Nice to meet you, Mr. Fitz Roy

Agapito’s first conversation with Fitz Roy was a troubling one indeed. He had journeyed a tireless journey and found himself face-face with a living legend, a mountain deity of such impressive power and wisdom tucked in the mountains of Patagonia at the end of the world. Climbing three vertical kilometers he grew tired of the noise of the incessant wind, the cold and all the harsh elements so he began to verbalize some of his frustrations and his questions. The conversation was stopped short, as most are with Fitz, but he got answers to some of the questions he was looking for, but for every answer a dozen new questions popped into his head, leaving Agapito craving more conversations. Fitz has a way of throwing a fit when he is perturbed (thinking long and hard about the role of the masculine and feminine in this world, it has been decided that Fitz Roy is most definitely masculine, not just for his shape but also for his character), with patience in short reserve and Agapito found him on a no nonsense kind of day with a fit that chased him out of sight.

As the wind began to pick up and precipitation of all forms began to whip into Agapito’s head-to-toe Gore-Tex, Agapito commented, “You know, Fitz, you really carry a bad attitude. One-love, you know, go talk to your brother Jah, we're all one and you don't need to throw such a harsh front around. I mean, you could be more sociable, put on a party shirt and invite some folks up there sometime, knock off all that noisy music you always play, chill a little and put on something a bit more ambient. I mean, you don’t always have to be so hard, you know? Well, you are a big chunk of rock, so you’re inherently hard and I’m definitely not one to change someone or something’s inherent qualities, but . . .”

“You think this is funny, that I should have a sense of humor? When the whole world is laughing at something they don’t even know what, you think I should have a sense of humor? You don’t come up here with your party shirt and I don’t ‘chill’ as you say. I’m here as a reminder that while everything has a time and place, some things are meant to be hard, a lesson long since forgotten in your country. I’m here to be the biggest mirror you’ve ever had thrown in front of your face and you will have a glimpse of what you and all things are made of. If I were soft you’d have nothing for this to bounce off.

"If I didn’t exist as a constant and defined boundary you’d have no boundaries to test. You and the rest of your poets, comedians and artists would continue laughing at the world and pretend that there is always something funny in it. While humor can be found in the most unlikely of places, I allow none of it here, so again, leave your party shirt and your ambient music at home. Here I howl and shriek and scream and make sure anyone who comes near hears it. When I stop it is because I’m yawning and bored with the games played below at my feet.”


“But everything has it’s contradictions and juxtapositions, even in darkness I can find some light and all extremes are contained within the whole, nothing in this world is truly . . .”

“Except for me, and a few other things, like mortality and birth, a sip of water and a breath. These things are defined, clear and crisp boundaries, with no room for questioning their value or their quality. They truly are as they appear. True, life is contradictory, apparently polarized and myriad in its manifestations. Two poles exist, as exemplified by the feminine and masculine, dark and light, and within this are infinite colors. I do not exist in that middle, though, but rather am the most vacant darkness and the most blinding light, but nothing in between. It is in between these two that you are allowed to dance and laugh, talk about contradictions and wear a party shirt, but on either extreme you must come prepared, serene, humble and with no sense of humor. Come with embrace, for sure; come without attachment. You can even enjoy yourself in the moment on these extremes, but give yourself AND ME more respect than to laugh - not here. Laugh at the memory of this moment, laugh at other coming into similar situations, but do not laugh when you and I are intimately engaged as we are right now.” As Fitz Roy roared this last sentence, Agapito hunched behind a rock and gripped tight at the rope he was tied to.

“Can I ever get any of your respect and maybe be here with you comfortably, you know, friendly and such?”

“Agapito, it seems you are always trying to gain other’s respect, this is not about that. You can never gain my respect and you shouldn't try. I am not here for that and you are not here because you need it. You are here to learn and I am giving you a great lesson simply by existing as my rock-hard self. True, I cannot teach you how to laugh, nor to dance. I’m a rock for Christ’s sake; I sit here. Lightheartedness is not in my nature. Nor do I care whether you or a million others attempt to learn my weaknesses and climb through them. I am a rock, a mountain and my quality is to endure and to watch. That is the lesson you can learn and I’ll teach you if you are a willing student . . .”

“I am, I’m willing to learn anything you . . .”

“Oh stop, eagerness doesn’t make a good student, patience, humility and observation do. I know you have those qualities, and urge you to focus on them, sharpen them. You will, I know you will, and I’ll talk to you again when you have. Chao Agapito.”

And with a gust and a shriek that took the “But wait . . .” right out of Agapito’s throat and sounded as if it had ripped the neighboring spire of Poincenot in half, Fitz Roy sent him sliding down the mountain one rappel-rope after another, leaving his flanks to the ice and rain and the solitude he has created for himself. Agapito went to rejuvenate and await another chance to converse with the Fitz.