The Gather Gnome Finds His Roots Vol.1- #38

Gather Gnome Adventures presents the amusing extraordinary adventures of an ordinary garden gnome.

    It’s not everyday you meet a talking snake. The sight of his bared fangs made my spine tingle and not in a good way. His scales gleamed in the cave's dim light underneath the banyan tree. I was well within striking distance of his lethal venom but he didn’t spit. Who knew serpents could be gracious hosts?
    He hissed, “Dear Inkvon, you must be tired from all that digging. Would you like some tea?”
    I had to admit digging for hidden treasure took a lot of energy. So far, I had nothing to show for my efforts but dirt encrusted finger nails. The tea tasted unlike any other tea I’d had ever had. The bitterness reminded me of the white tea I’d recently enjoyed in China, while the sweetness I couldn’t place. No matter, a warm wooziness soon engulfed me.
    The snake's soft voice receded into the background. He droned on about energy vortexes called chakras and something called kundalini serpent energy or was that tortellini?  My stomach grumbled from hunger. Oh, how I craved some roasted chestnuts.The next thing I knew, the room grew larger and brighter. From the dark corners objects now appeared visible. Ancient leather bound books and assorted boxes begged to be opened. I squinted to see better but everything looked blurry. I’d lost my reading glasses in the altercation with Merlin, the killer kitty.
    “These will help you see what you need to see.” The snake handed me a pair of glasses. He smiled a knowing smile. “Don’t say you’re prayers aren’t ever answered.”
    I said, “But what about money. I’ve lost everything.”   
    “You haven’t lost everything, have you?”
    I slipped on the glasses and the dirty cave transformed into room covered in silks and rich luxurious colors. “Whoa, I feel like I’m in Aladdin’s cave or an episode of the decorating show Divine Design.”
    The snake flicked his forked tongue at me. “Tut, tut, remember what you most wanted to find on your Journey to the East.”
    “My roots?”  I looked down at my boots. The ones I foolishly thought would lead me to my roots. They were stamped ‘Made in China’ so I thought I’d find my roots there. I was too shame faced to admit my poor judgment to the snake. In China, I'd almost lost my life to the Killer Kitties not to mention blown  most of my Vegas winnings on five star hotels.                       “If your desire is sincere, all things are possible. You might be surprised what you find amongst dirt floors.” He cocked his head in the direction of an ornate ivory inlaid box. I scrambled over and lifted the lid. A faded portrait met my gaze. My heart beat wildly. The person looked like me but different. Older, wiser. I cradled it my arms.  I didn't need anyone to tell me my truth. “This is my ancestor. My roots.”
    “Right you are. He is your, past, your present and your future. You are him and he is you.” He said something else but I don’t remember, as the walls closed in on me and I fell asleep wrapped in velvet.

To be continued...