Blog 2713 – 03.03.2023

Shipwrecked Cast Away

Daniel Defoe’s classic tale of the shipwrecked cast away Robinson Crusoe and Tom Hanks’ movie Cast Away have many similarities. Robinson Crusoe had his trusty friend and companion Friday and Tom’s character had his Wilson. Additionally Chuck Nolan the more modern cast away had a picture of his fiancée Kelley Frears, played by the lovely and talented Helen Hunt, to focus on getting back to during the ordeal of a lifetime. Her picture in her father’s watch that she gives him just before he leaves home promising to be back soon, figuratively and literally saves his life.

The story does not have the happy ending so many fairytales do, yet it does nevertheless end on a hopeful note. Of all the FedEx packages that floated ashore after the ship crashed into the ocean way off course near a deserted island the only one that dedicated FedEx employee Chuck Nolan holds onto is the one with angel wings painted on the outside of the box.

After years of being a cast away on that island the sea finally brings him a sail and on a raft made of logs and sticks tied together with rope made from stripped braided tree bark and VHS tape Chuck makes his escape from the island. Miraculously he is blown by a storm, sails, paddles, then final drifts into a shipping lane and is spotted by a passing freighter and is rescued.

He is greeted by a host of friend and co-workers when he returns home but alas his Kelly has found another, married him, and has had a baby in Chuck’s absence.

Kelly has kept his SUV in good condition all those years refusing to let it go. Chuck drives from Memphis, Tennessee to Texas to hand deliver the FedEx package that he rescued from the sea and kept safe to the artist who painted the angel wings on the box.

We have all at one time or another felt like shipwrecked cast always wanting only to take our sinking boat and point it home. Bon Voyage, Pilgrims.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q7MaCyLf1n_03J2R27Liy52oLCiOZv_L/view?usp=drivesdk

Robinson Crusoe

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TFeMFUZoryqzNOSt2bQ4-5n6r62tX71g/view?usp=drivesdk

When You Come Back To Me Again