A CHANGE OF PLANS

With rolling black clouds, distant thunder rumbling their warning to get inside, I quicken my three block walk to the Rialto to see a new movie that had a 3 1/2 star rating from the local reviewer. From the past I felt that was 'the kiss of death'. My thoughts race as fast as the scudding, fierce blackness rushes towards the box office -- or I must make a turn and head back to my car. As I dawdle a moment, something on the cracked tar surface of the pathway to the Rialto catches my eye. I skid to a stop, bend down and retrieve several coins--two quarters and two pennies and when I look closer at the pennies, an Indian Head stares at me. Yikes. It seems to have a glitter, has a flirting eye right at me.

 

I jump. I scream as a bolt of lightning streaks thru the sky, is surely aiming directly at the movie roof. My feet land in a puddle and loud cuss words fall out of my mouth. Something warm and instantly welcome grabs my arm, keeps me from falling. A large hand, somewhat tannish, reddish, is strong and gentle. A face, a smiling face, looks at me. Eyes, black as the darkest night,  gleam.  Thoughts of the movie fly from my mind. My attention zings onto my savior. A soft, almost angelic voice speaks a name. 'I am Sitting Tall', chief of the disappearing Hwanko Tribe. Once we were a great Indian tribe, strong, virile, but when the buffalo hunters came with their rifles we no longer had furs to keep us warm or food. Our tribe lost its leaders. I am the great, great, great grandson of our last chief. Manitoki took his own life.' He is silent for some time then asks, 'Will you walk with me, talk to me, instead of going to that silly movie that you were so determined to see?' I hesitate, wonder who he really is. I am afraid yet intrigued by Sitting Tall.

 

The sky lightens and my fears fly away. For the first time I notice the Indian carries a woven knapsack of many colors, geometric  designs. It is surely ancient. Sunshine, lovely warming sunshine peeps out of the fading black clouds. It smiles at us. We walk past the movie, the parking area, the cut rate shops. Sitting Tall leads me to a small garden I had never noticed before. Without a thought, a care, we sit on the wet bench and just stare at each other.

 

I show Sitting Tall my two pennies with Indian Heads on them. 'Chief Tall, the year the pennies were made, 1887, can still be seen. And honest to heaven, one Indian DID wink at me. Oh, how he laughs. 'My great, great, great grandfather must like you.' It is my turn to laugh and tell Sitting Tall he should change his name to Silly Tall.

 

He laughs at me, opens the pouch. From it he places a string of white beads around my neck. They are really shells. 'They are my wampam. They are my tribe's money. 'If I had the dark purple beads, you and I would be rich.'

 

'Come let us walk towards the rainbow.' We hold hands, talk and walk, never reach the rainbow.