Walking out of Godfather Soseki’s office, carrying a package wrapped in nondescript brown paper and secured with baling twine, he felt utterly confused.  Not one to second guess the instructions of the family leader, Beowulf could not imagine why he would be selected to deliver a package to an old woman at the rest home.  Surely there were other members that could complete this task, but Soseki was adamant that he complete this task. 

Adding to the confusion, Soseki had given him two specific instruction “Be respectful as if your life depends on it and kiss her on the left cheek when you leave”.  Setting the package on the passenger seat, Beowulf started the car and headed toward the rest home as he was directed.

Thirty minutes later, Beowulf pulled up in front of a nicely landscaped rest home on the north side of Detroit.  After parking the car, he grabbed the package and approached the entrance, which had to large glass doors.  Once inside, a reception looked up from an ornate wooden desk and said “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m here to see Norma Dixon.”

“Oh yes, she said she would be expecting a visitor.  Let me show you to the lounge.  She just finished lunch and it participating in a group activity.  Follow me Mr.  I guess I didn’t get your name?”

“Beowulf is fine.”

“Well, follow me Mr. Beowulf” The nurse rose from the desk and headed down an adjacent hallway and around a corner.  Once around the corner, a group of elderly were sitting in a circle around a table, playing cards.

The nurse approached a Caucasian lady with white curly hair that was sitting in a wheel chair.  The lady simply nodded, then slowly backed her chair away from the table.  The nurse walked to the back of the wheel chair and grabbed the handles and began pushing the wheel chair down another hallway while saying “This way Mr. Beowulf”.

Once to what appeared to be Normal Dixon’s room, the nurse pushed her into the center and turned the wheelchair so it was facing him.  Norma was hunched over and looked frail, with a blanket covering her lap.  The nurse said “I’ll leave you guys to talk and I’ll be at my desk if you need anything.  I’ll close the door behind me so you have some privacy”

Once the door was closed, Beowulf turned to Norma and said “Godfather Soseki asked me to bring you a package”.  As soon as he finished, the old lady straightened up, pulled the blanket off her lap, and stood up out of the chair before saying “About God Damn Time.  Does Soseki know I’m not getting any younger?  God Damn punk doesn’t have any respect for the older generation.  I suppose you about the same, not an ounce of respect.”

Beowulf was completely caught off guard by the transformation.  The old lady, seeming to have grown 20 years younger in the blink of an eye, walked over to a cabinet door and pulled out two glasses, setting them on the counter.  Then she reached behind a stack of towels and pulled out a full bottom of brown liquid and poured two glasses half full.  Turning to him, she said “Here, it’s whiskey.  Drink with me and prove that you’ve at least got some hair on those tiny balls of yours!”

Beowulf was in complete shock and took the glass of whiskey.  As she raised her glass, he followed suit, figuring he would simply mimic her for now as he had no idea what or who he was dealing with.  She watched him with sharp eyes as they both took a sip of their drink.  Then she said “You wouldn’t happen to have a cigarette, would you?  I could really use a smoke?”

Beowulf shook his head and said “No, no I don’t smoke.”

“I was God Dam right.  No respect.  That’s NO MA’AM.  You fucking understand me boy?  I’ve earned that respect not like you just recently being released from your momma’s tit.”

Quickly, Beowulf respond “Yes Ma’am, I mean No Ma’am.  I mean you no disrespect Ma’am, promise.”

Norma simply stood there, watching him for a few seconds, then with one quick motion, downed the remaining whiskey in one gulp.  Knowing he was being judged, Beowulf also drank the whiskey in one quick motion and resisted the urge to cough from the burn.  As he struggled to keep from coughing, a smile crossed her face at seeing his discomfort.

“Well, you going to give me that package or just stand there and continue looking stupid?”

Not wanting to cause any further trepidation, he handed her the package.  The woman reached down and hiked up her dress on the right side, then ran her hand up under the dress before pulling it back out, holding a four inch long double sided blade.  Beowulf was shocked to realize she was carrying a knife, then remembered what Soseki had told him “Be respectful as if your life depends on it”.  With a quick motion, she cut open the string and unwrapped the package.

Much to Beowulf’s surprise, the package appeared to be a unit of cocaine.  Norma slid the tip of the knife inside an opening, pulling out just a trace of the white powder and placed it to her lips.  Licking her lips as she tasked it, feeing the sensation, she smiled and said “Good.”  She reached up into the same cabinet where the whiskey had been stored and set the unit of cocaine back behind a stack of towels where it was hidden.

Turning to face Beowulf, she said “I work for Soseki, selling drugs to these elderly.  Most here are retired Mafia that still enjoy getting high on the weekends.  And during the week.  And shit, just all the time.  Soseki ships in the drugs, then send him the cash each week.  I ran out of product a week ago and had to pull my knife on one of the other ladies that was really upset when her party time didn’t happen.  Tell Soseki that he needs to keep the shipments coming on a steady pace.  Soseki and I go way back.  You could say I’m family.”

Going over and sitting back down in her wheel chair, she pulled the blanket back over her legs before saying “BEOWULF.  What the hell type name is Beowulf anyways?  Your momma decide to play a practical joke on you or something?  Well, I’m guessing I will see you again as Soseki said he had a new permanent family member that I couldn’t scare off.  That must be you.  Now, get over here and give momma a kiss!”

Remembering the second instruction Soseki had given him, Beowulf walked over, bent down, and placed a gentle kiss on her left cheek.  When he stood back up, she smiled and said “Soseki sure attracts the ugly ones.  Now, get out of here and close the door behind you.  I need to piss.”

Softly closing the door behind him, he turned and headed back out to the entrance.  Once inside his car, he finally was able to put a grin on his face as he thought to himself “Guess I just met Momma”.