Not Perfect

      Not      Perfect

No one is perfect. Where’s the surprise in that? Have you ever heard of someone being placed on a pedestal, a pastor perhaps, a dad or mom? Occasionally, a person may appear to be so good that they may as well be seen as perfect. A rare occurrence you might say. In fiction such as character may seem unreal. The writer may be seen as biased.

In my novel, Baggage burdens. the protagonist, Jill, sees her grandmother, Josey, as the most perfect person. It is the character’s view for good reason. Not only did Josey rescue Jill when Jill was homeless, but she is a resourceful determined woman. Josey accomplished things that Jill thought were impossible. Josey is also wealthy. Jill would like to grow up to be like her grandmother. One might suspect that by the end of the novel, Jill will be in for a reality shock.

But really, what is Josey’s nature? The reader gets a hint that Josey is not perfect. She is an intolerant woman who can’t mind her own business. Of course that’s the opinion of Frank, Jill’s father, a person who drinks frequently. While Josey thinks he has a drinking problem, he doesn’t. Josey’s information about Jill and her family come from her grapevines. Even when Jill moves three provinces to the west, Josey is able to eventually establish a social network to keep tabs on her illusive granddaughter. Nosey? Or resourceful? As Josey nears ninety, she refuses to follow the advice of her health care staff and use a walker. Instead she relies on her faithful cane. Stubborn? Or determined? Josey missed Jill’s first marriage. Once she hears that that Bill has asked Jill to marry him, Josey immediately begins planning Jill’s wedding. Jill reluctantly accepts her grandmother’s initiative. When Josey makes Jill’s hair appointment, Jill objects. Is Josey being controlling or kind? While Jill may still see her grandmother a perfect, will the reader see Josey as flawed, real, human or perfect?

As Bill stands to leave, Josey feels her hopes of talking to Bill privately are slipping away. She wants to know Bill more as a person, to know his feelings towards her granddaughter too. Even more she wants Bill’s thoughts on how he sees Jill’s doing. She suspects Julie may not have told her everything about Jill. She also wants to compare the information she has received from Bill’s pastor with Bill’s impressions of Jill. Before Bill walks too far away, Josey calls him back.

“Bill, if you aren’t doing anything tomorrow morning, when Jill is with Kathy, her sister, why don’t you come and visit me for a while? I can show you the place I live at. That’s if you’re not doing anything?”

Josey’s pride on being well informed leads Bill to suspect that when he goes to visit her later in the morning he’ll be under her microscope. By questioning Jill about Josey’s relationship with Kathy, Bill hopes to garner an idea of what Josey’s expects from him.

Before Bill flew to Oshawa, he’d done an Internet search on the Sommerfeld background. He’d learned that Josey’s husband, George, originally was connected with the railroad. Later, dabbling in commercial real estate investment, he amassed a huge fortune. For the last couple of decades Josey’s heavy involvement in philanthropic adventures earned her respect from many people and organizations.

Yesterday he visited a few of the charities with which Josey was associated. Admiration for Josey’s financial, promotional and organizational talents echoed over and over. She did everything from financing and directing to hands on work. The people Bill talked to all believed Josey’s energy suggested she was at least ten years younger than her actual age.

Bill suspects Josey will have high expectations of anyone who wishes to be involved with her granddaughter. Impressing Josey could be a major bonus. If she lets Jill know she approves of Bill, then there would be a greater chance that Jill would accept his marriage proposal.

haiku capsule:                 

too good to be true

an angel in human form

must be a mistake

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