Saturday, September 2, 2017

Melvin from Hooshtah

Melvin Comes from Hooshtah...Rabbit Brush

Got to thinking about a friend of mine, if he would let me say that
about him. He is an easy going kind of guy and I run into him every
once in a while. I am not sure what tribe he is, his mother is from Fort Defiance
and his father is from somewhere up North. I really never thought to ask
him, but I know he might be Shoshone, or Cheyenne, maybe
even Crow. I just know he is an Indian. His hair is kind of going gray
and his face is wrinkled but there is always a friendly way about him.

When I see him he always has a kind word and I mean every time I hear
from him. Sometimes I ask him if he needs a ride here or there and he
tells me, "No  I got to keep these legs moving or they get stiff." He rarely
accepts a ride, except when it is really cold outside.

He took me to his place, a one room affair in one of those motels along the
Old Highway 66 in Gallup. He likes it not having much, but he is always on
the move. He showed me pictures thumbtacked to the wall. They show a young
man, strong, straight back and dressed in Army green. There are few
other pictures of his unit and group picture of his Army buddies.

He told me casually that he is the only one left. He never really talks about
his time there, he is a Vietnam vet. I think that it is that way with many
Indian folks who went.

He showed me a newaletter he gets and from time to time I see him in
camo green at the pow wows around. He carries the flag and to him he
stands just like he did in the pictures I saw. He doesn't say much, he is a
quiet man. He wanders around during the day, taking odd jobs here and
there. He likes it that way. Sometimes in the evening when I am in town
I see him on the street, standing with a group of skins joking and
laughing.

When he sees me he comes over talks with me, he has face that is rough
looking but has an easy smile. It is that way with us. I have never seen him
brag, or talk about his service time and he doesn't really want to. It was
just something that happened and is a part of life and so he went. He goes
about life quietly, even now and finds the best part of each day, it is like
he holds a secret and those around can not touch him.

He spends a lot of time on the streets mixing with those that are
there. To look at him you wouldn't know it that he was Army Airborne,
served two tours in Vietnam, was wounded and came home to live a life
without fanfare.

We seem to share a kinship and it ok with us. I suspect that maybe by chance
he will take a moment to reflect on his time there. He is just Melvin, Army
Airborne. I suspect he has a family somewhere who may think about him.
He is doing fine, he is o.k., he may drink a little too much once in a while
but his heart is good and I guess that is about the best you can say about a
man. We know a little about each other, he is friend of mine. I sometimes
worry about him being alone but he seems to prefer that life, no attachments
and just lives day to day. Sometimes I think it is hard but then again, he said
to me I shouldn't be here I got lucky so I take one day at a time and see what
the next dawn will bring. I asked him about where came from Hooshtah
Rabbit Brush and he said that is where I was raised he turned and looked
over his shoulder remember that place and then said, that was a long time
ago and everyone has gone that I knew there...

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