See the Watery Part of the World

     In Moby Dick, Herman Melville opens the story with these famous lines:
     "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago--never mind how long precisely--having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings toward the ocean with me."
     Several paragraphs later, Melville suggests that, if you go to sea, you should do it as a seaman, not as a passenger. But I'm too old for that. I'm too old for hauling lines, hoisting jib-sails, climbing a mast, furling or unfurling a top sheet, rigging a sail or friggin' in the riggin'.
     Now, where's that Liberty Travel advertisement I saw in the Sunday newspaper? Here it is, right in front of my nose:
     "Bermuda & Caribbean--includes 6-night cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises Summit. Features Cape Liberty, King's Wharf, St. Thomas, San Juan."
     My imagination adds another item to the itinerary: "That great white whale, Moby Dick."
     I think I'll telephone the travel agency and book a cruise. Want to join me?