The Jewels of Nebraska, 14 -William Gets Engaged

It was impossible to know if Kohn's Indian was any better than his English, but the Indians, Navajos, seemed to understand him pretty well. They sat around in a circle discussing unknown matters but with tones of great seriousness. William and Ben were not invited into the circle and almost completely ignored by everyone in the small village. They sat on rocks near where all the horses were tied. A girl who appeared to be a bit younger stared at William with great interest until her mother scolded her and whisked her away.

“So it wasn't the old couple and Ruby that Kohn was tracking after all, it was this group of Indians.” said Ben.

“So how's that gunna help us find Ruby.” William said.

“I don't know.”

After a long time Kohn waved Ben over but held up his hand when William started to get up.

He picked small rocks and tossed at a dry bush a few feet away. He jumped when a hand rested on his shoulder from behind. The hand flew back, but when he turned he could see a face between the horses. It was the girl. She said something he could not understand then retreated slowly between the large animals. He just stared at her. She impatiently motioned for him to follow. He looked around and got up from his rock. He made his way through the forest of horses where he found the girl waiting for him. She wore a cotton dress which seemed odd to him, he would have expected Indians to wear animal skins and beads. Here eye's were big and so dark they almost looked black marbles. She started speaking again, her voice sounded like music though he could not understand a word.

“Why do you sit with the animals like a dog? Everyone is laughing at you.”

“I'm sorry, I don't understand. Do you speak any English?”

“English, no. I know some of your English words but I will look stupid if I try.

“I am William, Will-ee-am.” he pointed to himself. “Will-eeee-aam.”

“Wully eem,” she said.

“William.”

“Nil-Chi-Tsosie” she put her hands to her shoulders.

“Nishlie Tossy?”

“Nil-Chee, Chee T-sosee”

“Nil-Chee-Tosie.”

“Close enough silly boy.”

The girl looked around as if trying to think. She blew air from her lips and gestured to the sky around her. She did this over and over as William scratched his head. She came close and blew on his cheek. He touched the spot. She gestured to the sky again and made a small hole with her fingers. She blew on his cheek again. He blushed at the closeness.

“Oh I get it. Indian names always mean something, and yours is... wind?” William blew with his lips and made like a tree with his arms, blowing in the wind.

Excitedly she knodded and made the small circle with her fingers again and blew lightly on his cheek.

“Wind... little. Little Wind!”

She smiled and laughed a little.

“Nil-Chi-Tsosie!” She blew on his cheek again and made the small symbol with her hand again.

William's tummy turned upside down when she got close. He couldn't help but smile.

Even though you sit with Animals, you are a pretty one I think.” She brushed his sandy hair with the back of her fingers.

William leaned back a bit then let her continue.

“You are different, I can see that. Different from other whites I have seen.”

William thought perhaps he should touch her hair in kind. He reached forward to touch her shining black hair but she stepped back quickly.

“You are more stupid than rude, I think. I forgive the insult,” Small Wind looked around to be sure it was only the horses amongst them, “but only if you promise to marry me.” She took his hand and brought to her hair again. He gently stroked it a few times. He'd never felt anything like it.

“Do you promise to return and marry me one day when I am a woman?” She place her hands on his face and made his head knod.

William just smiled.

“Good. Now there is the engagement gifts, I will give you something and you will give me something Will-ee-am.”

“I wish I could understand you. I heard my name. I hope you said something nice.”

Small wind took a necklace from inside her dress and leaned forward to pull it though her long hair. She placed it on his neck. It was a simple chain of beads on a string. He looked down and touched it. It was warm from her body.

“Now you,” she gestured, “it's your turn to give me an engagement gift.”

Her eyes were on his camera hanging under his arm.

“No, I can't give you my Kodak, there's no more film anyway.” William thought of what he could give her. There were the papers in his suitcase that Ruby had given him to look after. No they seemed important and not of much use to an Indian girl.

“I know!” he said.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out his pocket knife. He unfolded the blade and put it back to show her. He took her hand in his and placed the knife and closed her fingers around it. He gazed for a moment at the lovely color of her skin.

“My Pa gave me this, before he off and got killed in the war.”

I remember giving Billy that knife before I left for the Army. He was so young he couldn't even open it. You might think I'd be upset that he gave it away to an Indian girl he'd know for exactly six minutes and twenty-four seconds, but you forget that I can see his heart and how laughable I know material things to be.

Little Wind smiled. “It's now as if we are married.” She hugged him suddenly and tightly and buried her head in his shoulder. Williams heart did flips as he felt her warmth full against him.

“Tell know one Will-ee-am and remember your promise to me.”

“I wish I had film in my camera, I would take a picture of you and look at it everyday.”

Without warning, she turned and ran back to the village.

“Bye.” he said.

She turned and flashed her dark-eyed smile at him before disappearing between the horses.

“William?” Ben called.

William appeared from the horses

“What in blazes were you doin' in there? Why's your face all red.”

