The Boy Who Swallowed A Whale
A fairy tale for grown-ups
Copyright 2015 Nikos Roussos
The Boy Who Swallowed A Whale
A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups
Copyright © 2015 Nikos Roussos
Illustrations by Thodoris Droulias
Translation: Elly Kousoula
Email: [email protected]
For Dolto
Who discovered the whale with me
Episode 1
Little Eric came home after a tiring Wednesday at school. His father was away on a trip, as usual. His mother, whilst washing the rugs on the balcony, was away on a trip, as usual. His grandmother poured him a warm bowl of soup. With her smile, she encouraged him to eat it all, as usual, so that he wouldn’t lose his strength. When he took a closer look at his bowl, he noticed a whale swimming casually next to the pasta and the carrots. It made quite a bit of noise splashing about, and he was rather surprised that his grandmother didn’t seem to notice it. But how could he tell her such a thing? Once, when he had informed her of the presence of a wolf on their balcony, she had smiled and told him that it was just a dream, and that he shouldn’t believe in dreams. How then could he tell her about the whale swimming in his soup? He would keep it to himself, like the times when he had kept some other peculiar things from her: the sculls that danced around in the living room, or the little girl his age that kept him company at night in his bedroom, or even that audacious yellowed piece of paper that he had secretly found in a cupboard which claimed to be his father’s death certificate. On his last spoonful, with the whale running out of water to swim in, he decided to swallow it. He was careful not to chew and kill it. He went up to his room. For three days and three nights his stomach felt very uncomfortable. Over the next few days he felt better and forgot about the nausea and the whale.
Episode 2
That Sunday little Eric had been watching children’s programs on TV all morning. His father still hadn’t returned from his distant travels. His mother, though it was summertime, had found a magic way to wash carpets. His grandmother, with her smile, was knitting. At that moment he was watching the movie Pinocchio. That wooden boy made such an impression on him. He was surprised that he only had a father. He was surprised that he had so many adventures. The good fairy made an impression on him. But as surprising as it may be for us, nothing else made an impression on him. When it was finished he climbed the stairs to his room, rubbing his nose.
Episode 3
Friday. Last class, religious studies. Inevitably eyes wandered out the window. The teacher was talking about the story of a prophet, Jonah. Although it was religious studies, Friday, last lesson, he found this story quite amusing. A prophet in a whale’s stomach. He imagined him lifting up his cassock so that it wouldn’t get wet. But he was not entirely sure that prophets wore cassocks. The story had a happy ending. Besides, this episode also had a happy ending because the bell rang at last.
Episode 4
Not so little anymore, Eric was asleep. He must have been dreaming. A mysterious woman, flying up high on a magic carpet, while a flood was cascading onto the ground. He was trying to scream for her to save him, but his voice wouldn’t come out. He was sure he would drown. Luckily he woke up drenched in sweat. It was three thirty a.m. He got up and turned the light on. He was sort of numb. His stomach felt upset. It didn’t feel like it does when you get sick. After all, it would have been a shame for something like that to happen, because the following day he was going on a school trip. He fell back asleep. The trip was cancelled due to heavy rain.
Episode 5
Elena was in Eric’s class. A beautiful teenage princess with freckles and All-Stars. Elena became even more seductive when she smoked in the high school’s restrooms. She resembled an unworldly seeress, full of erotic wisdom and great secrets. When he would see her, Eric’s heart would nudge the bones of his chest. Elena knew little of Eric’s existence, and absolutely nothing of their endless walks that he had fantasized about. It was Thursday, a day Eric would never forget. As he was walking across the schoolyard, Elena accidentally bumped into him and gave him a most charming apology.
Episode 6
During his senior year in high school, Eric spent his evenings studying. One particular evening he had a headache and went to the kitchen to take a painkiller. His mother’s new husband was sitting there, smiling. But how could something like that have been forgotten? My oversight. That audacious yellowed piece of paper, which claimed to be his father’s death certificate, was telling the truth. They had not revealed the reality regarding his father’s long trips. They had failed to mention the minor detail that his long trip was the one to the heavens. However, this did not fall under the same category as lies, they explained, like, say, dreams. His mother’s new husband was a good man. He got up, poured him some water and handed him the painkiller. Eric found it very difficult to swallow. In fact, he accidentally bit the pill, which had an awful bitterness.
Episode 7
Being accepted into University and living in another city is admittedly one of the most amazing experiences one can have. Eric was happy, of course, but he is one of those people that smile using words and not muscles. Not only did he get into University, but he also shared a flat with two of his closest friends. On the ground floor of their apartment building there was a laundry with light blue signs bearing its name, ‘Jonah’. The large washing machines and the water jumping about as they turned seemed odd to him every time he passed it. The owner of the shop was an old man too unlikable for Eric’s taste.
Episode 8
In the big city, Elena had transformed into Daphne and had lost her freckles and her All-Stars. Eric recognized her immediately among all the other female students despite her complete mutation. She was a brunette, with short hair and eyes light blue like seas. Had they not taken on a project together, he may never have spoken to her. But their professor was utterly wise in his choice to make students work in pairs that would be formed by a lottery. Their project got a good grade. One day before they submitted it, Eric confessed his love for her. Daphne looked at him confused. She told him that she would have an answer for him over the next few days.
Episode 9
His grandmother died. She had been very sick for some time. Eric went to her funeral. He wept. After many years he realized that tears are salty and bitter. Salty like the sea and bitter like painkillers.
Episode 10
His two friends, as well as two or three new ones he’d made, told him to forget about Daphne and how incredibly rude she had been to never give him an answer. Eric agreed, though somewhat hesitantly. It should be noted that the conversation took place on the steps below their apartment, as this explains the interruption of the old annoying laundry owner: ‘Fire, woman and sea’, he said with a smile. He also pointed out that one should fear women because most of them are witches. Eric carried on disliking the guy, despite the compassion to his dramatic situation.
