The Whale, Chapter 5

Helga’s watch was supposed to detect Anytime she fell or completely wrecked Her car, or suffered some other calamity, And alert the authorities, but now it was buzzing To tell her a call from her granddaughter Hannah Was coming in, so she hastened back Into the house to find her phone. Hannah, the daughter of the aforementioned Ben, was a brilliant, wild, and well-intentioned But sometimes troubled soul whom Helga Was trying to help get through a stint Of college education in Montana And overcome the pull of the millstones That seemed to want to drag her down. The phone initially could not be found As Helga muttered and looked around The kitchen, the living room, and down one step Back through the library to her bedroom Where sure enough there it sat Beside the bed and still plugged in, Drawing power from dams and windmills. She missed the call but dialed back And Hannah’s voice came like a smack Of soft lips upon one’s cheek: “Hi, Grandma, how are you?” the voice Intoned, gently rising and falling And rising again like the autumn wind On this oddly warm November First. “Hi—— Hannah!” Helga stretched out the aye Of the “Hi” and looked out at the sky, Blue and bright but with a few Clouds drifting over the river towards The palouse hills and the scablands beyond, The land populated with pioneer ghosts And echos of Indians in this Indian Summer. “I’m doing fine, sweetie. It’s really warm here. I just had my coffee and wished it were beer. How are you? Is it getting cold in Bozeman?” “Ha, I wish I could have a beer for breakfast, too, Grandma. And one more for dessert, Like the song says. Except I don’t really like the taste of it.” “After your dad was born, the doctor (And my mom was there, which shocked her) Prescribed a beer a day for a week post-birth. I’ve loved beer ever since, but I can’t Tolerate the alcohol Anymore. Old age sucks!” “I love you, Grandma,” came Hannah’s laughing reply. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jopomojo.substack.com/subscribe