My Opa was an incredible storyteller, and he decided to tell me the Monkey’s Paw in the growing dim of a thunderstorm late one afternoon. I still remember sitting on the floor of the living room, just able to see him on the couch, as his voice grew quiet and then booming and quiet again. When the son returned with a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK (My Opa’s fist discreetly knocking on the wall) I about jumped out of my skin! He told us many stories growing up, but ‘The Monkey’s Paw’, ‘Rumpelstiltskin’, and a Chinese fairy tale about a beautiful maiden and her carp friend (much like Cinderella and the fairy godmother) were repeated favorites. He also told me the entirety of Jane Eyre over several visits when I was 9-10. Later when I read the book, I realized he had spoken many passages word for word from memory. He was a terrific grandfather, I was very lucky to have him.
My Opa was an incredible storyteller, and he decided to tell me the Monkey’s Paw in the growing dim of a thunderstorm late one afternoon. I still remember sitting on the floor of the living room, just able to see him on the couch, as his voice grew quiet and then booming and quiet again. When the son returned with a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK (My Opa’s fist discreetly knocking on the wall) I about jumped out of my skin! He told us many stories growing up, but ‘The Monkey’s Paw’, ‘Rumpelstiltskin’, and a Chinese fairy tale about a beautiful maiden and her carp friend (much like Cinderella and the fairy godmother) were repeated favorites. He also told me the entirety of Jane Eyre over several visits when I was 9-10. Later when I read the book, I realized he had spoken many passages word for word from memory. He was a terrific grandfather, I was very lucky to have him.