JC: William Redman Carter Noble Savage Chapter 48 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2005 William stepped out of the hotel bracketed by his two bodyguards. All three of them came to a halt when they noticed the crowd gathered there. Rock and Natalie put their hands on the pistols. Gunter edged closer to Mayra and, in a whisper, asked, “What’s going on?” “I don’t know,” she whispered back. One of the men from the crowd stepped forward and raised a hand in greeting. He said, “Talks with Animals, we of the Northwestern Tribes welcome you to Seattle.” “Thank you, Sam Hanson of the Duwamish Tribe,” William replied recalling the man’s name and affiliation from a meeting several years earlier. The Duwamish Tribe was one of the tribes that were not recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs although it was a member of the five hundred nations. Shocked at being recognized, Sam required a moment to gather his thoughts. After a slight hesitation, he said, “We would like to invite you and your party to a Potlatch tonight at the Duwamish Tribal Longhouse.” “My party and I would be most happy to accept your invitation,” William answered giving a shallow nod of his head in the direction of Sam. “We shall wait for you there,” Sam said. The crowd slowly dispersed as they went on their way. It would have been rude to hold up William for longer than it was necessary to deliver the invitation. After the crowd had left, Donna and her parents remained. Sandra dug into her purse and scratched an item off her to-do list. She wondered how Barbara managed to keep track of William and Lucy twenty-four hours a day. She was with him and couldn’t predict his schedule for more than four hours at a time. William waved to Donna and asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your parents?” Donna and her parents walked over to William. They had been shocked to find so many people waiting to talk to him. Donna said, “Talks with Animals, these are my parents, Don and Mary Barnes.” Don Barnes said, “We had intended to invite you out for dinner, but we just saw that you have other plans.” “We would have been pleased to dine with you. Would you mind joining us at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse tonight,” William asked. “We would be most pleased,” he said. “Come join us for lunch,” William said gesturing to the half dozen people from the conference that had accepted his invitation. “You honor us,” Don said. His wife edged closer to him, unsure how to act in front of Talks with Animals. He gestured to Donna and said, “It was kind of you to give our daughter a chance to visit with us while you were here.” “It was my pleasure,” William replied. Gunter leaned over to Mayra and, in a whisper, asked, “Are they Indians?” “Yes,” Mayra answered. “I thought they had all been killed off,” Gunter remarked unable to believe what he had seen. At the surprised expression on Mayra’s face, he explained, “You know, like the buffalo.” Overhearing the comment, William laughed and said, “The Native Americans are still here as are the buffalo.” As a group, the party headed over to the restaurant in which Sandra had reserved a private room for them. As they walked, Donna sidled up to Sandra and asked, “How are you holding up?” “I’m fine. I’m just a little frustrated,” Sandra replied shrugging her shoulders. She wished that Barbara was there to help alleviate the itch that had developed between her legs. “I understand. I was surprised when Barbara called inviting my family to meet him,” Donna said watching William talking to her father. They had been embroiled in an argument about disturbing Talks With Animals when she had received the call. She had felt that it would be rude to intrude on him when he was surrounded by so many important people. Her parents had felt it would be rude not to extend an invitation to dinner. Mary Barnes walked beside Mayra and Gunter feeling a little more comfortable with the pair. Gunter, amazed at having met real American Indians, asked, “You are an Indian?” “Yes, but we prefer the term Native American,” Mary answered amused by the man’s wide-eyed expression. “You are the first Native American I have met,” Gunter said. “You know Talks with Animals,” she countered. “Who is that?” “William Redman Carter. He is the most famous Medicine Man in the country. He was first to serve as the voice of the White Buffalo. He removed an ancient curse that affected all our peoples,” Mary Barnes answered. Gunter and Mayra exchanged puzzled expressions. Mayra finally asked, “William is a Medicine Man?” “Yes, he is a most respected Medicine Man,” Mary Barnes answered. “Is he like the Pope or something?” Gunter asked confused by her answers to his questions. “No. He is more like a tribal elder who is recognized by all five hundred tribes,” she answered. Smiling, she asked, “Are you going to the Duwamish Tribal Longhouse tonight?” “I don’t know,” Gunter answered. “I’m leaving after lunch,” Mayra answered. “That is a shame. The Duwamish are known to throw a good Potlatch. They are not recognized by the Federal Government so they have fought even harder to retain their cultural heritage. There will be food, songs, dances, and story telling. Maybe if we are lucky, Talks with Animals will tell us a story,” Mary Barnes said glancing in William’s direction. Sighing, Gunter said, “I would like to see that very much. I’ve always wanted to see a Teepee.” “Wrong tribe,” Mary said with a giggle. She explained, “Teepees were used by nomadic tribes that followed the Buffalo. Here in the Northwest, our tribes were settled in communities with buildings called Long Houses. Entire families would live in a Long House. Many had very decorative entrances made of huge logs carved in the shapes of animals. We fished, hunted, and raised crops. Where William is from, they lived in Pueblos. Those are houses made of