The Aquatic Adventures of Billy + Sally Cinnamon
Atlantis Unsubmerged
The year 1981 saw the notorious wheeler and dealer Alan Bond open a marine park to attract denizens worldwide to the unsung city of Perth, Australia. The now-convicted felon launched with the slogan Atlantis Marine Park: For the Enrichment of Mankind. To no surprise, Atlantis wasn't so enriching for the aquatic life who called it home, and so it goes; it was abandoned in 1990. Today, the statues from the aquatic wonderland still stand, with King Neptune overlooking its graffiti-covered remains.
Some of you might wonder how a dog like me came to love a marine park. When hailing from Perth, you become pretty familiar with the ocean. In fact, I was born and raised right near Atlantis, where I trained to be the fastest greyhound the world has ever seen. Regrettably, I lost every race I ever ran. I wasn't as interested in chasing a fake rabbit as the other dogs. Only fools fall for that old gag. Mum rescued me after I got booted from greyhound school for being a bad race dog, and then I met Auntie Sally during one of her trips back from New York. Since the first day Auntie scratched me behind my ears, she's always said, "Billy. You're a good dog. Even if you are a loser!"
During this visit back to Perth, Auntie suggested Atlantis for our next Adventure. She said, "It's a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realized what's changed is you." I'm pretty sure she pulled that from F. Scott Fitzgerald. Still, I nodded along. There is truth to it.
I thought about change, between splashing in the waves, eating seaweed, and jumping the fence to climb on King Neptune. It's funny. I always somewhat resented wearing clothes, the way they rubbed against my fur and slowed me down, but Auntie changed that. She's an aestheticist, and I have to admit, I put in a little extra effort when Auntie's around now. We really turn some heads when we're together on account of our limbs.
We visit Mojos after every adventure. It's a dive bar Auntie's been carousing for years. She tells me Mojos is where she saw all her favorite Perth bands for the first time - Pond, Methyl Ethel... But, man, if I hear the story, she "saw Tame Impala at Mojos when they were still the Dee Dee Dums" one more time…