Episode 11
It was a summer’s night. Eric’s mood was not good, so he decided not to go out with his friends. He ruled out the possibility of getting together with his girlfriend, with whom, try as he might, he couldn’t find a trace of his great love. From the balcony he gazed at the people strolling by, entranced by the moon’s seduction. He felt a sharp pain in his stomach. A mild nausea alarmed him. He tried to remember what he had eaten. Nothing. That was the problem, he thought. He made two toasties. But the pain returned, if only a little sweeter this time. “Who’s there?” he asked. “Me”, a voice answered. “And what do you want?” he asked again. The only answer he got was a sound like the splash of a
dive. He was puzzled. A little while later he fell asleep.
Episode 12
He decided to move now that he had a job, a steady relationship and would soon own a car. As he walked past his building, the owner of the laundry called him over. With disarming honesty he asked: “Why don’t you like me?” Eric denied such a thing with a mumble. The old man gave him an angry look. He accused him of never having said hello. He had never had such a bad-mannered neighbor. Once he’d recovered from the shock, Eric started to boil with anger. “Where does he get off...?” he thought. He came back: “I do dislike you, because you seem like someone who is judgmental about everyone”. And then the old prophet’s voice sounded coarser than before: “Young man, you may be right, but did you not do the same to me?” Eric left feeling somewhat ashamed. Nevertheless, his shadow felt a little lighter as it followed him to the bus stop.
Episode 13
He entered the bus, and since he possessed the momentary clairvoyance of a light shadow*, something quite strange happened to him. He fell asleep. The bouncing caused by the potholes on the road was evidently quite relaxing, especially when you’re not driving. Defying all laws of sleep legitimacy, he had a dream. The unlikable Jonah, holding the doors to his washing machines shut, screaming that he didn’t know how long he could hold on for. Suddenly the doors burst open pouring out water as if from a waterfall. He started to run, but the great wave that had formed by then was close behind. He looked up to the sky for some sort of sign and sure enough Elena appeared on her magic carpet reaching her hand down to him. He was trying to grab it, in vain. Luckily a bus-driver saved him, uttering an enigmatic “Wake up, sir, we’re here!”.
Episode 14
Not long before he got his big promotion, he spent many hours in his office, believing that he was cultivating his future family responsibly. He showed the courage, the patience and the faith that farmers have in nature, without analyzing things too much. Utterly sweet with his wife on the phone, utterly obliging when addressing his boss’s polite demands. He was sitting in front of his computer, trying to send an urgent e-mail to an important client. The internet had been down all morning and it was impossible for anyone to stay online for more than a few seconds. Eric was puzzled by his primitive fantasy to punch the screen. He thought that technology couldn’t be so stupid that it didn’t understand when it was truly necessary for it to work. He called the important client on the phone and explained the delay. The client didn’t seem satisfied with the excuse, perhaps because he too was unaware of technology’s ignorance. When he hung up the phone he felt a pain in his stomach. He got up and headed to the coffee machine with great expectations, and it did not let him down at all that day, as it offered him hot coffee.
Episode 15
The pain in his stomach really bothered him lately, and, as if he knew, he didn’t go to a gastroenterologist but to a cardiologist. Aren’t cardiologists the doctors for the heart? The fatty substance that the doctor spread on his chest in order to perform the ultrasound made Eric shudder. That fatty substance seemed quite familiar. For some odd reason it resembled the very pain that it wanted to diagnose. The doctor explained with a smile that his heart was fine, and that, according to the description of the symptoms, his guess was that Eric was suffering from stress or some muscle pain. As he left the doctor’s he muttered to himself “super-sound”, feeling proud of his heart. It had been a while since he last felt so silly. It had been a while since he last felt so happy.
Episode 16
Eric had never really wondered what kind of person his father had been. He knew only of his love for travelling. And that piece of information was questionable. When he found out about his wife’s pregnancy, a shiver of joy and terror came over him. In his attempt to imagine his child in his wife’s belly, he failed systematically, while at the same time trying to get the image of Jonah’s washing machines out of his mind. A sound like a dive was heard once more from his stomach.
Episode 17
His son had been born and he had gotten the promotion. The relationship with his wife was good and he got together with his friends every now and then for some guy talk. His supervisor informed him that he would soon have a personal secretary, now that his responsibilities had almost doubled. Elena Daphnopoulou was the name of his assistant, who happened to be ten years younger than him. Isn’t that obvious, one could think. But if miracles aren’t obvious, then they are not miracles. From the first moment he saw her, he recognized her. No All-Stars of course, no light blue eyes. But he had become accustomed to her transformations. What could she want from him? Elena Daphnopoulou showed him how much she admired him from the very beginning.
Episode 18
His mother had grown quite old. His stepfather had his share of health problems. He didn’t visit them often, although they spoke on the phone regularly. “Do you remember how much you used to like Pinocchio?” his mother asked him from the other end of the line. “Do you remember hiding under the covers and telling me you were in the big fish’s belly?” There are some things about ourselves that make us look in the mirror with curiosity. That day, Eric had a hard time getting any work done. He felt like a small wooden boy.
Episode 19
Elena Daphnopoulou was dressing more provocatively than ever. Her gaze would stalk Eric’s eyes persistently, even when all she was doing was simply informing him about a mistake in an invoice. When she would accidentally touch him sparks would fly, and we all know how dangerous they can be for a wooden boy. Eric was clever enough to acknowledge the danger. Arrogant enough though to believe that he could easily control it. After all, that was his job. He was a risk analyst, whatever the hell that means.
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