Mystics of the Tuolumne

Embryonic Adiamorphosis #

School was a breath of fresh air after all the drama  of the past days.  Dahlia had told her mother that she would be coming directly from school to home.  At their lunch break, Dahlia told Albert she could not meet him at their secret place.  He was disappointed but, understood when she told him she would go to see her Abuel this afternoon.  it was important to her to keep the generations connected.

She hurried carefully down the concrete front steps of the school.  Looking up she saw BJ the blacksmith standing there like a giant statue looking up and smiling.  She pointed  her finger at herself.  He nodded yes.  She ran over to where he was standing.  

He swept her up in a big bear hug, "Your Mamma wanted me to come and make sure you and Joel got home safely."  Joel came sliding to a stop beside them, turned, and hugged BJ around one of his legs.  BJ started walking them home dragging Joel along attached to his leg.  This was more in one afternoon than Poppa had done in their whole lives.

"Mamma, I'm going to run over and see Abuelita until suppertime."  Dahlia gave her message on the run.  She quickly walked the one-half mile to her grandparent's house.  She spread the hugs around to her grandparents.

"let's go outside in the shade there is a nice breeze.  Why have you come to see me in the middle of the week?"  Abuela was old and wise.  She saw the patterns everywhere.  She knew if they were not in harmony.

"I need your help.  I have powers that I am not able to fully control.  Am I a witch?"She was out of breath after that statement.

"You are not a witch.  That is old talk."  She reached out and put her hand on Dahlia's cheek.  "I knew you would have the gift."

"I need to know how to use it safely. It grows every day.  I always had dreams and thoughts that were real and I never noticed.   I thought everybody had them.  Now I can move things.  Did I cause Poppa to hurt himself."  Dahlia took a deep breath.

"You did not hurt your Poppa.  He is a sad man.  He makes bad decisions and that hurts him."  Abuela bowed her head and looked at her hands.

"Do these gifts come from God?" Dahlia asked hopefully.

"Which God to you ask about?  The Spanish God, The Yankee God, or the Miwok God?" She was a little bemused.

"Maybe the Miwok God?"  She was tentative.

'Did the Miwok God to anything to help the Miwok people?  Your Great Grandfather, Estanislao, thought that either the Miwok God did not exist or that he was a weak coward who deserted his people in their time of greatest need."  She spoke sharply and gravely.

"Then the Spanish God.  He chased the Miwok God away."  She was sure she had it this time.

"How well did the Spanish God protect his children from the Yankee God.  Would any God allow his children to be so evil like the Spanish?"  You have yo decide before we talk again.

"Then it is the Yankee God," Dahlia stated quizzically.

"The Yankee God is the same as the Spanish God He allows slavery, theft, and murder.  He does not exist for us."  Abuela knew she had spread confusion.  "There is no God for the Miwok people.  There is no God for the Spanish.  If the Yankees have a God, he is evil.  But I believe the evil only comes from people's greed for gold and power over others."  She was bitter but, she knew she had to teach her granddaughter.  No one else would tell her the truth.  "It is wrong to lie to children,to people who are sad, or to people who are afraid.  To believe in a God outside yourself is to ignore your own strengths and never feel your gifts."  Abuela paused and brought Dahlia close to her.  "Did I make you sad?"

'Oh, no." Dahlia replied.  "It makes me less confused.  I understand.  I won't tell Mamma because she likes to go to Mass."  Dahlia was always protective of her family.

"Dahlia you have great gifts.  Those come with great responsibility.  If you remain humble and thankful for your gifts and use them for good.  You will never have to be afraid.  Just that worry means you have a good heart."  Abuela was holding Dahlia's face in both hands as she spoke. "Now go home and eat supper."

Dahlia was tired and ravenously hungry after the long walk.  She was both surprised and pleased at what she was when she burst into the kitchen.  Her Momma was laughing like a teenaged girl and so was BJ laughing and joking.  "Are you having supper with us again tonight?"

"If you give me permission" he was smiling.  "Where is Joel?"  

"Probably trying to lasso a chicken.  He is such a child."  Both BJ and Momma started laughing for some reason  "I'll set the table."

"What did you talk about to Abuela?" Momma asked.

"I can't tell you until you are a little more mature."   They both laughed again.  I had no idea what was so funny.

We all sat around the table while Momma brought the chili verde rice and tortillas to the table.  Momma asked BJ to offer the prayer.

"I don't really believe in that sort of thing.  I want, to be honest.  I wouldn't know how to start." He was unassuming and speaking softly.

"Dahlia, your offering." Momma was still trying to look all proper. 

"I'm not the one who goes to church and all that stuff." I was not happy about being asked.

"Joel?"  Momma asked, still desperate to show how well she brought us up.

"Dear God do whatever you do to the food. Amen.  Pass the rice please."  Momma was a little perplexed, to say the least.  She was sitting at a table full of heathens.