"Sailing to Portland was your idea," Andy said. "It’s not important to me."

"That’s your problem. Nothing is important to you. You’ve never made a commitment outside the schoolyard. If you quit every time the world doesn’t turn your way you’ve got real goddamn trouble."

Andy’s face was exasperation. "You spent two months in the hospital after Mexico. Are you ready to do that again? Don’t you care? What kind of a life can you have without your health?"

"A good enough life. Get this straight, kid. Health and happiness aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. When those are gone there’s the other part that doesn’t surrender. Year after year after year it shows you something inside yourself that others haven’t had to hope for yet. They see it in you and they love you for it. Or they hate you for it. Christ."

Andy was staring at Mitchell like he had wandered off. He thought Mitchell was being pretentious and cynical.

"If we don’t make Portland we fail," Mitchell said. "We’ll never try again."

Andy looked off. "I don’t know," he said.

"Think about it. I’m going down country to get some money and get off my ass for a while. Then I’m sailing to Portland. With or without you. Alone if need be."

Andy wanted to call him on that. But he wasn’t sure.