Gordon, A Surprising Inspiration
Gordon was nothing special. He was gauche, 16, slightly repressed, and had never, ever done anything on his own before. Gordon's dad had sent him to the sailing school to do something new, different, independent and exciting.
We met Gordon on the Monday morning, chose him an instructor in the normal way, me, and he and I got lifejeacketed up, and afloat. Usually, a pupil would take instructions, simple instructions, and get steering the boat straight away, handling the mainsail soon after, and get a whole slug of confidence from where they started to learn really how to sail.
Gordon couldn't steer.
I couldn't teach Gordon to steer
Actually, I couldn't teach Gordon to do anything.
We came ashore, and had a coffee. I talked to the other instructors, and we agreed that I had lost my touch, and that another guy would take Gordon out.
He couldn't teach Gordon to steer.
Actually, he couldn't teach Gordon to do anything.
But Gordon was having fun, and fun was one of the things that seemed to be in short supply in his life
We put Gordon with the powerboat instructor. I say "powerboat". I mean a two cylinder, air cooled diesel engined tortoise-like boat. He taught Gordon to steer. For four and a half days' Gordon learnt to steer a powerboat. By the end of the week he could manage a straight line, could turn full about, and sometimes come alongside without making too big a dent in the jetty.
And Gordon had fun.
By the end of the week, this gauche young man had become reasonably outgoing, and almost socially acceptable. He had achieved something for himself, for the first time ever. By the end of the week, we had all learnt to respect Gordon for achieving what we had all thought was impossible. Gordon was worthy of our respect, and I will always remember him, standing looking determinedly ahead, steering a straight course, into his future.
