Captain Q

My brother just got a call back from his application for a job sailing educational/oceanography/scuba diving ships around the Caribbean. They are interested in him for a potential captain position.

Scott, a college senior, embodies the qualities of a captain, to an extent that surprised me when I gave it thought. Responsibility. I perceive my brother as having unswerving dedication. My brother is the best scuba guide out there, always checking to make sure you are ok. He will hang out upside down and point out all of the fishes for you. He is a detail oriented student, and I think he would know exactly what to do in any situation. Scott commands your respect and attention. He is calm and upbeat in the face of natural adversity. A silent warrior, he has always had an element of secrecy. As if he already holds the secrets of the sea, and a love for something lost, incomprehensible and tremendous. I do not ‘get’ my brother. He is an enigma impenetrable to my constant babble.

The perfect captain. Could there be a quality more manly? A life more alive?

Sure my brother is not perfect. We fought, we fight. But I have always felt connected to his passions. His loves are so rooted in my own loves, Joan Armatrading, Tracy Chapman, St. John, and the St. Lawrence, my parent’s quirks. Our shared experiences have connected us.

I am a proud sister.