Muse? I don't have a muse.
A soft sound like mice running over newspaper came from the old rocking chair in the corner. I must dust that soon, I thought.
The sound resolved itself into a gentle chuckle. No muse? What do you think we have all been doing all these years?
The chair began rocking slowly, thought the dust was not disturbed. Something inside me said I should be frightened, but all I felt was curiosity.
That's your problem, my girl, you don't give us enough credit.
"Who are you?" I asked.
To be specific, my name is Thomas Tooker.
I knew Captain Tooker had been dead since the early 1800s. Actually I knew quite a bit about him. I had visited his grave and read his journal. He was my mother's mother's distant ancestor.
Captain Tooker continued. Remember that story you wrote about the escaped slave who came to Canada and started a farm down the road from mine? Don't you know I whispered that in your ear?
And I, another voice came from the other corner of the room. Who do you think whispered all those stories about your lady detective?
"And who might you be?" I asked. I was beginning to feel that these…people?…ghosts? were trying to usurp any small success as a writer.
Get off your high horse missy. None of this would have happened without us. Who am I? My name is Abel Whitney. Do you know it?
In my mind I saw a bit of cream colored marble on a church wall. Deacon Abel Whitney. My ancestor, this time on my father's side.
Another rustling drew my attention to the sofa. I do not believe thee knows my name, but I told thee a story of a weaver. Seems to me that was a most impressive work. I came to the New World on the Ann. Thee has perhaps seen me at the recreation of our home.
"And you will take the credit for all my colonial stories?" I asked?
Not a bit of it. You wrote them. We merely told them to you.
Are there many more of you? Do you live in my house?
Yes, there are more of us. We don't live anywhere. We don't exist in your world, said Captain Tooker.
OK, so how can I be writing the Delaware stories if I have no ancestors from the area?