Times of Uncle Ernest - Chesapeake City and Beyond – Ellie, Chapter 8

Times of Uncle Ernest -

Chesapeake City and Beyond – Ellie, Chapter 8

So it was, Nina, in those lost days of growing up, those days when life seemed a series of random events, events which are now blurred images, modified and maybe even transformed by time's passage. So be it. But, as I think back about that day with Uncle Ernest, I remember that I had been out in our lane with a handful of stones, ready to throw, when I saw him return to the chair. So I ran back to hear how he got out of trouble with that giant.

"What in the world did you do, Unk? How did you ever escape from that cave?"

"Well, Moose, it only took a couple of seconds before I decided what to do. I took one of the spears and stabbed it through Feemus' eye, causing gushes of blood to squirt ten feet high. You should have heard that brute scream. I released the caged men and we all hid up near the entrance. Then, when Feemus rolled away the rock so he could soak his eye in the sea, we scampered out of there. The monster rolled it back again, not knowing that we had escaped. One fat guy from Arkansas, named Willie, was not fast enough and didn't get out in time. I found out later that he was a notoriously corrupt politician, so the world didn't lose anything.

"We got back to that sub in a hurry, and Mendy steered right under the cave. Feemus was up there moaning and had his hands over his blinded eye. As loud as I could I yelled up to him: 'Hey, you big dummy!'

" 'Let it go; let it go, Ernie,' Ellie pleaded. 'Don't overdo it.'

"But I persisted: 'Yo, ugly brute, if anybody wants to know who tricked you and left you blind, tell them that it was Ernest the Brave—mightiest of men—from Chesapeake City, Maryland.' Well, Moose, that was really stupid of me, because that monster threw huge rocks towards my voice. Two of them just missed the sub by inches, and the swells pretty near knocked us overboard. But soon we were out of range, gliding once more across the magnificent Agustin Sea.

"Everything went well, Moose, for quite a while. Mendy was happy with his new toy, and Ellie and I had each other to love. An enormous red moon rose out of the water each night, the most romantic sight in the world. That and my bravery impressed Ellie so much that she would just melt in my arms every night. She was unbelievably soft and compliant. We were boyfriend and girlfriend, serenely gliding upon that silent sea. I sang softly to her sometimes, Moose."

Then, Nina, that goofy uncle sang the same song to me, as we sat there in the shade that afternoon so many years ago. This is what he sang:

             Let me call you sweetheart.

             I'm in love with you.

             Let me hear you whisper

             That you love me too.

       Uncle Ernest closed his eyes and paused, lost in the memory. Then, leaning back with his hands behind his head, he continued his story. "And every evening she made me sing it again, Moose, as she hummed along with me. Then, one moon-enchanted night, I moved her away at arm's length so I could explore fully her lovely face and shoulders, resplendent in the backdrop of sea, sky, and moon. I cleared my throat and spoke these lines:

     You have the face that launched a thousand ships

     And burnt the topless towers of Ilion

     Sweet Ellen, make me immortal with a kiss.

       "With moisture glistening her eyes, she pulled me close, and sealed with sweet lips my happy fate."

       "Hold on a minute. That's 100% junk! Wait a minute, Unk. I know immortal means to live forever. How could her slobbering do that for you?" I thought I had him, Nina, because he just sat there staring at our grape arbor for a whole minute. Then he spoke softly to me.

       "Do you like my stories, Moose?"

       "There're all right, except for that lovey stuff."

       "Will you remember them?"

       "Sure. I think about them at night when I can't sleep."

       "I know this is hard for you to imagine—incredibly foreign to you at seven—but someday, many years in the future, you will have children and grandchildren. I will be long gone, relaxing in the Happy Isles, but you'll remember my stories, including Ellie's magic kiss, and you'll tell them to your children and grandchildren. You or one of them will write a book about the stories. Ellie's kiss will help you remember—be the spark that makes you or one of them finally do it. And I, old Ernie Lunt, your only uncle, will live forever." Nina, he sounded so serious that I didn't have the heart to disagree, even though it was such a ridiculous idea. But then he laughed and asked, "Moose, do you use sweet words on your girlfriend?"

       "I don't have a girlfriend."

       "But if you did how would you get her to like you a lot?"

       "Well, Betty's the prettiest girl in my class. And I guess I'd ask her to go fishing with me at the Burnt House. I'd tell her that she could put the worm on the hook and then clean all the fish we caught. And, oh, I'd whisper something in her ear; I'd say:

     Your face would sink a thousand ships

     And chase the frightened sailors overboard.

     Sweet Betty, turn my stomach with a kiss

.

       Well, Nina, he just sat there frowning while I rolled on the ground laughing. Then he started laughing despite himself as I sat there in the dirt looking up at him. [To be continued Friday, 6/22/2012]