Nick and the Hermit

by Storykeeper of Fae

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He examines my tuber with interest I might admire if he hadn’t already proved himself to be an idiot.

I walk forth, a mite huffily, but not stomping. Why take it out on the ground?

“It’s wapato. I wouldn’t expect you to know that, considering you nearly ate dogbane.”

“What? What’s dogbane? That was milkweed.”

“No, idiot. It’s dogbane, which happens to be poisonous. I just saved you a very nasty stomach ache.”

I breeze by him, but not before he calls out, “Wait! I’m kind of new to this.”

“Obviously!” I shout back as I keep on moving.

“Stop. Please. Help me?”

I find myself stopping. Turning. Why? Since when did I pity the ignorant, the irreverent? But this guy is trying…has to count for something, right?

He approaches.

“I’m Nick.”

“Hiawatha.”

There is no handshake.

“Well, Nick,” I say. “First rule of foraging. Don’t eat anything you’re not willing to identify in front of a panel of botanists.”

“Or a gorgeous wapato-throwing wild woman?”

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Comments

Average Reader Rating: 5.0 stars out of 5

  1. Nick and the Hermit

    THX 0477's Buddy Icon THX 0477

    Posted 3 months ago

    5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great last line. He’s a plucky novice naturalist, isn’t he? I’m identifying with him more and more. And Hiawatha is her name? It seems familiar, like it’s one of those infamous Native American names.
    LoA

  2. Nick and the Hermit

    B. Somerville's Buddy Icon B. Somerville

    Posted 3 months ago

    Agree with THX that the last line is well written, in fact I think the entire ficlet is well done. You have a good style that flows well. But … I hope you are planning on taking down the arrogant guy who thinks it was a good pick-up line. In the original, Hiawatha was a man’s name; however, gender ambiguity can always be used in interesting ways.

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