It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s An…Otter?

I have a special story coming out to play today. A legend, really. Remember my loon-bird family? (if you’re new here, read this) Well, one of them came to my house dressed as a Superhero Otter once. I shit you negative. Let me explain.

It all started when a conversation began about what super power you’d choose if you could. My family had no trouble picking theirs, ranging everywhere from mind-control to invisibility. This morphed into picking actual Superhero identities, and yes, even designing hypothetical costumes cuz we’re weird detail oriented like that. But this story is about Aunt Anne, who chose to be the Superhero Otter, because they have the power make people smile and diffuse uncomfortable situations with their water acrobatics and undeniable cuteness.

One day my eldest son – nearly four at the time –  was home sick from preschool when Aunt Anne called. We were chatting away when my son demanded to know who I was talking to. Aunt Anne said, “tell him it’s the Superhero Otter.” Upon hearing this he wanted to speak to her, of course. They spoke on the phone for a few minutes while I watched my son’s eyes light up with wonder.

Because things can’t be dropped at this stage in my family, an idea grew that Superhero Otter would come visit my son; he had questions, after all, and wanted to see this Otter in person. My Aunt is not one to let little boys down. One might assume she just bought a mask and came over one day.

*throws head back in laughter*

Nearly six weeks later, she arrived at our door in a handmade, head-to-toe otter costume, complete with whiskers and claws. The hubs and I could barely keep a straight face. Her voice was diguised with a deeper, huskier one. She brought fried fish to share for lunch, and real seashells for my son to keep. She spent over an hour with him, chatting and answering his many questions. My son was amazed, mesmerized, gobsmacked! He took her by the paw and showed her his room and toys. It was all at once the most bizarre, hilarious, precious thing I’d ever witnessed.

Yes, our now 9yo still believes in the Superhero Otter, as does our 6yo. Periodically, Otter leaves small toys and shells hidden around the house to let them know she’s been there to check on them. And they know if they ever need help, all they have to do is think to her real hard, and she’ll always be there for them.

Someday they’ll learn the truth about Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny. But Otter will sting the most. Or will it? For the boys to know Aunt Anne cares so much about them she would go to these lengths just to entertain and be a part of their lives….I hope, if anything, it proves to them Superheroes really do exist.

If I could pick a power it’d be the ability to instantaneously time travel, any place, any era. Let’s play! What would your power be? Who’s your inner Superhero? Do you have someone in your life that could be defined as a Superhero? I LOVE your comments!

27 comments

  1. Holy mother of god. This is hilarious and chokingly poignant at the same time. I’m thinking there will be a day when your guys ask “Mom, what do you do on your blog?” They cannot, cannot see this post. Delete, delete, delete. Once you get a 1000 hits and comments of course.
    Reminds me of my dad’s cousin Lance. He lived in Marin County and we’d see him once or twice a year. Just a delight. Anywho, he’d marvel how he always found coins on forested path every time he walked into Sausalito. This talent surfaced in his late 80s. Some days as much as $2.00 worth, sometimes as little as 5 cents. Always something.
    You know right? Pals – struck by his enthusiasm – always toddled the same trail earlier than him, sprinkling coins as they went…
    He didn’t find out I don’t think. I heard the story via friends after he died.
    BTW – Lance, who passed away at 92 after living a fabulous life, is my superhero.

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  3. Wait, you don’t have a picture of this life sized otter? What’s wrong with you?! That sounds like the most epic thing that could have ever happened in your childs life!

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    1. Two pages of photos AND it’s all caught on video! The problem is the photos were made into collages in a scrapbook. The originals are on an old computer – a pain in the ass to access. So when I scanned and uploaded a page from the scrapbook this morning, not only were the photos too small and badly focused….but they had my son in them which I try to avoid on the blog. 😦

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  4. Odd, yes. Amazing, absolutely! I love this and you win with the crazy family stuff. Honestly, I can NEVER top this one! This actually doesn’t make your aunt crazy (well, maybe a titch) but pretty amazing!

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  5. This story made my jaw drop, that is so amazing and I am so jealous. Truly, I thought I was the most amazing aunt ever– but I have never created a new superhero that leaves presence around the house. Woah.

    I went to an aquarium earlier this year and they had this little otter that was just swimming and flipping around and eating goldfish and I just swooned. Couldn’t handle it.

    I’m not sure what super power I would choose… Probably the ability to just *be* somewhere in an instant. Like if I could zap down to Machu Pichu for lunch. That would be nice and relatively manageable.

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  7. See, when people call their families crazy, it is not a good thing. You must stop calling your family crazy. Your family is fabulous!! First, to have the conversation in to begin with, but then to go all out and create the superhero??? I’m just so happy there are people in this world who think to do such things.

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  9. Aunt Anne is awesome! My superpower would be to fly. There are so many places I’d love to visit, and I could just pop over to Europe for dinner. How cool would that be? Also I wouldn’t have to chauffeur my kids all over creation – I’d just pick them up and fly them there.

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  10. “I shit you negative”! Love this quote!

    We must see some pics. This sounds too funny! I thought my family was crazy!

    Happy Halloween!

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    1. I wish the photos were better quality to share on the post! They’re in a scrapbook. I uploaded a page, but it came out really small. 😦
      Hope you had a great Halloween, Phil!!

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  11. OH. MY. GAWD! I literally have tears coming down my cheeks from laughing so hard!!!! *catching breath* Ok, I would want to travel back to the 1950’s…I always have. And my superpower would be invisibility! Love the questions at the end, Bethteliho 🙂

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    1. Hey Mike! I’m SO thrilled you enjoyed my family story so much! Makes my day! So why would you choose the 1950’s to travel back to? That’s so specific! I love it, though. Are you just fascinated with that time period? And, of course, it’s EPIC to be invisible!
      Thanks so much for reading, Mike!!! 🙂

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      1. I’ve actually studied WWII the better part of my adult life and I’m fascinated with it. But the 1950’s we had just come out of that horrible time period and the USA was as prosperous as ever. It was probably the happiest and most purest time in our history. But, most of all, I want to spy on my parents in their latter teens! Back to the Future, Bethteliho 🙂

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  12. Oh, I see! Those are all very good reasons – haha! My goodness, I never thought about spying on my parents when they were teens…that’s a genius idea! That’d be fascinating fer sher!

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    1. That’s funny…what kind of spiel? Like they just played it up?

      Invisibility seems to be REALLY popular!!! Very interesting! Makes me wonder what everyone would do first with that power…

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Speak to me! I wanna hear ya!