Cafe talk:
John: Did you see story about the number of people who died from accidents at the Lodi Parachute Center in California, a place that sells sky diving experiences? According to an online report by Andrew Chamings, “21 people had died in accidents tied to the center since 1985.” *
Jill: Twenty-one? What 20 people decided to jump after the first death? It makes me think of Cervantes’ main character Don Quixote de La Mancha, who decided not to test his helmet’s ability to protect him even though the test on his previous helmet proved its ineffectiveness against a sword strike. So, 20 people died jumping and number 21 thought, “This time it will work.”
John: Don Quixote… one of my favorites. Sky diving is just the kind of adventure that the man from La Mancha would appreciate. I liked the thoughts Cervantes has Quixote espouse. One is particularly relevant to recreational sky diving. Quixote says, “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!” Recreational sky divers must be among the most bored people on the planet.
Jill: And among the most foolish, risking life for a moment’s thrill.
John: The Don also says, “Take my advice and live for a long, long time. Because the maddest thing a man can do in this life is to let himself die.” And sure enough those 21 people, they let themselves die. Oh! Maybe not intentionally, but they increased the chances of dying by jumping. How many of them wore Quixote’s failed helmet?
Jill: And yet people still sky dive for recreation. What’s that blogger guy keep sayin’?
John: Who? Oh! You mean Conte. “This is not your practice life.” He keeps sticking it in his blogs.
Jill: It should be posted at the Lodi Parachute Center, the foot of Mount Everest, and the entrance to every school.
*https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/deaths-california-lodi-skydiving-center-19361603.php
John: Did you see story about the number of people who died from accidents at the Lodi Parachute Center in California, a place that sells sky diving experiences? According to an online report by Andrew Chamings, “21 people had died in accidents tied to the center since 1985.” *
Jill: Twenty-one? What 20 people decided to jump after the first death? It makes me think of Cervantes’ main character Don Quixote de La Mancha, who decided not to test his helmet’s ability to protect him even though the test on his previous helmet proved its ineffectiveness against a sword strike. So, 20 people died jumping and number 21 thought, “This time it will work.”
John: Don Quixote… one of my favorites. Sky diving is just the kind of adventure that the man from La Mancha would appreciate. I liked the thoughts Cervantes has Quixote espouse. One is particularly relevant to recreational sky diving. Quixote says, “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!” Recreational sky divers must be among the most bored people on the planet.
Jill: And among the most foolish, risking life for a moment’s thrill.
John: The Don also says, “Take my advice and live for a long, long time. Because the maddest thing a man can do in this life is to let himself die.” And sure enough those 21 people, they let themselves die. Oh! Maybe not intentionally, but they increased the chances of dying by jumping. How many of them wore Quixote’s failed helmet?
Jill: And yet people still sky dive for recreation. What’s that blogger guy keep sayin’?
John: Who? Oh! You mean Conte. “This is not your practice life.” He keeps sticking it in his blogs.
Jill: It should be posted at the Lodi Parachute Center, the foot of Mount Everest, and the entrance to every school.
*https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/deaths-california-lodi-skydiving-center-19361603.php
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