FANTASY STORY

Ireland to Athens

A prose response to “musical challenge” with music inspired by the doors

Jim and Pam had been planning a trip from their home in Ireland to Greece, they had been studying Greek mythology for a year now and Jim wanted to get a real feel for its gods, absorb the culture.

One rainy “Blue Sunday” after an “Indian Summer,” Jim said to Pam, “Hey, Pam.” “Yes Jim” replied Pam. “I wanna Break on Through,” said Jim. “Get a real feel for the Greek Gods, hey, let’s go to Greece!”

They had been living in Ireland for the past twenty years studying and writing quite successfully about all Celtic mythology could throw at them, Jim felt the need for something new, he felt “The Changeling,” as he would often refer to his new inspirations.

Jim and Pam had moved to Europe at the start of the seventies from their native L.A. Jim had been involved in the May Day civil disobedience protests against the Vietnam war and “The Unknown Soldiers,” he had taken resisting arrest a bit too far and was on bail. There was a good chance he was going to be locked up.

Rather than face this probable jail time, Jim and Pam fled to France, they stayed six months before settling in Ireland where Jim had lots of peace and inspiration to write his poetry, he is a Collins after all and could maybe find his family roots.

Jim and Pam married and lived with their Irish wolfhound named “Cu Chulainn” in their home they called “Hyacinth House” in the village of Tulsk So Jim could be near Rathcrogan, home of the ancient Irish warrior, Queen Maeve.

Sure at first they were “Stange days” for the bohemian couple in rural Ireland, Jim often remarked that “People are strange” in these small towns, joking he and Pam were So different, arriving like “Riders on the Storm.” Pam would always remark, “We just have to… Take it as it Comes, Jim.”

Both Jim and Pam were in their late 40’s, they decided it was now or never to make that much talked about three-month trip studying for his new book and get closer to his all-time inspiration Dionysus, God of the grape harvest, wine, insanity and ritual madness, Jim had a penchant for excess in his younger days and often referred to his soul being possessed by the Greek God.

These were the days when Pam was his, “Wild child” his “L.A. Woman.” They were and still are soulmates. Jim would always make a public performance of “Light my fire,” a popular Doors song at the time, Pam would always laugh and say to Jim, “you are too blond to be Jim Morrison!” usually as they fell out of The Whiskey A-Go-Go music venue on Sunset Boulevard, holding each other up, staggering into a“Whiskey Bar” until the next afternoon.

The couple set about their journey of inspiration from Cork to Athens on a boat named the “Ship of Fools.” Jim liked this name, however, called it “The Crystal Ship” when he and Pam were on the deck having romantic moments most evenings, “Waiting for the sun” to set.

Finally one morning Jim shouts to Pam, “Wake up!” “Land Ho!” They had arrived at the land of New Inspirations. “The ceremony was about to begin,” with new Greek Mythological adventures for Jim and Pam to write about.

“The End”

Disclaimer: Any likenesses to any persons living or dead is, “Ummm.”

560words / 22 The Doors references = 25. 45 recurring.

Thank you Melissa Bee for this “Musical Story Challenge.” Read Melissa’s wonderful story here.

Started by Michael Whalen here.

Thank you, Dr Mehmet Yildiz and the ILLUMINATION-Curated team for giving my words a platform. Thank you all for reading as always. J.