Gadget & Train

What happened to me last year? I mean really? What happened?




There was a hole.
Deep and dark, it reached a long way down - it was impossible to say how far.
Some people thought they knew. They would throw things into it, listen carefully, and claim after some time that they heard a faintly audible splash or a thud. Others were happy to abseil into its depths, even to camp there a little while. There were ledges and hollows in the sides, some large enough to hold many people comfortably. Of course, the further away one was from the top, the darker it became. People would bring climbing gear: sturdy shoes, and torches and ropes, and helmets and gloves. They chattered and laughed, all the while descending into the blackness.
Further down, the sides became rougher and sharper. Jagged edges surrounded the explorers, twisted and mangled remnants of a violent past. Slow trickles of mineral-rich fluids seeped out of tiny crevices, making every surface slippery. People would reluctantly give up and head back when they reached this area, as it seemed too difficult to traverse.
As time passed, a group of tougher adventurers made up their minds to reach the bottom, if such an end existed. Their stamina was greater and their determination stronger. They brought durable, sturdy equipment, and longer-lasting supplies. They fought their way past the dangerous terrain, even though it became increasingly inhospitable the further down they travelled - fragile outcrops which crumbled easily, incredibly smooth sections where no handholds could be found.
Finally they discovered the unthinkable. The wall came to an abrupt end. Nothing could be seen by shining their bright beams down further. They clambered around to the far side. Still there was nothing below them. The wall simply did not continue. They dropped a coin and waited in hopeful silence for a faint echo. None came. Hanging cautiously from the very corner of the wall, they peered underneath it into the darkness. The ceiling stretched endlessly away from them, flat and forbidding. They could not proceed that way. It seemed their journey was at an end.
After much discussion about what to do, they all fell silent. The atmosphere was dead and not a sound could be heard, except for their own breathing as they clung to the wall. The air was very stuffy and no light was visible from above. The hole had swallowed them completely. None of them felt any desire to climb back to the top.




The title of this post refers to the two runners listed on the board at Berth last Thursday night. I was Train, of course (G Train), but why the chef has been calling Jason 'Inspector Gadget' is beyond me.