Whites would say the Brave was King of his Castle. It isn’t like the wife is a slave or anything but she is secondary to her man. My family still practices the old ways in household discipline and in marriage. The man who wants to take a wife still is expected to provide some ‘price’ to the woman’s family when they agree to let him marry their daughter. If the man wants to share or loan the wife she will, most of the time reluctantly acquiesce. If the woman cheats or indicates she wants another man as I said before she is punished sometimes unto death. It is the Indian way.
“I am almost half white but I am Indian. You have shown great restraint in your actions. You beat Harold when he dishonored your house and entered uninvited. You fought those who insulted and demeaned you afterward. I can see no dishonor attaching to you. You and Patrice were not married when she did this. The dishonor would have come had you done nothing after the marriage. I think we need to talk to Grandfather after he is better. Maybe he can help you with your feelings and problems. He has always had words of wisdom for me.”
Seth looked at Tasha and gave her a weak smile. He said, “I sure don’t feel like I have any honor left. I let them run me away from my home because I was too scared to fight and maybe land in prison. I did nothing to Harold except beat him up the time he broke into my parent’s home. All I feel is shitty because of what they thought I was, what they were trying to make me.”
Seth stood and returned to the shop and his work. Later that evening he finished the cultivator he was working on and attached it to the dozer. He fired up the machine and drove to the area beside the stream that he intended turning into a garden. He spent much of the rest of the day digging the area and removing the largest stones he had pulled to the surface. After he had his garden tilled he returned to the shop and removed his digger. He moved the dozer and hooked up a small offset disc to break up the clumps of dirt and roots. When he finished he had a pretty nice looking three acre plot to grow his vegetables in. He planned to plant his early seeds the next day.
Several times during the late afternoon while he was working Seth had seen Gramps sitting in his chair on the porch watching. When he returned to the house Seth smiled and said, “Hello. You look as if you are feeling better today.”
The old man smiled and said, “Yes. I am much better thanks to you. Just when I begin to think whites are all no good I meet one who shows me otherwise. I thank you for your kindness and help to me and my family. My woman is cooking our meal. Would you sit with me for a while?”
Seth smiled and said, “Sure. I’m tired enough I need to sit anyway.” The two men talked for almost thirty minutes before Tasha came to the door and told them supper was ready. To Seth’s surprise when they entered the office/house he found a table full of food. There were three rabbits fried, potatoes and gravy and a salad made of what appeared to be wild greens.
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