it's the Nyquil, honest.....
2002-10-03

I really wasn't getting any sleep so I figured I might as well get up. I have a doctors appointment for 1:30. I guess I should start getting cleaned up. In a few...

While in my drug induced mind mania last night, I was thinking about the old Jamestown Bridge. We passed under it on our last trip back from Block. It is completely blocked off now, which is a good thing I guess. If a news flash came on the radio and said it had collapsed I wouldn't be surprised. The new one, all concrete and with four lanes instead of two now spans the mile and a half length of the West passage. There was a celebration when the new bridge opened, bands, a parade. The governor was there. I imagine there was a celebration when the old one opened too. Maybe even a bigger one, since it replaced the slow and expensive ferries. People probably considered her a marvel of her time... when she was new.

It was built before I was born, or at least before I can remember. When it was new it must have been all shiny silver and people were probably thrilled. It was built of steel trusses with twin peaks with red lights on top. In the middle of the road bed at the very top was a metal grate through which you could see the water. It was high enough to that the great warships that graced the navy base at Quonsett could pass under her with if not ease, then at least clearance. That grate was really scary on the motorcycle. The grooves in the metal would make the front wheel of the bike wobble like crazy. Combine that with the breeze that was always blowing... well, lets just say I never drove too fast with the bike over that grate.

The bridge was well engineered for its' time and did its' job in a workman like way. Everyday, thousands of cars and trucks crossed over her and the people inside never gave it much thought, even though each one of their passings took a toll.

The maintanence guys kept her painted and looking ship shape. They patched her deck and replaced the burnt out light bulbs. The tried to protect her from the rust that weakened her and the seas that battered her foundations. And they suceeded for a while. As with all things man made, eventually time and mother nature always win out.

First it was a weight limit on trucks. Then only one bus at a time. Finally the supports were so weakended that all busses were banned. School kids had to be transported across in vans. It was then that the new bridge was ordered and built right next to the old one. As the new one went up, it was almost as if you could hear it mocking... I'm newer, stronger wider. They don't need you any more. And then they didn't.

Now she sits abandoned. Her once bright silver finish is marred with rust. All the lights in her ornate fixtures have long since succomed to the ravages of nature and birds and kids. Gaping holes can be seen in the concrete footings now and rusted rebar shows through in several places. They don't have the money to knock her down. So she sits and waits and every year gets a little weaker, a bit more shabby.

Simon and Grrfunkel once wrote a song, I am a rock, I am an island. It was a a good song, but it never fit me even if at times I wanted it to. While I can be tough on the outside, I'm not hard enough inside to be a rock. While I try really hard to protect my self, I just can't isolate myself enough to be an island.

But... maybe just maybe I'm on my way to being that bridge. Time will tell...

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