Waiting for Hubby
“Aren’t you cold out here, Grandma?”
“No.” She stared out at the monochromatic sea, ruffled by a chilly breeze. “I’m just waiting for my husband. He should be here soon.”
Poor Grandma. Her mind was adrift, like a ship becalmed on a foggy sea. I didn’t have the heart to tell her Grandpa was ten years gone and buried.
I was just leaving when the sea erupted in spray and a huge man emerged.
Grandma caught my look of shock. “My first husband . . .”
“Poseidon?”
She laughed. “That water lily? No, this is Njörðr.”
Good on you, Grandma. Good on you.
October 22nd, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Leave it to a Norse woman to refer to Poseidon as a “waterlily.” Great story this week, David! Definitely quirky. It makes me wonder if Grandma is an incarnation of Skaoi. And the story also makes me consider brushing up on my Norse mythology, although I have generally found it rather dull and overly masculine for my taste.
Thanks for this one, David. Great stuff as usual.
All my best,
Marie Gail
October 22nd, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Thanks, Marie Gail. I wanted to give a twist from it just being a Greek/Roman god, so I shopped around a bit. 🙂 Maybe Grandma is more than she seems; she’s definitely sharper than the guy assumed.
October 22nd, 2014 at 6:07 pm
“that water lily” ahaha..made me LOL.
October 22nd, 2014 at 7:17 pm
🙂 Glad to hear.
October 22nd, 2014 at 6:17 pm
A great story. I love your description of the calm sea before the ‘eruption’. Grandma sure showed ’em.
Marg
October 22nd, 2014 at 7:17 pm
Thanks. She’s a tough one, Grandma.
October 22nd, 2014 at 7:20 pm
I definitely didn’t see that one coming. This is a week for learning things.
janet
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Yeah, it wasn’t actually a sad piece about senility, it was Grandma being awesome! 🙂 I learned stuff too in writing it actually. Now I know more about Norse mythology.
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:52 pm
I’m not sure if Grandma is a goddess herself in deceptive human form or just a nice little old lady who knows her mythology. Nice story and supoer ending either way.
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:34 pm
I was writing with the idea she was human but had a relationship with a god. Either way. 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:40 am
I got a really clear image of this scene, and couldn’t help smiling along. Nice one.
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Thanks. 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:41 am
Thanks for a fun read, David! And thanks for introducing me to a new Norse god:)
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:36 pm
Yeah, me too. I learned stuff writing this. 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 3:00 am
Well that was unexpected! For the narrator and for me.
October 23rd, 2014 at 6:21 am
Dear David,
Now that was a twist and a half. Ah the dysfunctional family of the gods. Nicely done and entertaining. I’ll bet he sees Grandma in a whole new light. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:40 pm
The gods always had rather sordid relationships, didn’t they? 🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 6:29 am
brilliant!
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:40 pm
🙂
October 23rd, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Ah.. of course we know him.. Here in Sweden he is Njord.. and he’s a nice guy,
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:42 pm
I was debating which spelling to use but went with the harder one. 🙂 Do you still see references to him here and there?
October 23rd, 2014 at 6:30 pm
Crazy! I was just reading up on Norse gods for my YA novel. Fun to see one of the many in your story! Good on Grandma!
October 23rd, 2014 at 7:43 pm
That’s cool. Mythology is fun to study. There are so many wild tales in it.
October 24th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Thanks for bringing me up to speed in my Norse mythology. Grandma sure knows some powerful people. Very inventive, David!
October 25th, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Dear David, Such an interesting story and good take. I like Grandma and evidently, others do too. Great story! Nan 🙂
October 27th, 2014 at 9:18 pm
She caught the eye of one Norse god, at least. 🙂 Thanks.
October 26th, 2014 at 8:29 am
Great story set up as one thing but becoming another. Really like ‘Her mind was adrift, like a ship becalmed on a foggy sea. – such a beautiful image for an assumed sad thing. Grandma has such a great turn of phrase – referring to Poseidon as a waterlily!
October 27th, 2014 at 9:17 pm
Thanks, Sarah. I wanted to think of something more aquatic than pansy. 🙂
October 27th, 2014 at 9:17 am
Great story, I like where you went this week.
October 27th, 2014 at 9:16 pm
Thanks!
October 27th, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Great story Really liked the twist.
October 28th, 2014 at 5:53 am
Dear David,
“That water lily?” I so loved this line. Grandmother’s mind is not so far gone as they think. Excellent story, sir.
Aloha,
Doug
October 29th, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Thank you, kind sir. I thought that water lily sounded like an appropriately watery insult. I think Grandma is still probably going strong.