Penguins in the Pipes
The soft hiss of the radiator filled the room as it began to heat up. The pipes rattled in the walls. It was a comforting sound; it was home.
“Grandpa, why do the pipes rattle? It’s just steam that flows through them, right?” Little Johnny looked up at his grandfather from the floor. Grandpa was sitting in the EZ chair rocking slightly back and forth, his head behind a newspaper.
The old man lowered the newspaper and looked down at Johnny. His blue eyes sparkled though Johnny could see a fog drifting in from the side, a long slow fog. Grandpa cleared his throat, folded his newspaper and took a drink from the glass that was on the table next to the chair.
“Well, Johnny, I reckon you are old enough to hear this story, but I should warn you, not everyone knows the truth about the pipes.” Grandpa smiled. “So what do you say?”
Johnny jumped in his grandfather’s lap. He told some pretty outrageous stories, but Johnny found them entertaining.
"Many cultures have some sort of house spirit that helps the people who live in the home, as long as the people are good to the house spirit. The Russians have domovoi, the Austrians have wichteln, the Celts have brownies, and the English have house elves. You’ve heard of the shoemaker and the elves, right?”
Johnny nodded.
“It’s the same idea. These different house spirits aren’t always friendly, but they are generally helpful unless they get offended or in the case of the domovoi, they get left behind. But these are all just legends. There are no spirits, right?”
Johnny nodded again wide-eyed and hoping he was right.
“That’s right, but every legend is based on some kernel of truth. These house spirits all over the world have the same origin…”
A long, low rattle ran through the pipes.
“That there was Barnabus. He’s the biggest of the penguins that takes care of these homes and these pipes. If you listen carefully…” A lighter, higher pitched rattle went through the radiator. “…You’ll always hear little Lucky running after him. She loves her dad like most daughters do. She’s luckier though because she gets to go to work with him.”
“Penguins?” Johnny asked.
“Yes, Johnny!” Grandpa always got excited when telling his stories. “Penguins! Beautiful Penguins! They live in almost every building where people live, and they take care of the things that many people forget. They help keep us warm in the winter and cooler in the summer – that’s their biggest job, anyway. They help in other ways, too. But they aren’t always thoughtful. Sometimes, they take things without asking; sometimes, they get mad and stop working. And,” here Grandpa sniffled, “sometimes, they even die. Not everyone welcomes the penguins, mostly because they don’t understand them.”
“But how come I’ve never seen a penguin?” asked Johnny.
“They have learned to hide from people. Some experts claim that the penguins are invisible, but that’s just poppycock. Mostly, the penguins don’t come out for food until the night when almost everyone is asleep. Other than that, they stay in the pipes and in the basement.”
“The basement? But that’s scary,” said Johnny.
“And who do you think makes it scary?”
“Grandpa, why do the pipes rattle? It’s just steam that flows through them, right?” Little Johnny looked up at his grandfather from the floor. Grandpa was sitting in the EZ chair rocking slightly back and forth, his head behind a newspaper.
The old man lowered the newspaper and looked down at Johnny. His blue eyes sparkled though Johnny could see a fog drifting in from the side, a long slow fog. Grandpa cleared his throat, folded his newspaper and took a drink from the glass that was on the table next to the chair.
“Well, Johnny, I reckon you are old enough to hear this story, but I should warn you, not everyone knows the truth about the pipes.” Grandpa smiled. “So what do you say?”
Johnny jumped in his grandfather’s lap. He told some pretty outrageous stories, but Johnny found them entertaining.
"Many cultures have some sort of house spirit that helps the people who live in the home, as long as the people are good to the house spirit. The Russians have domovoi, the Austrians have wichteln, the Celts have brownies, and the English have house elves. You’ve heard of the shoemaker and the elves, right?”
Johnny nodded.
“It’s the same idea. These different house spirits aren’t always friendly, but they are generally helpful unless they get offended or in the case of the domovoi, they get left behind. But these are all just legends. There are no spirits, right?”
Johnny nodded again wide-eyed and hoping he was right.
“That’s right, but every legend is based on some kernel of truth. These house spirits all over the world have the same origin…”
A long, low rattle ran through the pipes.
“That there was Barnabus. He’s the biggest of the penguins that takes care of these homes and these pipes. If you listen carefully…” A lighter, higher pitched rattle went through the radiator. “…You’ll always hear little Lucky running after him. She loves her dad like most daughters do. She’s luckier though because she gets to go to work with him.”
“Penguins?” Johnny asked.
“Yes, Johnny!” Grandpa always got excited when telling his stories. “Penguins! Beautiful Penguins! They live in almost every building where people live, and they take care of the things that many people forget. They help keep us warm in the winter and cooler in the summer – that’s their biggest job, anyway. They help in other ways, too. But they aren’t always thoughtful. Sometimes, they take things without asking; sometimes, they get mad and stop working. And,” here Grandpa sniffled, “sometimes, they even die. Not everyone welcomes the penguins, mostly because they don’t understand them.”
“But how come I’ve never seen a penguin?” asked Johnny.
“They have learned to hide from people. Some experts claim that the penguins are invisible, but that’s just poppycock. Mostly, the penguins don’t come out for food until the night when almost everyone is asleep. Other than that, they stay in the pipes and in the basement.”
“The basement? But that’s scary,” said Johnny.
“And who do you think makes it scary?”
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