Re-watching James and the Giant Peach.

[araignee]

Nostalgia. It is when you look back upon something with a fondness, non? Ah, yes. I, too, have experienced this nostalgic feeling you speak of. It is a feeling of double edges, if you understand my meaning. On one hand, there is the warm, happy feeling of youth. On the other, where is the reminder than your life will never return to that state of childish bliss.

[She takes a long puff of her cigar.]

Hm. Such a confusing thing. Shall we discuss it further over tea, mundane?

Comments

[blueberried]

Nostalgia? My mun gets that a lot. Means something about the past, right?

Who are you anyway? She seems real happy you're being 'played'.

[araignee]

Yes, little one. Nostalgia is something about the past.

I am Miss Spider. It is lovely to meet you.

[She extends one of her hands.]

I am flattered your mun is so pleased to see me.

[blueberried]

[She surveys the hand for a moment, not sure whether taking the hand of a spider of all things is a good idea.

Yeah, she's not shaking that.]

I'm Violet. [She can be a little rude when it comes to strangers... and the people she knows.]

It's got something to do with the guy who wrote our books.

Is it normal to be a giant spider?

[araignee]

[Huff. How very rude. Miss Spider takes another deep puff of tabaco, politely tilting her head back to keep the smoke form bothering her rather impolite guest. She may be annoyed, but she's certainly not going to stoop to the child's level.]

I do not believe I asked for your name.

[Any trace of sweetness is gone from her voice, leaving her sounding rather uninterested in her conversational partner.]

Is it normal for little girls to be so rude?

[blueberried]

Huh?

[She's not rude! She just doesn't want to shake the hand of a giant spider.

With the sudden rudeness from the other, she's not sure how to take it. Her dad isn't with her, but she's dealt with strangers in dear_mun before...]

I'm not rude.

[araignee]

[In the eyes of a giant spider, not wanting to shake a giant spider's hand is rather impolite!]

I disagree.

[blueberried]

Well what do you want me to do about it?

[araignee]

Perhaps shaking a hand when it is offered would be a good start.

[blueberried]

But you're a spider!

[pianokeys]

[Oh hey, giant spiders and stop-motion; Other Father's familiar with these.]

Nostalgia?

[That he doesn't have any knowledge with. You have to have had a childhood to experience nostalgia.]

[araignee]

Surely you know what it is, non?

[She's not even going to address his eyes. Sure, she's never seen a human with what look to be buttons for eyeballs, but she's never seen another giant spider, yet she's certain there's nothing wrong with her.]

[pianokeys]

Nope. Sorry.

[See, his main question is whether you're a Monster or not, but that's never going to be voiced. On way of species, he's married to a giant spider so you're perfectly normal in his book.]

[araignee]

Ah. I did not mean for it to sound... as you say 'cold'. I do not think there is anything wrong with lacking nostalgic feelings.

Perhaps people are better protected that way.

[She's not exactly picking up on the 'are you a monster?' question at this stage. Unfortunately, she's still rather accustomed to being surrounded by other giant insects or James, all of which are pretty 'in the know' about, well, what they are.]

[pianokeys]

o~hoo... 'Sure that'd be al~l swell, bu~t I don't know what nostalgia means.

[That's what he was getting at more than the opinion.

It's doubtful she would pick up on it; apart from slip-ups and surprises, the Other Father's very good at hiding his thoughts and questions from pretty much anyone but the Other Mother.]

[araignee]

...Nostalgia is a feeling of fondness for previous experiences or people. Many are nostalgic for their parents, for example. Or an old toy.

[Cue the long drag of the cigar.]

Do you understand, now?

[pianokeys]

[A nod.]

I think I do. Thanks!

[He doesn't quite feel it... but he thinks he understands it.]