Discovering Time

Robert

I am praying to God. Unable to light a candle in a Methodist Church. Far from my Catholic roots - the familiar chanting of priests, the lighting of the candles, the crossing of our hearts, the confession, and blessing of the priests. 

There is a bad storm today. The ever approaching sound of lightning muffles out the sound of distant gunshots. Someone off far, probably the old, heavy-set lady who runs the school, is pounding at the piano keys. Thunder echoes, preceding the sound of lightning. Then hail starts to hit the roof. We haven't had hail like this in forever. It's enough to make one question the stability of their roofs, and whether or not they are going to get hit in the head instead. 

Lightning strikes the roof of the church, cracking the ceiling in two, and lighting up the whole scene with it's mighty roar. Suddenly, a woman appears below the pew passed out. 

I run to her aide. She appears to have a bruise on her forehead. She responds to my touch with a groan, speaking incoherently under her breath. I drag her down the steps behind the church, and past the other miners' cabins. I tuck her into my bed, determined to sleep on the floor, but am suddenly shivering myself. 

"I hope you don't mind" I say, and she mumbles what sounds like "What...ev...ah!"

In this time, I am able to look more clearly at her clothes as she drifts off to slumber. She is wearing bright colors like a prostitute, but pants like a man. Then there are also her features. Her nose, facial structure, and chin are heavily European; but her eyes, hair color, and skin tone are decidedly Native American. She's exotic enough that any man would take a look at her dark complexion and think about taking advantage of her. 

I thought of this as I lay in bed beside her, wondering what the townspeople would say tomorrow. They had never said too much before about me, so why should they take notice now?

That morning, she woke up with a start, tumbling out of bed, and hitting her leg against the bed frame. She cursed before staring wide-eyed at me and shaking her finger accursedly. 

"Who are you? Are you some kind of creep? Did we sleep together?"

"What's a creep? We did sleep together."

She tries to kick me in the balls, but I dodge her. 

"At least we didn't do more!" I protest. 

I follow her gaze to the door. 

"You do not want to go out there. There are several men that would want to take advantage of you. I'm only trying to help."

She scoffs. 

"That's what a creep would say" she says. 

"You're half-Indian" I state. "Not sure which half."

"Cherokee Indian."

"Aren't you supposed to be in Oregon? What are you doing out here?"

"There are some that have stayed in Georgia you know. I'm just on vacation, like normal people."

"What's a vacation?"

"When people travel" she answers, breathing out. "For Christ's sake!"

I am frustrated and cannot understand this woman. 

She swallows hard, looking pensive as she stares at the window. Then she nods her head, agreeing to my proposal. 

I smile and kiss her on the cheek. 

"Thank you sugar" I coo, before going out the door.