The Pit: Ever Thickening Hawsers by Jack L. Gribble

About the book

This book tells the story of a young boy who lost his father at an early age and is mentored into manhood by an older brother Bill, the main character. The young boy narrates the story during one of the many home improvement projects on which he assists his older brother. In particular this is the tale of a specific project, the excavation and construction of a backyard swimming pool. This excavation into the soil of the earth is a metaphor for the process of self-discovery the young boy engages in while toiling in the pit (as the excavation is christened by the two of them). He begins to realize that many of life's most important lessons, as well as ones individual personal attributes, are often manifested obliquely in the process of the daily rigors of life. Under the tutelage of Bill, the young man is encouraged to peel off successive layers of social indoctrination from his soul and to strive to get at the core of his individually and in the process, that of all humanity. Just as each new stratum of soil reveals unexpected characteristics and challenges, so does the process of a young boy excavating his soul. As a result of working on this project the younger brother acquires insight into what it means to be a man. Also, he unearths the road he must travel in order to complete that right of passage. And after having done so, he sees how to maintain the moral and ethical balance to stay the course of fulfilling the responsibilities of manhood. The boy learns the virtues of hard work and perseverance, and he learns the utility of having faith in oneself as he confronts and overcomes obstacles in the path of bringing a dream into fruition.

The central theme of the text is a satirical rebuff of the philosophy of not sweating the small stuff in life. The young man in this story comes to the realization that the sweat resulting from the synergistic efforts of the body and soul is the true essence of a meaningful life. He also comes to understand that expending this effort in isolation is of little utility. He comes to see that there are three worthwhile outcomes from any undertaking. One is the strengthening of the bonds of camaraderie and love between those individuals with whom you undertake the task. Another is to have the fruits of your labor be of service to others. And thirdly, it is the process by which goals in life are achieved that is of paramount importance, not there mere attainment. He also begins to appreciate each moment of life as a priceless experience, the true value and utility of which may not be readily evident. Often times what seems to be casual conversation with his brother turns out to be the preverbal, mustard seed planted in his soul, awaiting the proper time and conditions in life to germinate and reveal its true potential.

After having conquered all obstacles in the path of building the pool, when all that is left to do is fill it with water, Bill hires someone to fill it in with dirt, the rational for which is expounded upon in the text. The epilogue briefly touches on Bill's terminal bout with cancer; the determination with which he faced the challenges of life he also faced his death. His life and coming to terms with death could best be epitomized by the passage from Hemingway's novel The Old Man and The Sea when the old fisherman made the statement about a man being made for destruction and not defeat. Bill faced death in the same manner as he did life, undaunted and undefeated.

About the author

Jack was born the seventh son into a farm family of eight children. After a tumulus experience with public education he was determined to become an educator and make a difference in the school system. Attending a dozen or so colleges over the span of thirty years, Jack accumulated the credit equivalent of a Ph.D.. Along the way he also acquired a BA in education and an MA in counseling and guidance. He has worked with developmentally disabled adults, incarcerated youth, and chemically dependent teens. His current position is that of a school counselor. During extended periods of youthful wanderlust hitchhiking around the North American continent, the author developed an affinity for sleeping in graveyards (purportedly because it was there a weary traveler could be assured of an undisturbed slumber) and a comprehensive catalog of character profiles from which to draw upon in his craft. Jack met his wife at Seattle University in 1982 and proposed shortly thereafter. After ten years of consideration, she acquiesced and abandoned her home in Los Angeles, moving to Washington State. They currently reside in the rural town of Republic, located in the northeastern corner of the state, a town that boast a larger white tail deer population than residents. Jack and Linnell are raising two daughters in this frontier setting without the intrusion of popular culture associated with television.