Waiting for the Grwost

  • Linear Location

    Near 301 Fulton St W., Grand Rapids, Michigan, US (42°57'51"N 85°40'40"W)

Overview

This excellent example of an Aywatin Bench was collected early on in Park Lee Taf’s development of the Museum of the Bench site. Even today, fragments can be seen not far from the original ad hoc visitor’s center of the Museum. The history of this place was, of course, intimately related to that the ywreng that roughly approximated the path of the river. A similar place of waiting, with more tragic consequences, can be found about a mile upriver at Forest’s Rest.

Access

Grand Valley State University, 301 Fulton St W., Grand Rapids, Michigan, US

It is on the Grand Rapids Campus of Grand Valley State University (on the right bank — West side here–of Grand River). It is right in front of John C. Kennedy School of Engineering.

Public Dedication

We had a walking tour of the 5 Kcymaerxthaere sites that were a part of Art Prize that year.

Text of the Marker

The part of the story installed here:

Waiting for the Grwost

This curved brick bench or one very much like it has graced this site for a generation of generations. It is one of the places where travelers this side of the River Lekcenne typically waited for a grwost (a kind of time guide). Interestingly, this was one of the first benches collected by Park Lee Taf, founder of the Museum of the Bench in what we call Abilene. The original was placed on display in a diorama there and, as was his practice, he left behind this exquisitely crafted replica still in use today.

Even experienced travelers like Iglesia Guitierrez, Earl Frontage (pronounced Fron-TAHJ) or Satara Meliflua, all of whom are said to have sat here, must have experienced some trepidation. Indeed, given the dangers of crossing a powerful ywreng, a type of chronofrontier coincident with the river, people often ask: Why not go around? But, unfortunately, intent is one of the dimensions of the xthaere. Once such a threshold was contemplated, it was engaged—extending far beyond physical location. One engineer waited, thought better of it, and years later was stopped by this very ywreng on the ocean floor—its lacewing vortex rending the times of her lives, her oblivious companions passing in peace.

Gallery

Related Stories

Amory Frontage and his line

Museum of the Bench