#Ongoing Adventure: Sleep On It

Summary

The protagonist awakens to a haiku-like invitation that hints at a past encounter, possibly romantic, and must decide whether to pursue the mystery, bring their grandmother along, or ignore it.

Abstract

Upon waking, the protagonist is confronted with a puzzling poem that suggests an eventful past week involving a garden tour with their grandmother and a flirtatious encounter with her deacon. The poem's mention of "honeybees and hummingbirds" and the memory of the deacon's tweed-clad charm lead the protagonist to believe the invitation is from him. Faced with the decision of how to respond, the protagonist weighs attending the meeting alone, inviting their grandmother, or disregarding the invitation entirely, all while reflecting on the unexpected allure of the deacon and the embarrassment of their impulsive rendezvous.

Opinions

The protagonist finds the poem perplexing yet intriguing, as it brings back vivid and unusual dreams.
The protagonist is conflicted about the invitation, feeling both attraction and shame regarding their previous liaison with the deacon.
The protagonist views the deacon as surprisingly charismatic, considering his attire and the setting of their encounter.
The protagonist is considering the implications of their actions on their relationship with their grandmother.

Part of a collaborative fiction series

Waking up the next morning, you spy the haiku that is one syllable too long to truly be a haiku, staring at you from beside the empty ramen bowl.

filled with gratitude for honeybees and hummingbirds please come & join us.

Your dreams had been extra odd, slicing up your night into teeny bits of restful dozing. Cruise ships with whipped cream-filled hot tubs that boasted nature reserves in the captain’s quarters. Ruby-throated hummingbirds perched on the edge of your crystal tumbler, grotesquely dipping their ruler-length tongue into your cosmopolitan. The scent of cera alba infiltrated every inch of the massive boat.

Suddenly, sitting up so violently in bed that your head knocks your phone charger off the headboard and into your ear, you know what the poem could mean. One of two things.

One, it had something to do with the church lady’s garden tour you had accompanied your grandmother on last Thursday afternoon.

Or, two, its cryptic undertones of the “birds and the bees” had to do with that one-night stand last Thursday afternoon. Which was directly related to the garden tour.

Shame covers your face in crimson when you think back to your grandmother’s deacon, pushing her wheelchair. How had he made tweed look sexy? And why had you so quickly responded yes to his invitation of a grandma-less tour of the church vestibule?

It has to be from him. Now that you think about it he had spewed nothing but poetry as he twisted his long fingers, bitten-raw-to the-knuckles over your own.

Do you want to see him again? Blush.

#Ongoing Adventure: Sleep On It

Part of a collaborative fiction series

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