William just blushed deeper.

“Anyway, here's the plan. Kohn's going to ride out with some of these Indians to a place where Ruby might be. He wants me to come along. It seems these folks can't help us much more than showing us this place. They're living off the reservation and don't want to be found here. Now Kohn doesn't want you along and I don't either, you're safe here. Only a handful of these folks speak any English. Do you think you can manage?”

“Yeah, I guess, will you come back here with Ruby?”

“If we find her.”

“How long?”

“Don't know, few days, a week. You'll do fine. You know, they've already given you a name. 'Lin' something.”

The name they had given him was “Lin-Lha-Cha-Eh”. What Ben or William didn't know was that it meant 'Horse Dog'.

I felt ridiculous, utterly and completely ridiculous. Climbing on the roof of that mansion was nothing compared to this. Beyond my humiliation, nun's habits are darned uncomfortable yessir. The thing rubbed against my face and neck something horrible with it's starched cardboard-like edges. How those sister spend a lifetime in these things I'll never comprehend.

It worked remarkably well. It took me all of five minutes as a white man wearing a cooks uniform to get tossed out on my ear, but the egregious sin of stealing a nun's habit off a close line and walking through the hospital corridors, not only as a male but a protestant as well barely got me noticed.

God forgive me.

I thought surely when I spoke to the lady at the front desk that my falsetto voice and masculine face would get at least a funny look. She just smiled and gave me Charlotte's room number without pause.
“Thank you child.” I said. I gave some sort of gesture that was somewhere between

a cross and a blessing. 

I took a deep breath before entering her room, one of the few private rooms I had seen along my way. It was one thing to humiliate oneself like this for a worthy cause, which I would never have considered it without, but to humiliate myself before the woman I loved. I was hardly able to woo her as a waiter, this might just take away any chance I might have had.

When I saw her face all I could think of was her and her anguish, my own embarrassment seemed suddenly insignificant. Though she looked to me as lovely as ever, I could see she was not well. Her face was sallow and gaunt. Deep circles were under her eyes. Her head was turned to window and she did not turn even when I cleared my throat. A nurse passed by the open door. It reminded me not to use my own voice.

“How are you today my child.” I said au-falsetto as I awkwardly pulled up a chair and sat beside her bed. She did not respond or turn away from the window. “Shall we pray together?”

Charlotte turned her eyes downwards as a show of respect but still did not turn back. I looked out the doorway. The was no one there and the hallway seemed quiet. I took her hands in mine and whispered in my own voice. “Charlotte, it's me.” Her head shot towards me in shock. At first trying to comprehend the nun what went from soprano to baritone suddenly. I watched her eyes. I could almost read her thoughts as she took in a vaguely familiar face framed in starched black and white cloth and tried to reconcile the unlikely combination. Then, her eyes brighten with recognition and she squeezed my hands with surprising strength.

“You! It's you! I dreamed you would come, but...”

“Are you okay Miss?” I said. “I am sorry for my appearance I...” a group of people passed the door. “...and in his holy host of gloria deus pachem E pluribus unim...”

Charlotte did the last thing in the world I expected.

She giggled.

Then the giggles broke into laughter. I was at once delighted and horrified.

“Miss Charlotte, please temper yourself. You will give me away. I've already been throwed out of here once posing as a kitchen worker. I might not survive this atrocity from the fourth floor.”

“I can't believe it's you!” she giggled some more. “I hope you weren't harmed.” Her face shifted to concern but she started laughing again.

“Miss please! Am I that comical?”

“I'm sorry, but yes, yes you are!”

I sat up in my chair and release her hands. “Well I don't think you can begin to appreciate what I've been through today to get to you.”

“Darling, my darling,” she said softly and reached for my hands again. “I have not laughed in a very, very long time, the joy of seeing you and the comedy of your attire has brought me a joy I haven't felt in years perhaps.” She giggled some more. “It's been so long since I've laughed at anything, it's quite frankly hard to stop, please, I don't mean to offend, but...” She started laughing harder than ever.

I stopped minding, I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I remember my difficult day was nothing compared to her days and months of sorrow. Besides, she had called me 'darling'. I could have jumped out of the fourth floor window and floated off like a balloon.

“You needn't call me 'miss'.” she said. “You have been kinder to me than anyone I have ever known, including my own family. I am so happy just to see you face... and your silly costume!”

“Prepare to be happier my Charlotte.”

“What?”

“I hasten to say for sure, but I may have found your baby.”

She sat up from the bed and hugged my neck.

“Oh sweet heavens, you have no idea! Oh thank God, Thank you Jesus! And thank you sir, thank you for being my hero."

Her giddy laughter blended with a bizarre mix of tears and sobbing all at once.

A doctor passed by the room and turned to stick his head in the door.

“Um..” I shifted suddenly to my fasletto. “Yes dear child, tell sister Mary aaaalll about it.

Then we'll pray.”

Charlotte's laughter doubled.