Dancing On Water

Grandmother was frail. It often kept her inactive. What had always been so natural to her, chopping wood to warm the Hogan and to prepare a simple meal, was now a major task. It was difficult to watch her. She had much energy in her youth. As the days slipped away grandmother sat quietly and looked off into the distance. Locked up in her world of silence. How she had loved to ride the painted pony, riding through the arid desert, strong and confidant. It was a beautiful sight to my then young eyes. She had taught me the tradition of dance. Dance came natural to her. She often relived the experience she once had while visiting the ocean. It was a one time experience that she held dear to her heart. She described how the liquid gold danced upon the water. Brilliant and bright. She thanked our creator for the opportunity to see with her own eyes, only, what she had heard from tourists that frequented the store on the reservation. With my heart I revered the times of story telling and I determined to cling to the ways of our people.

Free Write Friday

For some reason I felt inclined to participate in this creative writing prompt provided by Kellie Elmore. What appealed to me is that I don’t have to be concerned about grammar and punctuation, which is a challenge for me. The suggestions for this prompt are..

Dandelion Season

Phone Call at Midnight

The Green Years

The Human Zoo

The Fires of Spring

The Ivy covered Gate

The Human Zoo

Nick was concerned about Abby. She had been throwing up for several days in a row. As he feverishly painted, he had hoped to be able to make enough cash to be able to sit down for a good meal. They had eaten very little since getting to Santa Fe. It was obvious to them that Abby was in the family way. They had been foolish to think that they could escape from their lives in Portland to live out their dreams in the warm and colorful state of New Mexico. Abby sat in the car coping with the discomfort of nausea, but also needing something to fill her stomach. Nick dealt with the realty of life in a very stoic manner and yet replayed  the tense moments with his father who could not relate to his passion of drawing and painting. His father had spent years of his life going up the corporate ladder and had always provided a comfortable  lifestyle for his wife and family. Nick remembered wanting to spend quality time with his dad. He had longed for a day of having his father to himself, to take time for a day of fishing at the lake. But those days were far and few between. There were always promises, promises that were broken all in the name of business and money. No time for relaxation and fun with his family. Nick was resentful, and that is when Abby came into his life. They had met at an art class. Abby was miserable in her own situation. She began to fear for her life.  Her mother, Angela, did not want to hear what Abby had to say about her boyfriend. Abby struggled with what to do. Sam had threatened her and told her what the outcome would be if she revealed the truth to her mom or the authorities. Abby wanted to get very far from this evil man. Nick was soft-spoken and gentle and quite unlike many of the guys she has met in her life.  Since they had arrived in Santa Fe, they were not the only ones looking for their next meal. You could see them at every corner. Some playing an instrument in hopes of a little income, and many pan-handling and hanging out in the plaza park. The days were beginning to cool down and it was imperative that they figure out how survive in what felt like the Human Zoo of Life.