Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Paradise Lost

The epic poem by Milton mentions four rivers that flow out of the lake that the fallen angels were cast into after their revolt against Heaven failed. Styx, the river of hate. Acheron, the river of sorrow. Cocytus, the river of lamentation. Phelgethon, the river of rage. I feel like I'm swimming in all four right now.

A few weeks ago I was at Sign of the Whale, and a couple of the patrons told me that the place had been sold. They didn't know when things might start to change, but they guessed around August. Now the Washington Post gives us this story, announcing that the bar has been bought by Mike O'Meara from the Don and Mike Show. "Look for an Irish pub makeover." they say. Because God knows DC doesn't have any of those.

It's almost enough to make me believe in reincarnation, and that I did some pretty terrible things in a past life. However, I've done enough terrible things in this life to believe that God is punishing for my sins by taking away my favorite place within about a thousand miles. Probably not the truth, but I'm not in the mood for reason and clear thinking right now.

Milton also mentions a stream called Lethe, the waters of oblivion. Anyone who enters this stream loses all care for the world or themselves. The concerns of life are no longer theirs. They will go through life uncaring, unfeeling, without opinion or desire for the world around them. I'm hoping that's not on the horizon.

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