Gordon Forgey

The winds are intense, and giant waves crash over the ship. It is awash and being pushed towards jagged rocks.

“Reef the mainsail,” the captain hollers against the wind.

Half the crew jumps into action, but it is too much for them. They need help.

The rest of the crew refuses. They think the captain is sending them to their deaths.

“Add more sail,” they demand.

If the captain adds more sail, they say, it will help save the ship. If he doesn’t, then so be it, the ship will go down.

The captain cannot convince all the crew that reefing the sail will save the ship. The loyal crew members side with him, but are furious at the other crew members who won’t help. Without them, the mainsail cannot be reefed.

The others cannot convince the rest of the crew that adding more sail will save the ship. They know that the captain is wrong. More sail must be added to keep the ship off the rocks, they say.

With its crew fighting over what to do, the ship is doomed and crashes through the surf onto the rocks. There, it breaks up.

The crew struggles to shore.

It is a tragedy. The ship is lost. But, the real tragedy occurs below decks. The passengers are drowned. They depended upon the captain and crew to get them safely through the storm to port.

At first, nobody notices. Finally, a crew member looks around and asks about the passengers.

“What happened to them?”

“They all drowned.”

“Too bad. But, at least, we’re safe.”

And they continue to argue over what should have been done.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher