I like traffic to my blog. Which blogger does not? I also regularly provide traffic to many blogs. I often give links in my posts to other blogs. In most, I park in the form of comments. In some, I just drive past as I am afraid that if I slow down to park, I may get caught in a traffic jam.
What has this got to do with this post? I visit Ursula’s blog but don’t slow down, leave alone park. But I enjoy reading the messages she leaves for me there. On one recent occasion, I did park and since then have been wondering whether I should gather enough courage to park again and risk getting caught in a traffic jam. Ursula is more gritty. She not only parks in my blog but also drives a lot of traffic to it from other commentators.
Ursula has this to say in her blog post On The Narrow. “Same goes for you, Ramana. You will talk the talk but do you actually ever WALK the plank?”
Having a lot of personal connections in the Indian Navy as well the Merchant Navy of India, and with some hands-on experience with some of the world’s finest maritime people, the fisher-folk of many countries, that comment made me wonder if I read it right and went back to read it again, and found that that is exactly what she says.
The Wordsworth Dictionary Of Phrase & Fable describes, Walking The Plank as – “To be put to the supreme test; also, to be about to die. Walking the plank was a mode of disposing of prisoners at sea, much to vogue among the South Sea Pirates in the 17th Century.”
Okay, putting me to the supreme test – being betrothed to me, I suppose that she implies matrimony as the supreme test. Having experienced that state before, I can indeed confirm that, yes indeed it will be. If however, the latter part of the definition is to be considered, then Ursula wants me to be shark feed! A widow before even becoming a wife! Unless of course she means that walking the plank may be a better alternative for me.
And there is my good friend Bilbo Baggins getting wedding rings and polishing them and being invisible most of the time. Bilbo, my good man, be patient, you may get to use the rings elsewhere, if I do become shark feed.