adobe.” “Oh,” Gunter said. He was silent for a moment and then asked, “Is there a book about this?” “I am sure that if you go to the Potlatch, they will be happy to give you a book. You will need to bring something to the Potlatch.” “What is a Potlatch?” “It is a gathering in which everyone brings something to eat and the food is shared among all who attend. It is a way of sharing that allows those with much to give to those with little without being insulting,” Mary answered. Donna went over to her mother and, in a worried voice, said, “Daddy is taking a lot of William’s time. He is with some very important scientists.” “Your father has manners and will not impose upon William,” Mary chastised. Softening, she said, “You work with William. What is your impression of him?” “I love him,” Donna answered. Realizing what she said, she put a hand over her mouth. She had spent the entire visit with her parents trying to hide her true feelings about William from them. Surprised at her daughter’s answer, Mary said, “He is married to Walks with Wisdom.” “I know,” Donna said seeming to collapse in on herself. She said, “He is just so good. He treats me like I’m special.” Concerned, Mary asked, “Has he acted improperly?” “No,” Donna said while shaking her head. She sighed and said, “I wish he would.” “Donna!” “I’m sorry Mom. We all feel that way about him,” Donna said. “Young woman, you will behave yourself. He is a married man. I would hate to think what would happen if you bring shame on us,” Mary said. Everyone was proud that Donna had gone to work for Talks with Animals. “Yes, Mom.” Sandra joined them and, after one look at Donna, had a very good idea what they had been discussing. She said, “We are at the restaurant. Perhaps I could talk with your mother for a little while.” Gunter and Mayra had listened to the conversation while walking to the restaurant. Mayra had a good idea that Donna had told the truth about all of the women working for William desiring him. Although he was almost twenty years younger than her, his charm was infectious. She doubted any young woman could resist him for long. She had found his intellect just as difficult to resist. They took their seats at the table just in time to hear William say, “I’ll be visiting the Seattle Homeless Hotel this afternoon.” Frustrated, Rock groaned and said, “I knew it. This trip was too good to be true.” Grinning at her partner, Natalie said, “Hey, he’s been here almost a week without visiting one.” “A conference, a Native American Potlatch and a Homeless Hotel, all in the same day. Are there any other crowded places he can visit?” Mayra asked, “What’s the matter?” “I’m going to visit a Homeless Hotel this afternoon,” William answered looking at Rock. “What’s that?” “A place where homeless folks hang out,” Rock said. Knowing that the bodyguards hated it when he went to visit a Homeless Hotel, William looked down the table at Rock. Apologetically, he said, “They are friends. You can’t come to town and not visit your friends.” Resigned to a tension filled afternoon and evening, Rock said, “I know.” Amazed at the number of things that William was planning on doing that afternoon, Mayra asked, “Are you always this busy?” “No,” William answered. “Yes, you are” Sandra said. “Okay, maybe I am,” William conceded. “Don’t you get tired of it all? I mean, I’ve been at the conference all week and I’m exhausted,” Mayra said. The late night was catching up with her and she still had a flight home. “Not really. I’ve found this whole week to be rather invigorating. I’ll admit that I can’t wait to get home and see Lucy,” William answered. This trip had been the longest that he had been away from Lucy and he couldn’t believe how much he missed her. Gunter asked, “Who is Lucy?” “She is my one true love. She’s the most beautiful woman in the world. When she walks into a room it is filled with light,” William answered. Mayra looked at Sandra and Donna. Both women were staring down at the table with tightly controlled expressions on their faces. She said, “I feel sorry for all of the other women who love you.” “You know, Lucy is always going on about other women loving me. I just don’t see it,” William said shaking his head. He said, “Now my Daddy Ed and my brother Eddie, they have women falling all over each other. Me, I’m just plain old William.” “I really feel sorry for the other women who love you,” Mayra said looking over at Sandra and Donna. Both women were staring fixedly at the table. Wanting to make a point to her daughter, Mary said, “What does Walks with Wisdom say about the other women?” “That I need to return their love,” William said. Mary, Mayra, Sandra, and Donna all stared at William. Natalie nudged Rock and gestured across the table at Sandra and Donna. He rolled his eyes having listened while Lucy and William had discussed the subject many times in the past. Mary was the first to recover and asked, “What does that mean?” “I’m not sure, but I’m pretty sure that Lucy will explain it to me at some point in time,” William answered. He picked up his menu and proceeded to study it wishing they had gone to a Burger Burner instead. His eyes glanced down at the children’s menu. He grinned and said, “Hey, they have Corny Dogs here.” Rock, sporting a black eye given him by one of the less rational visitors of the Homeless Hotel, sat down on a metal chair and stared across the room. Natalie was positioned at the other end of the room watching the crowd with an eagle eye. He had expected there to be about a hundred people there, but the crowd was closer to six hundred. It spilled out into the parking lot and neighboring buildings. He watched the people around William sure that something horrible was going to happen. Setting a plate and glass of juice in front of him, Donna said, “I brought you some food.” “What is it?” “It is just some Salmon, camas root, Wapato, and a little salad. There