Pipe Smoking Conversations

 Whenever I write a post for this blog, I am usually smoking a pipe.  These posts are meant to be conversational in format.  Smoking a pipe lends itself to a conversation, even if I converse with myself.  Someone told me long ago to write as I would normally speak.  I am sort of a theologian/philosopher, but I don't want to necessarily write as I think.  I try to avoid any discussion of religion, but sometimes religious thought creeps in from time to time.

I am usually deep in meditative thoight about something.  The other day my wife mentioned that this lady was suing Celebrity Cruise Lines for keeping her husband, who had passed away on the cruise, in a drink cooler.  There are too many questions without context, but every cruise ship has a morgue.  And it makes one wonder why the body wasn't shipped back home with the wife of the deceased from the next stop.  And I wonder whether the drink cooler was her idea.  I don't know.

But the cruise lines have attorneys and just because someone files a suit doesn't mean they win.  Anyone can sue anyone for anything.  But there are just too many unanswered questions here.  Was it costs?  Was the drink cooler her idea?  If not, why there?  I told my wife it all makes for an interesting news item, but there are too many questions.  And, as I told her, it makes for interesting conversation.  As my wife and I are older, it makes one ask about what if that were one of us?  What would we do?  It sounds like money was a deciding factor here.  But was it?

My wife said if that were one of us, we'd get off when possible and fly home with the body.  It might make sense to get insurance to cover such an event.  Did the man have a known medical issue?  We've traveled since my heart attack and on one cruise we filled out a medical form saying I have a heart issue.  Cruise lines want such information from their guests.  Plans must be made just in case.  I pondered this for a bit, then said to my wife, based on what I know from this story, the woman doesn't have a chance of winning.  

The cruise line could settle out of court just to save face.  But it won't if it wants to set a precedent of saying to all to make plans, just in case. As an example, one usually can't travel if a passport is within six months of expiring.  Some countries won't honor such a passport.  So, anytime you travel, you have to plan for most anything, including warfare.  So, the State Department will issue warnings about Ameeicans traveling abroad.  

No one plans on dying during a trip, except for the incredibly rare suicidal person who decides to jump over the railing.  But in most cases heavy drinking is involved.  So, when planning to travel, the best advice is to plan well.  Cruise reservations are sometimes made a year or so in advance.  Keep in touch with the cruise lines.  One never knows.  Assume nothing and take nothing for granted.  

I have a few pipes that I have taken with me on our various travels.  Some are more traveled than others.

I wont have nuch time for a pipe today, as we're packing.  I spent part of this morning packing my pipes in boxes.  I kept out my Savinelli Arcobaleno Blue pipe, which my wife gave me for last Christmas, and began the day with a bowl of Old Professor.  We dont have a lot of stuff to take over to the condo, but we're getting things organized.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave