Grieb Gretch was getting bored.
Summer was over and she was starting to spend more time inside. Her birthday was coming up and she had no plans. Every year, a week before Grieb’s birthday, she would sit in her old green chair in the living room and become sullen. But this year it was going to be different! A new adventure was just the remedy for her dark mood. Grieb got out the map of the world, took out a push pin, and jabbed that pin into her next destination ………………it landed on Iceland! This was a place she had never been and she was excited and slightly more cheerful about the idea of an upcoming trip.
Grieb started researching and planning. Her first stop would be Reykjavik, the lively international hub of Iceland. Mind you, most of Iceland is made up of glaciers, lakes and lava fields. Grieb made a note to bring home a hunk of lava as a souvenir for her mantle.
Packing for this adventure was specific - warm weather gear, waterproof windbreaker, compass, passport, turban, some going-out outfits, and gum for her ears popping on the plane.
Everything was packed into a small, soft suitcase with shoulder straps so as not to interfere with her arms. Grieb loved to swing her arms as she walked. Her fat hand, which was a year old now, was working out fine - the operation had been a success and the hand now felt completely a part of her body. The fat hand was also extremely strong and Grieb loved to walk in a brisk manner and swing that powerhouse to keep it strong in case of trouble. She never looked for trouble, and she never looked like trouble, but trouble always managed to find her.
This year Grieb had decided it was the time to start looking for a companion. She had been alone all her life and wanted to experience life with someone by her side. She was determined to go out and bar hop in Reykjavik and practice talking to men. Grieb was not a flaunting peacock or even a natural beauty - she was beige with a solid build. At the very least Grieb could wear a bit of jewelry so she put on her silver skull necklace that she got in New Orleans…it was her signature piece and a good luck charm.
Grieb landed at the Keflavik International Airport and made a bee-line outside. She only had carry-on luggage and was ready to tackle Iceland. The air was chilly but crisp with a slight smell of old egg.
Grieb checked into her well-appointed hotel and took a long nap. She awoke hours later and got ready to go out for the evening. Dressed in her turban, flowered dress, lucky skull necklace, red striped tights, and sensible black shoes she was ready to encounter life and perhaps love. When Grieb made up her mind she was like a cannon ball hurling through the sky and landing with a thud on her determined target.
The bars were hopping and Grieb was hungry and ready for beer. Instead of a table Grieb opted for the bar area and sat herself down on a tall stool, ordered her drink and some food, and began looking around for potential males to chat with.
She did not care much about looks - she wanted a good talker with a brain and a winning smile.
Not two minutes after her beer arrived, a man in his late-forties/early-fifties sat down next to Grieb and said hello. “Hello“, Grieb said cautiously. The man introduced himself. “My name is Peter.“ Grieb introduced herself and shyly drank her beer. Peter ordered his beer. “I am a geothermal scientist and am in Iceland for research. I live in Norway.“ Grieb liked the look of him and told Peter she was on holiday. They started talking until another man sat down on the other side of Grieb and began talking. “Buy you a beer?” came a gruff voice came from next to her. She turned to the red faced man who had obviously had way too much to drink and said, “No thanks, I already have one!” The drunkard would not take no for an answer. He ordered a couple of beers and sloshed one right in front of Grieb. Peter came around the other side and spoke directly to the red faced man in a quiet calm tone.
Grieb could not believe that she had a man on either side of her trying to buy her drinks! Were men blind in Iceland? She had never garnered this much attention - or any attention at all! The conversation between the two men was getting heated…their voices were raised and fists were coming next! Grieb had to admit she liked this attention!
All of a sudden beer was flying and fists were flying! Grieb stood up, took out her pistol, and shot it into the air! The brawlers stopped, everything stopped, and all eyes were on Grieb Gretch - the pistol-packing, turbaned, orthopedic shoe-wearing grit of a gal. In the meantime the bouncer had cleared the bar of the fighting men and came over to talk with Grieb. “You are one tough mamma! You want a job?”
Grieb just grinned from ear to ear, had one more drink for the road, and went back to her hotel to dream of the two men who had fought over her.
The rest of the trip was pretty tame. She saw a lot of beautiful sights and even got a chunk of hardened lava to take home. All in all in was a great adventure, not too much trouble, and with just a little romance.
Grieb, confident and ready, for the first time believed in the possibility of finding love.
