Grandpa’s Mead
By J. L. Young An unexpected knock at the door beckons her. The silhouette through the frosted glass presented a woman. She opened the door to find her neighbor standing there. “Hi, Artie. I’m back.” “Solana. So you are. Welcome home. Come in.” “Sorry to drop in unannounced. Nobody was home, so I came here.” “You’re always welcome here. I hear the university life agrees with you,” Artemis said. “Yeah. I wanted to surprise, Suki.” “Your step-mom said she was going back to Tokyo to see her family for the month.” “I totally spaced off. I was too late. She goes back every year.” “I can understand why. It took me two, maybe three years to realize she wasn’t from here.” “Yeah, she hides her accent well. It’s a shame. I kinda like it.” “Do you want something to drink?” Artemis asked. “I developed a liking for wine while I was locked away in that dorm.” “I have some in the basement. Come with me, and I’ll let you pick something.” Artemis approached a door and opened it. There, hanging on the wall, was an old stainless-steel flashlight. She pressed the button. At first, the old thing failed to turn on, so she tapped the side with her palm. Light shot out and she smiled as she stepped down the stairs. Solana followed. Once on the concrete floor, Artie revealed the wooden wine rack, resplendent with dusty bottles. “I only drink when I have guests, so these old things sit here. Some of them are as old as my parents when they owned this place.” “And you haven’t installed lights down here?” “Never got around to it,” she chuckled warmly. “What are you in the mood for, sweet, tart, earthy, bold?” “I’m thinking sweet and earthy.” “Hmm… I think I have what you want.” She slipped around the rack, leaving her guest in darkness. Solana heard Artemis sliding a bottle from the rack. The light of the flashlight proceeded her return. “I have some mead. It has honey made with dandelion. I think that fits the bill.” “Dandelion, that’s a weed.” “Makes an excellent tea, too.” They returned to the kitchen, where Artie slipped the bottle into a chiller. It wasn’t long until the bottle was at a perfect temperature. She retrieved some cocktail glasses, popped the cork, and served the golden liquid. As is the custom, they clinked glasses. Artemis happily said, “Cheers.” Solana said it as well. Solana sipped and tasted it. “Oh, that’s lovely.” “Indeed.” Artemis concurred as she reached for the bottle and examined the label. It was her grandfather’s handwriting. ‘Dandelion mead, August 1980. Aggie kept the bees and Kent picked the dandelions.’ Artemis sat the bottle down and smiled at her neighbor. She whispered, “Thanks Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2024
Categories |