Je Suis Nombril (I am bellybutton)

Je Suis Nombril

 

It’s a grey August day and I am standing by a soft mound of dirt. Around me are a  handful of friends, dressed in black, and a Pastor. They gently pat my arm and walk away to their cars. The deed has been done. My mother has been buried and the ritual is over. No, I correct myself, not my mother; my mother’s body. As I stand there alone with a cold wind whistling around my collar, I recall a phrase that has not passed my mind in many years. “Je suis nombril.”

I had been teaching sixth grade when I first met Jean Marc. A fine young French boy; his father had emigrated back to Australia after his Parisian wife tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer. Being fairly confident in speaking French myself, I had the pleasure of welcoming Jean Marc into my class.

I have always been able to clearly remember his first day. When asked to introduce himself to the class Jean Marc stood up and proudly proclaimed, “Je suis Nombril.” I chuckled to myself, thinking it a joke, but when I asked him to speak in English he simply said, “I am Nombril.” Not wanting to argue with the child on his first day, I let the matter pass and "Nombril” stuck. As far as I recall he was called Nombril for at least the duration of his being in my class.

Now standing in a deserted cemetery a scene unfolds in my mind.

My curiosity had gotten the better of me one day, and I pulled Nombril aside. “Nombril,” I asked, “Why do you call yourself Nombril? You know it means bellybutton don’t you?”

Nombril stood up straight and his dark eyes became instantly sober. "It is for my mother." He paused for some time choosing his English words carefully. “I am attached to my mother,” he said gesturing to his navel. “I am cut off from my mother.”

I had wanted to ask more questions but I knew I was treading on sacred ground, therefore I smiled and dismissed the boy with no further comment.

It’s only now some fifteen years later as I stand by my mother’s grave, deep in contemplative thought, that I finally start to understand the meaning of these words. “Je Suis Nombril.”

 

****

Author's Note

Appreciate ANY comments

Reviews

[Hannah]

I speak a little bit of French, so that title confused me. I read "I am bellybutton" and, naturally, had to know more! I LOVE that full-circle ending! It's so sweet and deeply profound. Love this story, Andronicus! Very creative and meaningful.

[Ella R.]

Kind and somewhat nostalgic this story , this time. Gave me a chilly feeling , something like being hugged by the cemetery in a warm , invisible embrace.

[Stan Lee]

Warm yet chilly? Sounds like you had a full mix of emotions huh? Thanks for reviewing :)

[Ella R.]

Well, when I'm not dead I feel things. There are certain things that bring me back from death.

[Jacob Clifford]

Very clever story with a nice full-circle ending. Nombril is a very strong thinker, it seems. Touching story.

[Stan Lee]

Clifford! So sorry I must have missed thanking you for this review. I really appreciate your kind words. It's humbling honestly that I can touch readers with this simple tale. Thank you.

[Chris]

Bitterly sweet piece of a story. And even though he lives in but a few paragraphs here, Nombril is such a complex and strong character. Wonderful.

[Stan Lee]

Thank you Chris. I'm glad you liked it.

[Lorry]

A beautiful tale, beautifully told. We are all bellybutton, are we not? What a wonderful idea and explanation :)

[Stan Lee]

Thanks for your review Nemo. I'm glad you like my story. :)

[Lorry]

You're welcome :)

[Jamie]

I won't lie--the title definitely caught my attention. I was like, "What the hell? Bellybutton?" It kept me reading. I have an attraction to dark writing, so right off the bat, a funeral kept me in.

Full circle. You brought the piece back full circle. I like that. Even in a short piece, there was notable character development. He understood the meaning of the phrase. A seemingly-meaningless event that had occurred 15 years prior came to mind. A child having recently lost his mother had called himself that because of his once literal connection through birth, the physical connection through her presence and emotional connection, and then the total disconnect after her complete departure from the moral plain. No longer was that physical or metaphysical umbilical cord there. It was gone completely.

And the writer the understood himself, having lost his mother.

Only thing, being a bit of a stickler for grammar: watch your commas, and full sentences typically come after semi-colons. I'm known for not doing so for stylistic purposes, so I apologize if that was the point. I'll correct my scoring if that was indeed the case.

I also suck a proof-reading my own work. I will freely admit that, so pardon any grammar goofs in the review.

