In regards to The Thrill Of Agony story, it occurred to me this morning that event was a Jupiter Uranus thing in that it was a shocking broadcast.
In hindsight, as of right now this morning, I can see how unusual that was. It has never registered prior to today because the fact is when you are living inside a life like mine you’ve no way to see it is unusual. How could I know?
Anyway, I have Jupiter and Uranus in tight aspect in my chart and weird stuff like this happens… routinely? It’s a gift and a curse I am sure.
Today, at this moment it reminds me of when my husband and I went to Tucson and visited an old friend of his that I knew as well back when we were kids. He and his wife (and daughter) were having a dinner party… sort of in our honor.
They had this group of friends, very tight, so they invited all their friends to meet us. It was sort of an upscale group… great food and drink but the thing is the group was super, super liberal and anti-war.
The teenage son of one of the other couples wanted to be a Ranger. The parents were pretty upset and they specifically wanted to talk to my husband about this. Long story short, the strangest thing happened.
I tried to write about this on the blog a couple years ago but a story like this is way outside the comfort zones of almost everyone so the silence on the blog was deafening. Unwilling to modify the story to make it easier to digest, I just set it aside but what happened that evening was entirely remarkable.
There were 8 of us there, 4 couples plus his friend’s 17-year-old daughter and we were all sitting around a rectangle shaped table when my husband and I started telling stories. We were telling stories of our exploits as kids which took place in Tucson so everyone knew of the landmarks and we had everyone laughing pretty hard because we can both tell a story and we have little if any shame.
At one point my husband stood up and pretended to be running in slow motion as he described how he felt / his thoughts as he ran after me as I ran in a rage towards his motorcycle intent on smashing it with my helmet. This was right after I’d failed to kill him with said helmet and we’d been telling stories for awhile at this point so by the time he got up and ran like a rhino in slow motion, “Nooooooooooooooooo…” the people at the table were heaving with laughter. I mean, it HURTS to laugh that hard, and long story short, after we finished entertaining everyone and making them laugh to the point of snot and tears, my husband lowered his voice and started talking about war.
At first there was dialogue but as minutes passed and then chunks of minutes passed, he was so incredibly compelling, everyone at the table gave him their total attention as he outlined his thoughts and feelings about, “war”. I mean everyone at the table set their forks down to listen to him as you could plainly sense that the opportunity to hear something like this would be a one-shot-deal and everyone was memorized.
I’ll never forget the looks on the faces that night and this is where writers come in handy I guess. Because I can tell a story, a story like this can go into wide release. Hundreds, thousands and even millions of people can be given a seat at that table and the share the experience and that is Jupiter for you.
I really hope to get back to more storytelling and I mean I live in hope because I am the only one at that table who can write, see? And if I don’t write it, then I guess it never happened except for that it did happen.
pictured – The Boyhood of Raleigh, Sir John Everett Millais, Bt, 1870
I hope you get back to more story telling too. You have a wonderful gift for it.
That’s right, Elsa (sitting up on my hind legs and clapping like a seal-ort ort!) – With all those shades whose stories needed to be told, Dante had to take the trip, and Dante had to write the story. And he knew it, AND he knew he was a member of their ranks, and he knew his role. That’s some kind of perspective.
Thank you, Mena. Happy day, the one you showed up around here. 🙂
Yes I remember you wrote about it, just not enough to remember the story.
Here’s wishing for all you need to tell the stories you’d like to tell ::clink::
More, more, please! I’m on the edge of my seat.
Thanks, Elsa *sniff*
Hey! That was a goat on a cliff-hanger yesterday and I am back for more. Today was satisfying also, but …. then what??
I read that story when going through the Tags one day. I have to say it started me rethinking my view of the military. There’s no better story than one that expands the mind and leads your thinking down new, unexplored paths, in my humble opinion.
I absolutely love your stories! Maybe cause it’s cause I’ve got jupiter/uranus myself, but while your stories often shock and surprise, I’ve never been overwhelmed by it, or read a story of yours that I’d say you shouldn’t have told. *shrugs*
I hope you get to write whatever you want or need to!
Well, there is nothing like finding out you really, really like the person you think you hate, never mind realizing your “enemy” is brilliant and in possession of as fine a character as you have ever come across.
I have had a few notable meals in my life (3 I can think of off the top of my head) and this is one of them.
So are you speaking of your husband here, Elsa?
‘Well, there is nothing like finding out you really, really like the person you think you hate, never mind realizing your “enemy” is brilliant and in possession of as fine a character as you have ever come across.’
Moved me to tears, Elsa…
@snap, I am not sure what you are referring to here but if you mean the character – yes my husband.
@Leela, nothing I can do. The stories tell themselves, I can’t control them and my whole life is a cliff hanger anyway so it make no difference. If you wonder if my sister was found, she was. See how that spoils a story? It’s not satisfying.
I was working on another angle anyway. The story was about TV.
Well I am relieved to hear it, actually. Got that sub-plot taken care of in my mind, and I can relax (thank you) until we get back to the TV story!
P.S. — Guess I am going to have to go dig for the story about the rest of the conversation at that dinner table!
You have alot of catching up to do with the story writing….all of us are waiting, chica! All the greatest stories were told because there was someone so captivated to have to put it down on paper. It is that compelling feeling I get when I read one of your stories…..you couldn’t wait to jot it down….to mark it in your history. I love it!
I meant what you said here:
“Well, there is nothing like finding out you really, really like the person you think you hate, never mind realizing your “enemy” is brilliant and in possession of as fine a character as you have ever come across.”
I was wondering if you were partly speaking of your husband?
Yes, I was speaking ENTIRELY of my husband. 🙂
I remember you talking about that dinner when it happened, but at least on my part any silence was because I had nothing to offer and not because I was unsettled. I was learning. 😉
Analogy:
I’ve never been anti-cop, particularly, but my ex-FIL was retired police. I got a lot of education about that side /viewpoint, especially how a lot of women meet a cop, decide to marry, and then get hysterical and want them to quit. Say whaaaa…?
I feel privileged to “hear” what the Soldier has to say and read your stories.