"The Deer Hunter"
Eya Mani
tipimakr@cam-walnet.com

The men had been standing around telling stories, funny stories, sometimes silly stories about the old times and how some of the old ones dealt with problems. Some times logic isn't always the best policy?

Anyway, they say the old one had been living alone outside the village for as long as anyone could remember. Living alone. Never bothering anyone. Never speaking to anyone. Never going to town. Forever busy. Doing things important only to him.

One day the village had a new pastor to replace the one that was retiring. It was said the new pastor knew how to speak the language, and speak it fluently too!

This meant trouble for the old one. He just knew that the new pastor would be visiting him any day now. And he was right!

The preacher came in the evening and didn't stay long. But he greeted the old one and introduced himself and asked the old one to come the next Sunday for church. There would be a village picnic and he would get a chance to meet everyone then.

The old one reluctantly agreed to be there. And so the preacher left feeling good.

When Sunday came the old one waited until the last person had gone into the church before he left his house. He wanted to find a seat in the back, way in the back where he wouldn't be noticed. He had never attended a white man's church, but he knew it would be different!

When he came in he was surprised to see everyone seated in the back. The entire back of the church was filled and the only seating he could find was way up in front. As he took his seat he knew everyone was watching.

The pastor greeted him loudly, bringing more attention to him. He didn't like that.
Just as the church services were to start, two young ladies came in and seated themselves directly in front of the old one. The pastor asked everyone to rise for opening prayer. Not knowing why everyone had stood up, the old one also stood up and looked around. Everyone had their head down and their eyes were closed. After prayer everyone was seated again, and the old one found himself wondering what he had come for. The pastor was wearing a white robe and was speaking in a language he had never heard before, but he knew it was not the white mans language!

The people were asked again to rise and again everyone had their heads down and their eyes closed. The old one was not used to this. He had prayed with his head uplifted and his arms outstretched asking for guidance and strength. He let his mind wonder. He didn't know what he could let his eyes rest on but he found the young woman in front of him to be very good to look upon. He remembered his youth and such a woman!

The people were seated again. And they stood again. And again the old one let his eyes wonder.

His eyes took in the smallness of the womans waist, and the roundness of her hips. His eyes came to rest on her buttocks. But this was troubling! Her dress was stuffed between her buttocks! She must be in real discomfort! Long ago, he too had known such discomfort.

The old one turned slowly around to see if anyone was watching. All were in the ashamed posture yet! He had to help her! No! He had to think about this!!

What if he did help her and someone saw? They might think badly of him. How would he live then? What would they say?Wait....he had to think.......once when he was young he had such an experience! He had been hunting the very elusive whitetailed deer. He had run a great distance and now as he was getting close to his quarry, moving very slowly, hunched over with his bow and arrow at the ready. It had been bothering him for sometime now. He had a Bite!

The leather cloth he wore had worked its way up between his buttocks and he was getting very sore, and the feeling was a burning sensation because of the sweat. Yes! She must be feeling that way by now! Very great discomfort! And she, a woman! He had to help! The people could say nothing if they knew that he was helping a woman. Could they?

The people were seated again for a time before they were asked to rise again. This gave the old one time to ponder this most important matter. He was a Lakota warrior! Protector of women and children! Keeper of the Law! At all costs. Protect the women and children from harm! The people had to understand..........

The people all rose again and hung their heads and closed their eyes. With best intentions, the old one reached down and pulled out the dress material. In a flash the young woman whirled and slapped him across the face. Whack! The old one turned quickly to see if anyone had seen what had just happened. Good! No one moved an eyelid! He was safe. He had relieved her discomfort but she had reacted in a most peculiar way! Young people! He was indignant! Such thanklessness!

As he stood thinking about this he thought better of it. Maybe he should have left well enough alone? Maybe he should have left her to her discomfort? After all, she was a woman. Who can tell what a woman might think?

Without thinking about it the old one reached down and pushed the dress material back in, giving her back her bite!!!


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