Overall, great piece. Interesting concept. I haven't seen anything like it. Being a nerd for foreign languages, I love the use of another language. I am familiar with Russian, Japanese, Spanish, and a beginner in Irish Gaelic. Go figure that I don't touch more than one language easier for native speakers for understand. *shrug*

[Stan Lee]

Thanks for your review Elendarin. To be perfectly honest with you I actually thought of the title before the story. Doesn't often happen that way for me. Intriguing that you refer to this as dark, I didn't think funerals were all that dark, after all, almost everyone has one.
I'm pretty bad at grammar, please tell me if there are any commas I should take out or put in? Glad you enjoyed and understood the story and that you like languages. Really appreciate you taking the time to read and leave your thoughts. Thanks again. :)

[Jamie]

Ah, sorry it took me so look to get back to you, Andronicus. Coursework is kicking my a*s up and down UTSA Boulevard.

Anyway, as you asked, I did pick out spots where the grammar/commas were a tad wonky. Still loved the story. Sorry to pick you apart on the grammar, but I'm a stickler for it. Pardon any grammar/spelling goofs on my end. It's currently 04:13 here, in the US, and I'm awake because I can't sleep. My meds are jacked. Woo BPII. .___.

Other grammar:

Here: "..I first met Jean Marc. A fine young French boy;..." Grammatically, a bit weird. Rather, "...I first met Jean Marc, a fine young French boy. His father had..." The semicolon is usually used for two complete sentences, and the description of Jean Marc would better fit in the same sentence with the name.

"I had wanted to ask more questions but I knew I was treading on sacred ground, therefore I smiled and dismissed the boy with no further comment."- You've got a run-on here, my friend. I'd suggest cutting off at "ground". Making it "Therefore, I smiled and...." I addressed a comma issue in the first portion of the sentence below.

Commas:

Here: "When asked to introduce himself to the class Jean Marc stood up..."- You need a comma after "... the class,..." The word "when" is part of a group of words... d****t, I forgot the specific rule, but I remember it from Honors English II my sophomore year of high school. They brainwashed use with comma rules. Good lord. I am a comma Nazi.

"...to speak in English he simply said...."- Here, it's more of a natural pause. If read it aloud, you naturally pause after English. So comma here: "...in English, he...."

"As far as I recall he was...."- Again, same rule as "when". Forgot what it was. So: "As far as I recall, he was..."

"Now standing...."- Again, same rule as previous. "Now standing in a deserted cemetery, a scene..."

As for this: "Nombril stood up straight and his dark eyes...." You need this comma: "...up straight, and his dark eyes..." because it uses and and connects two complete sentences.

[John King]

This is wonderful. The story's title brought up enough curiosity to make me want to read, and yet the title couldn't have been anything else, so it isn't clickbait. There a few places where I wish things were worded differently, but the concept is more than comparable to anything I've gotten from reading George Saunders or anyone of that caliber. Thank you for this!

[Stan Lee]

Thank you John. :) No, the title isn't clickbait. I hope none of my titles are "clickbait". I aim to deliver! Would you mind letting me know where you wish things were worded differently? I am keen to hear your feedback, either here or message me privately. Thanks again for your generous comments and for taking the time to read and review. Much appreciated! :)

[John King]

You know, I'm reading through it (Bellybutton) again and I don't really know what I was trying to point to with the "I wish things were worded differently" comment. You seem really cool, though, so I'm definitely glad I read you!

[Stan Lee]

Lol, okay, fair enough. But if you think of anything.. just lmk!
I'm glad you're glad you read me! :D I hope you like my other stories too.

[.]

Hmmm......what to say....

I was wondering where you were taking the reader with this story and i found out soon enough. This is a very sweet and profound piece of writing. Well executed, and flowing to an unexpected, yet illuminating ending.
Well Done on your idea of being connected to a departed Mother with the use of "Nombril", a very clever and original choice.

Another fine short story; well written and captivating the reader throughout.

[Stan Lee]

Dearest Doodley. Thank you so very much for your thoughtful and generous review. Unexpected endings are what I try my best to do. :) I'm happy that you found it sweet and profound. Quite a standalone piece for me actually. Thanks, thanks, thanks for allllll your kind words. Much appreciated. :)

[.]

No problem. Deserved praise.

[PaintedBirdy]

this is a fantastic story! unfortunately i can't comment more because i'm too jealous that i didn't write this myself. much praise!!

[Stan Lee]

Thank you so much for your praise! I appreciate you taking the time to read and review my story. :)

[Not here]

This is really sweet :) I'll never think of my bellybutton the same lol. A very touching read. Great job!

[Stan Lee]

Merci Dante. :) Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. Glad you liked it! :)