are some cranberries. I hope you like it,” she said. “Thanks,” Rock said looking at the food on the plate. He recognized the Salmon and the salad. He wasn’t sure which of the side dishes were the camas root and the Wapato. “I’m sorry about your black eye,” Donna said looking down at the floor. Shrugging his shoulders, Rock said, “Occupational hazard. Don’t worry about it.” “I didn’t know who he was,” Donna said feeling guilty that he had been hit. “I know you didn’t. He thought you were his ex-girlfriend. It wasn’t your fault,” Rock said looking over at her. He couldn’t believe that he had never seen the punch coming. “William shouldn’t have stepped in to stop him,” Donna said. She was ashamed that she had been the center of attention. A homeless man had attacked her without any warning. When William had pulled her back, Rock had received a blow that had been meant for her. Rock had never seen it coming. William had subdued the man before Rock had even fallen to the ground. Rock shrugged and said, “William does as William does.” “Well, I’m sorry that you got hit,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. I deserved it,” Rock said shaking his head in disgust at his actions. He was rather ashamed that William had thought to protect Donna while he had only thought to subdue the man before he could get to William without considering what he might have done to her. “If I hadn’t gotten in your way, you wouldn’t have gotten hit,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. I’m a big mean bodyguard and that was just a little love tap,” Rock said. He winked at her with his good eye. Seeing her relax a little, he said, “Natalie hits me worse than that when I’ve been a bad boy.” Donna laughed and said, “Okay. I get the point. If you need anything, let me know.” “I will,” he said. William, Gunter, and Dan were following Sam around the room examining the exhibits that were on display. William and Sam were discussing the historical and cultural significance of the various artifacts. Gunter was questioning Dan about his cultural heritage. In a way, Gunter knew that he was going to have a lot of stories to tell about his adventure with Native Americans when he returned home. He had discovered that the Native Americans weren’t like they were portrayed in the movies. When they finished the exhibits, Dan and Sam excused themselves leaving William and Gunter free to meet other people. Going outside, they came across an elderly man seated in front of a fire and surrounded by fifty children. William recognized the man as one of the best known story tellers in the Northwest. Smiling, he said, “Gunter, sit down and listen. Their story teller is about to tell some stories to the children of the tribe.” Before Gunter had a chance to answer, William was seated on the floor beside the children. While Gunter was sitting down, the old man asked, “What story would you like to hear tonight?” “The story of Talks with Animals and the Curse,” one of the children shouted. Another child shouted, “The Story of Talks with Animals and the White Buffalo.” Horrified that stories were being told of him, William stared at the children. After a second, he said, “I would like to hear about when the animals and birds were created.” With a gleam in his eye, the storyteller asked, “Do you not want to hear your story?” “Never,” William answered with a shudder. “Talks with Animals does not want to hear his own story. I shall tell a story that he does want to hear,” the storyteller said with a wink in William’s direction. Addressing the children, the storyteller said, “I will tell of how animals, birds, and trees came into being. I learned this story when I was the age of many of you. I shall tell it to you as it was told to me by an old storyteller of the Makah.” Holding up his hands as though to indicate emptiness, he said, “When the world was young…” Gunter listened to the story about how the seal, the great blue heron, the kingfisher, the raven, the crow, and the mink came to exist as a result of a visit by the two brothers who were called Two-Men-Who-Change-Things. The brothers were also responsible for creating the trees. It was a story unlike any that he had ever heard. The brothers created the animals, birds and trees by changing creatures that were neither animals nor people. In a way it was a simple story, but the deliverance was powerful. The storyteller spoke in tones and used gestures that seemed to draw him into the story. He felt as if a great secret was being passed onto him. By the time the storyteller was done, Gunter felt as if he could imagine the creatures that were neither animal or people while having characteristics of animals and people. He could see in his mind, the two brothers selecting what kind of animal, bird, or plant each creature would become. Each word spoken was burned into his memory. Turning to William, he said, “Thank you for bringing me here.” “You’re welcome,” William said. “I had no idea about any of this,” Gunter said. “Let Mary and Dan know that you listened to a story of their tribe. I’m sure they would be pleased to learn of your experience,” William said. “Of course,” Gunter said. He studied William for a second deciding that he was the most complex man he had ever met. How many people could say they were a scientist and a medicine man? How many rich men were considered a friend by the homeless? It was hard to believe that any single human could hold so many conflicting perspectives and remain balanced. “Let’s go back inside,” William suggested. He turned to find Natalie standing behind him. Curious, he asked, “Did you enjoy the story?” Embarrassed that she had forgotten her duties as a result of being drawn into the story, she answered, “It was okay.” “Okay?” “All right, I enjoyed it so much that I forgot to watch the crowd,” she admitted. She frowned at her admission and said, “Don’t tell Rock.”