much but I think because he loves the people more.
When I told Chat about me and Billy going to Houston to meet Ike, she said : "I suggested before that you hang around Billy so he can teach you how to live not so you can learn how to die. But if the 2 of you wants to chase typhoons and tornadoes, go ahead, just make sure that you increase your life insurance policy, because I intend to be rich when you're dead." Chat is just so loving that way.

Sitting here I am mulling over the uncharacteristic excitement I felt last night. Why was I overly excited of the thought of the impending danger? Do I have a death wish? Is my life that dull that I need that kind of adventure to jog my senses? I am tempted to answer both questions with a no, but the truth is, we all have a death wish and we all have a dull life. The only question left is how often and how dull?