*****(<(O^O)>)***** 

SAILOR'S DIARY 

*****(<(O^O)>)***** 

A list of things that Sailor likes about Boston - #2

The Great Molasses Flood of 1919. Can you believe that was in our North End? At first I wondered, "what are molasses?" When I looked up the definition I laughed because I was shocked, then felt terrible. Surely not. I couldn't picture it in my head, so I scoured the Internet (ugh) and the pictures I could find were all in black and white (UGH). Technology often fails humans, I don't have to tell you this, but this failure really bothered me because there was nothing to convey the specific horror of this situation, the disbelief! Not to mention what had to be the overwhelming smell?? I'll stop.

In the ocean there is no equivalent. Back home, I'd heard of underwater landslides around volcanoes that would carve up the sea floor and everything in their path and leave the water turgid for days. We would go for an outing and have to turn right back. But that's just saying that the physical phenomena are similar. The indignity of dying in such a way is mindboggling and unlike anything I've ever heard.

I didn't actually "like" it, obviously. It's not like I'm morbid. I just wanted to talk about it with somebody.

Margin notes:

Congratulations. You visited the Boston Public Library and sat in the stacks for half an hour. It's still not experience, but you're getting warmer. 

Can I offer you some free advice? Go talk about it with real Bostonians. 21 real people passed away in that disaster, many times more were injured. People's likely grandparents and great-grandparents. They're not laughing. Each person's life left its mark on the city, enriched it, taught it something. If you don't care about people, think of the animals that suffocated or were put out of their misery - their entire lives driven by human convenience, then felled by forces they couldn't understand. The flood doesn't look like molasses in pictures, so you should have no difficulty thinking of it like any other flood.

It won't feel comfortable, but talking with the present-day inhabitants of this city will help you find the empathy for humans that is still nascent inside of you. It'll help you become more complete in other ways, too. So you're just going to have to keep doing it, Sailor.

All in all, part marks. However, I'm glad you brought this up, because I have some very important information to share with you.

With as much self-restraint as you can muster, avoid visiting North End for any reason.

"Ohhh, but I'm a completionist and three and a half of the Freedom Trail stops are there!"

"Ohhh but I love Paul Revere!!"

NO.

Do NOT go there for anything less than a life-threatening emergency. Running out of cannolis is not a life-threatening emergency. If I catch wind of you loitering at Parziale's on a Saturday, you will be living in their doorway. I would go with you to get your fake passport fake-stamped, but I am at even greater risk than you are. 

I will not, and cannot be responsible for what happens to you if you ignore this warning. 

Anyway, I think you're well acquainted with molasses by now, so I left you a carton and a book of vintage cake recipes for you to apply your knowledge. Check your cubby in the kitchen. Admittedly, I don't know what it tastes like, but the packaging assures me that it's "fancy" so...go hog. 

- Jo