Tombstone.
I wandered over to the group standing in the street this morning and waved to everyone. I heard someone speaking Portuguese and I told them I was learning Apache and Spanish. Mr. Rock talked with Dancing Cloud about drinking firewater. I noticed that Mr. Rock and Miss Dancing Cloud weren’t fighting any more. We talked about how Mr Rock said the word ‘squaw’ and it offended Miss Dancing Cloud. A woman came over then and asked him if she could take him out for a walk.
Miss Angel came over and I waved to her. “Miss Angel look! I don’t have no crutches anymore!”
“Feeling better i see little vone?” she smiled at me.
“Uh huh! But I still gota be careful when I kick a ball.”
“Hi kiddo,” Mr. Rock finally greeted me.
“Hi Mr Rock. You and Miss Cloud friends now?”
“Ooh yes we are. We bury the hachet,” Mr. Rock grinned.
“What that mean? Bury the hatchet?”
“How did you hurt yourself just kicking a ball? Ooh that. It means… not make war no more,” he chuckled.
“Well I kinda kicked it too hard and broke my foot. I hadta wear crutches for a while. Oooh no war is good,” I said.
“Aye it is good… she still don’t say that much.”
“Maybe cause she don’t understand. Or she scared,” I said.
“Maybe… Nay she not scared. She don’t trust palefaces all that much I think.”
“Well…” I nodded. “I dunno but she was real scary then. Before that day I was goin’ out to the village to think, ya know? Cause that’s what Ma used to do before she moved to Tombstone.”
“Aye?”
“But she don’t do it no more and I dunno why yet. But… When I saw her be scary I didn’t wanna go out there cause I thought maybe she cut me too if I say the wrong thing.”
“Who did she cut?”
“Well she um….” I looked down. “No one, really... but she said she was gonna…” I looked at him.
“Gonna cut who… child?” he frowned.
“But you said you were gonna bury the hachy so I guess is all good.”
“Ooooh she was gonna cut me… aye… We fine now,” he laughed.
I shifted on my feet and winced a bit at the foot still a bit sore. “Really?”
“I will not call her a ‘squaw ’ anymore.”
“But you just did! I heard it!”
“I did? When? Ooh yes I did.”
“I dun want you to get cut mr Rock.”
“Nay, I don’t neither… Just for saying the wrong thing to an Injin, but… I know now she is madin’, not a squaw.”
“But what’s a squaw?”
“I ask her that,” he grinned. “Well a squaw is a married indian woman. Or an old maiden… I reckon.”
“Oh. Yeah that would make her mad.”
“Aye it would and does… and did,” he laughed.
“Not nice to call women old, Mr. Rock.”
“Aye… men ain’t too fond of it neither,” he chuckled.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t say it, Sir.”
“But kids like to be called ‘old’ right?”
“What you mean?” I looked up at him.
“Nay, I said I ain’t saying it no more, Nat.”
“Good.”
"About what?” he asked.
“What you mean kids like to be called old?" I looked at him sternly.
“Well don't you? I mean you can’t wait to grow up… right?”
“I dunno... I like learnin’ to be a doctor. Ma works too much.”
“You admire your mother,” Mr. Zeth said then.
“She’s the best detective ever.”
“Like I admired mine when I was young,” Mr. Zeth said.
“Ooo is our Doc, Mrs. Jewel your mom?” Mr. Rock asked.
“Nu uh. Miss Trin. I help Mr. Alex in the clinic.”
“Miss Trin?” Mr. Rock asked.
“Uh huh.”
“Oooh I see.”
“So you want to work as a detective like your mother then,” Mr. Zeth asked.
“I gonna be a doctor like Mr. Alex,” I shook my head.
“She law,” I pointed to Miss Angel and she chuckled.
“Then it’s Aly that’s your mother?” Mr. Zeth asked and I sighed.
“I jes said Miss Trin.”
“Really… then I must speak to her… cause I am aiming to be in the law here too,” Mr. Rock said.
“Ya’ll can’t be law ‘till you get your town paperz, Sir,” Miss Angel told him. “But I varn you iz dangerious job. Also got to make sure you can read iz alot of papervork.”
“Oh I can read alright… I was educate back east,” Mr. Rock said.
I watched as Miss Dancing Cloud scowled at us as she walked past. “Mr. Rock?” I looked at him.
“Yes Nat?”
“How come Miss Cloud glared at us? I thought hatchet gone.”
“You go ask her why and let me know what she says Nat, okay?” he chuckled.
“Vell Apache aren’t vones to forgive and forget,” Miss Angel said and I shook my head, getting nervous.
Mr. Zeth brought a lollipop over to me and I took it, but hid behind Mr. Rock. “Thank you Mister Zeth.”
“Yup. Something nice to give,” he nodded.
“Iz how most Apache are. I vould know vell,” Miss Angel said. “Vas married to an Apache man vonce. Don’t orry Natalie she vont try to harm you. Leazt not in town vith me about.”
“Yea Nat.. I will give you a silver dollar to let me know what she says,” Mr. Rock said.
“A whole dollar?” I looked at him and then looked around. “I don’t see her no more.”
“It be worth it to keep that hatchet buried. Ok you do it next you see her Nat.”
“I will mister Rock,” I giggled.
“You know Natalie, you ant to get in good vith the Apache I can show you how,” Miss Angel looked at me.
“How miss Angel? I jes don’t want her to glare at me no more.”
“You ever been to the cavez in Benson?”
“The Apache tears,” I looked at her and nodded. “Jimmy and I saw em. Cause the men all died and the women cried there. That what miss Pet said.”
“Yes vell you can take those stonez and make them into jewlery.”
“I thought we not s’posed to touch things there?”
“Vell if you bring me one of thoze stonez Nat I’ll make it into something special. Vas something I learned vhile I vas married to the Apache var chief.”
“Okay Miss Angel! How many stones you need?”
“Juzt vone.”
“I gonna go find ’em! And I’ll talk to Miss Cloud about the hachy,” I said to Mr. Rock and he nodded. “Bye bye people!” I waved and headed off.
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