Granny's interview
Granny meets Gilgamesh
Granny's notes
He walked in with an immense presence – broad-shouldered, with wild hair, a lion pelt, and skin tanned by the desert sun. At first, he seems intimidating, but when we began talking about loss and grief, I saw that his heart was as soft as a child's. He is the one who dares to hold our guests when they are at their most furious with fate.
Granny smiles mildly and slides a large mug of strong tea toward the broad-shouldered king.
Welcome into the warmth, Your Majesty. Have a seat! You look as if you have travelled far. You are known as humanity's very first hero, but you are also the first to cry out in rage when your friend Enkidu died. Why was his death so difficult for you?
His voice echoes with a deep, raw honesty that causes the room to fall silent.
Thank you, my good lady. (He accepts the teacup with his large, scarred hands and looks down into the dark liquid). Enkidu was not merely my friend. He was my mirror image, my brother, the only one who understood my entire soul. When he died, it felt as though half my chest had been ripped out. I could not comprehend that the world kept spinning when his heart had stopped beating. I was king of Uruk, yet I was completely powerless against death. It drove me mad with rage.
Many of the guests who come here to lovOne feel that exact same rage. They are angry at the illness, angry at fate, angry that people around them are laughing and living on. What do you say to them?
He leans forward with a burning intensity in his eyes.
I say: SCREAM! Curse the stars! Never be ashamed of your rage! (He strikes his hand on the table so the cups clatter, but his gaze toward Granny remains soft). The world wants grieving people to keep quiet, sit silently in a corner, and 'move on'. It is a lie! When you have lost your Enkidu, you have the right to rage. Anger is merely love that has transformed into a storm. Let it storm!
Granny folds her hands and looks at him with deep compassion.
But you wandered all the way to the end of the world to find a cure for death... and you failed. How did you finally find peace?
I found peace when I returned to Uruk and saw the walls I had built. I understood that the body dies, but actions, love, and stories live on. I could not bring Enkidu back to life, but I could ensure that his name would never, ever be forgotten. As long as humanity remembers him, he is not entirely dead. That is what I wish to help your guests with.
What a grand and comforting message. If a grieving guest is standing outside your palace terrace tonight, afraid of their own anger, what would you say to them?
He stands up to his full height, places his hand over his heart, and nods reverently.
Climb up onto the wall with me. You do not need to play a role here. If you wish to cry, cry. If you wish to rage, rage. I have fought monsters and crossed the sea of death – I do not fear your grief. Come, and we shall remember together.