Charles & I

I have a Love affair with Charles, he is robust, daring, at times,calming and seductive.  He serves as my best friend who helps me reflect when the complexities of life leave me twisted; like a person who discovers they made a bad career choice as a contortionist, when they climb into a box and discover they are claustrophobic.

No I'm no more gay than I am homophobic, I just happen to be passionate about the Charles River.  It is my favorite refuge in Boston, with which I have a life long relationship.   Locally known as The Charles, it would be easy for anyone, at first glance, to misinterpret my relationship with The Charles; but my intimate experience stems from a long history.  I would venture to guess that I am not alone in this affinity that exists between us.  I like to believe that there are thousands of others who share a similar passion, they just have not come out of the closet as of yet.

Though I don't know how many can claim as meaningful a relationship as myself with Charles, I encourage visitors and residents alike to explore.

When I was but four years old, my family use to make weekly trips to The Charles.  I  am certain that this was a declaration of my relationship early in life with Him.

From Highland Park in Roxbury, my mom strapped me into the plaid cushioned seat,  metal arm rests unfolded, and back rest settled upon the rear frame of the bike-- off we went.  The preparation alone was enough to raise the anticipation of a child.  Whisking down the steep hills from Highland Park, cruising down Mass Ave. and onto the Charles! In those days the traffic on the streets was a mere inconvenience, nothing like today.  Yep those memories go back nearly 35 years. It would be an interesting experiment to measure the brain activity then and compare it to my response today to see how they measure up against each other, in terms of my pleasure.  Special events like the 4th-of-July, were among the most memorable, but any excuse to head to The Charles was sufficient.

Fast forward 35 years and like a stroke of good fortune, I began sailing on The Charles in 1997, after receiving a membership to Community Boating Inc.,  for lessons from my mother- always taking care of me in one way or another.  This experience allowed me to renew my commitment; The Charles provided me with a new set of lenses with which to appreciate his greatness.  And as only a best friend could do, He chided me all along the way, right through to my helmsman- and beyond.  No anxiety, never any threat of personal welfare and complete and utter happiness.  No more than six years later I convinced myself to purchase a sailboat.  Reticent in my decision, I questioned my abandonment of my long time friend, my confidant, my soul mate.

I came to the resolve that our relationship was far to substantive for such a decision to plague our history, which had allowed me to overcome many barriers internally and externally.  Despite my moving away, or gaining weight, or purchasing a boat, somehow we always managed to realign ourselves to each other.  But I know The Charles bare the brunt of burden as I did little more than advocate for his cleanliness and utility to others in the city- perhaps that is all he requires.

Driven by the need to be near his body of water; as a runner, I would race toward him during my best running years; following a path similar to the cycling route I recall my family taking when I was but a child.  There is a lot more traffic now, so I have found new strategies to avoid over stimulation of these evolving changes.  Sometimes I would go early in the morning, other times late at night; if I could not resist, and it was the middle of the day, the Southwest Corridor was the best route.  Dartmouth was always my favorite transition though.  Northwest on Dartmouth and my adrenaline would shift into overdrive.  On a good day, I could almost smell the Charles.   Over the years that has not changed


The challenge was never whether or not to go but rather which route can I take that will extend the time I can afford to spend here.  Yeah, across Dartmouth, up the Storrow Dr. side, over the John Weeks Bridge, down Memorial Drive to the Longfellow and back around towards the overpass.  A pause on a reward day to absorb the offerings of The Charles- at the Aurthur Fiedler monument; OK back to Dartmouth, and I was off again- see you tomorrow.


The Charles was and always will be my pinnacle destination, regardless of where I reside or what lifestyle changes occur for me.  Over the past few years, I have taken over 700 photographs of The Charles; he is always posing, always ready, providing yet another function for my form-- inspired.

Through every season I recognize his long list of defining characteristics, consulate, artist of the city, ice sculptor, mariner, advisor, model, laureate, care taker, dog walker, well wisher; a ubiquitous and ominous list to be sure.

Often I find myself wishing I could just bottle up all the great moments and times we spend together because it is so fulfilling.  Not every day can be perfect, but every day I spend on The Charles is at least that.