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Autumn Leaves
volume 6 number 7
Autumn Leaves volume 6 number 7 |
she came in and said, I am working today
have jewelry
hand made, I made it myself
she parked the 89 cheby pickup with the camper
outside
three little kids looked out at me, dark hair
I beaded these
things all by myself, drove down from Lander
was up to Montana selling
jewelry on the rezes up there
come from Page, near there anyway, lechee, she
said
how is it to be on the road?
she made a tired smile and her eyes
twinkled
it is good to be on the road, some times we sell
sometimes we
don't, but is good to be there
most times they say it is too much to drive
so far
no, she said, I like it cuz we have a place to sleep
it is warm,
when we do good, we sleep in the motel room
running water, the lights go on
with a click, and you take a bath easy
tell me where you come from, she said
to me,
we haul wood, and have to use a generator, no tv or iceboxes
take
showers at the community center
she looked to be twenty five or so, her eyes
were older than that though
she said her man left her long ago, and she had
no money
but somebody took a chance with her, she told the trader I can
bead
she sat up all night all winter long and beaded with kerosene
lamp
now she can afford a coleman, a generator, it was tough but I made
it
she got paid and bought silver, then without any plans loaded up the
truck
and headed out, selling her stuff, her indian silver jewelry
that
was five years ago, she found life on the road
and that is what she said,
she turned around putting her tray away
and headed out the door of the
tribal office, time to go and she smiled
as she went out the door, an indian
mother with her three kids on the road
a tough life but it is one she owns,
and she lives it out there somewhere on the road
