Day 89 of 100

“She was a spy, Micah”

My grandmother was many things: a writer, a storyteller, a simultaneous translator, a mother, and, on occasion, a downright liar.

Over the years my grandmother, Rena (although we all called her Babu) wrote more than 10 books. They included her life story (twice), some children’s books (she was called by the spirit to write them), and books about Jews all over the world, but specifically China.

I loved going to my grandmother’s house. We would talk for hours and I would always find a way to get under her skin.

“When are you going to get a girlfriend, Micah” she asked for the 10 millionth time.

“Babu,” I said smiling, “never. I am gay.”

“Micah! This is impossible!” (Never hard to get someone from the World War II generation to showcase their homophobia.)

“But Babu,” I continued, “Larry and I have lived together for seven years!” Larry was a college roommate, and after college we moved to Washington DC together.

“This is impossible! I have seen his girlfriends!” She cried!

“He is hiding who he is Babu!”

Finally, after much consternation, I would say, “Babu, I’m kidding. But I will get a girlfriend, when I get a girlfriend, not one second before.” She, of course, would always accuse me of almost killing her.

She told so many stories growing up, I am not sure which are true. She worked for the Mossad. And another time, she ran secrets for the Koreans during a job she had translating some dignitaries.

But, the stories I remember most, are the ones she would whisper in my ear as a kid. Wild stories of princes and dragons and all kinds of heroes.

Those, I knew, were true, and I carry them still.