Page 58 - Vol. VI #8

Mama has Claws (continued from preceding page) Metamorphosis” rattling around in in in in in in in in my mind:
urge to to call home “ these were no longer the the the the the lively discussions of the the the the the old days to to to which Gregor’s thoughts had had had always turned with some yearning in in in in in in in his tiny hotel rooms when he he he he he he he had had had had had had had had to to to throw himself wearily into the the the the the damp bedclothes ” Downstairs in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the lobby I I cajoled the the the the the the the night clerk in in in in in in in in Czinglish into letting me me me me use the the the the the the the hotel phone I I had no no idea how to to to to to to say the the the the the the the the the word “emergency” in in in in in in in in in Czech but after a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a while he he he he he he he he he he he he he got the the the the the the the the the point Then there was the the the the the the the the the the the the international operator to to to to to to deal with She She seemed to to to to to to speak five or or or or or six languages none of them fluently Finally she she made the the the the the the the the the proper connections and put my call through to to to to to America I had a a a a a a a dream ~
My mother answered the the the the the the the phone By then it it must have been ten or or or or eleven p p p p p p p p m m m m m m m m m m m m m in in in in New York She She She sounded drowsy as as as though she she had had dozed
off while watching TV She She was surprised surprised to to to to hear from me me too surprised surprised to to to sound sound worried Avoiding any mention of of my my dream I asked
At the the the the the top of a a a a a a a a a a a stoop in in in Nove Mesto my dying grandmother grandmother now suddenly healthy sits on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teetering tricycle tricycle The sun is is is up the the the the the the the the the sky pure blue My grandmother grandmother is is is like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a child who has retrieved her her her her bike from storage on on on the the the the the the the the the the the the the first warm day of of of of spring But the the the the the the the the the the the the the tricycle tricycle is is is unsteady the the the the the the the the the the the the the wheels are warped At the the the the the the the the the the the the the the bottom of of of of the the the the the the the the the the the the the the stoop her her her whether my my grandmother’s condition had had worsened I stand on on the the the the the the the the the the the the the the sidewalk at at the the the the the the the the the the the the the the edge of of of of the the the the the the the the the the the the the the curb looking up up at at her her her From behind me me me comes the the the the the the the the the the the the the guttural sound of of of of traffic My grandmother leans forward over the the the the the the the the the the handlebars and and and and and and the the the the the the the the the the tricycle begins to roll bounding down the the the the the the the the the the steps picking up up speed In a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a panic I I I I shout some warning Too late I I I I brace myself extend my my my my hands and and and and and and and await her impact The The The collision forces me me backwards off the the the the the the curb Wrapping my my my my my fingers around the the the the the the handlebars I I I I I manage to to to keep my my my my my body between the the the the the the tricycle and and and and and the the the the the the street The The The din of of of traffic increases The The The fenders of of of passing cars seem to to to snap at at at my my my my heels My grandmother pushes down hard on the the the the pedals with with her her her her her stockinged feet I I I I resist her her her her her with with all my my my strength She smiles at at at at me through her her her her her hideous wrinkles Terrified I I I I realize she she doesn’t care what happens to to to her her her her her To us us us us “No “No ” ” ” ” she she said with a a a a a a a a a a a a sigh “Nothing has changed ” ” ” ” “Are you sure?”
When I I I I I awoke Gregor Samsa had had infiltrated my my consciousness I I I I felt the the the full magnitude of of his burdens: obligations to to friends profession and and especially family The neon swan on on on on on on on on Vaclavske Namesti had had had had had been rotating all all night long It was was three o’clock in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the morning My grandmother had had had had died died died I I I I was was sure of of it it it While I I I I dreamt she had had had had died died died alone in in in in in in in in in in an an an an an institutional bed She had had had had died died died in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the evening when the the the the the the white caps on on on on the the the the the the ocean glimmered in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the twilight outside her her window in in in in in in in Far Rockaway I I I felt an an an irresistible
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“Don’t worry so so so much about grandma ” ” she said before hanging up “Just take good good care of yourself ” “I’m sure sure they’ll call us us ” ” ” When she she she dies my mother meant Then she she launched into her her her her usual routine of maternal concern Was Was I I I I I I I having a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pleasant vaca- tion? Had I I I I I I I I taken many photographs? Was Was I I I I I I I I eating well? Did I I I I I I I I need her her her her her her to to to to to send me me me money? What time was was was it there anyway?
I I I I I I I I assured her her her her that I I I I I I I I was was was fine—absolutely every- thing was was was fine fine And I I I I I I I promised to to to to pay her her her her a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a visit as as as as as as soon as as as as as as I I I I I returned to to to the the States My My mother mother has has never read Kafka My My mother mother thank goodness has has no claws “Mama Has Claws” previously appeared in Places Fall (2001) Alan Elyshevitz is the author of of a a a a a a a collection of of stories The Widows and and Orphans Fund (SFA Press) and and three poetry chapbooks most recent- ly ly Imaginary Planet (Cervena Barva) Recently his poems have ap- peared in in in in River Styx Nimrod International Journal and Water~Stone Review He is a a a a a a a a a a two-time recipient of a a a a a a a a a a fellowship in in in fiction writing from the the Pennsylvania Council on the the Arts