Rocks Talk

Marlene pushed in the video tape.  The first was about the witch hunts.  It was fascinating. The effects on me were mild.  The second video tape was about the Hopi Indian prophecies.  It was obviously a home made video.  The camera sat in one position the whole time.  I was riveted to the screen.  There was a man speaking to people, that was all it was.  He stood there talking.  I kept rubbing my eyes.  It seemed like they were playing tricks on me.  This man had a blue hue around his forehead.  Not something I usually see.   I've heard people can see stuff like aura's but it wasn't very usual for me.  I checked with Marlene.  She couldn't see it.  Lee Brown continued talking.  The more he spoke the more I realized I knew everything he was saying.  Nothing sounded new.  I had been told it on the day I lay on the tree from the voices from the sky.  From inside.  I knew what this man was telling me was absolute truth.  My mouth dropped to the floor.  Lee spoke for almost an hour or more.  When I first started watching if you asked me about anything that was going to be said, I would have told to you that I didn't know anything from nothing about Native stuff.  That's what it was to me.  Stuff.  Until now.  Now it was more than stuff.  I was hearing old words only I thought I knew.  Things that happen that I would hear in my heart but thought it was all in my imagination.  The only times when anything First Nations had touched my life was when the people who built the house in Bayridges had dug up some old native burial site.  They had left the bones under the stairs in the basement.  The same basement I spent going to sleep in all the time.

The next time it entered my life was when I was  9 years old in Penetanguishene.  My father took me out to a Archaeological dig sight that he was helping on. (He had his fingers in many pies)  He was elected to bring the bones to our house to keep them safe until the Professor from the University of Toronto would pick them up.  Again Native bones sat in my house for an extended period of time. (I did a lot of sleeping in that house.  More than humanly normal.  I have all my life.)  So here I was knowing.  The film ended and I began to cry.  Marlene consoled me.  My body spasmed.  My eyes closed.  I started to talk like a Native old woman.  It was then that I first met "White Feather."

She spoke of watching me grow up.  Of being there a long time.  She continued to say that I was to go south to the land of the big rock.  Her words were very strong.  I sat letting her speak.  I didn't hear much. ( I mostly hear most of what’s being said then forget it shortly there after.  I can hear it.  I can't always retain it unless it pertains to me.) White Feather spoke of many things.  She talked mostly to Marlene to tell me that I was to be a part of a realm, not part of any group.  Groups were not something that she suggested were healthy for me.  "Tell the little one to be a part of a realm, not part of a group."

I left Nina's mothers place with a sizable chuck of amethyst which was geometrically opposed.  Two completely different shaped stones existing in the same crystal. Marlene gave it to me saying.  " John, this is what I think you're searching for. It represents to me balance.  Two opposites together but in unison.  I think it’s what you're searching for,  so I'm giving this to you now.""

Dream Walker fined the women.  Find the natives of your land."  Sky voices swept before the front of a breaking storm.

"Dad ", I said.”I’ve got to meet women and Natives."  He extracted a number from his phone book.  "I'll do you one better, John.  Here’s a number of a Native Women.”

I phoned Pinache and we decided to meet the next day down at a coffee shop in town.  The next morning I was up and adam, off out of my room when a voice came from the rock. "Take me with you."  I checked the room for the voice.  "Who was that?"   "It’s me the rock, take me with you."  "Rocks don't talk."   "Yes they do.  Take me with you."  "No, rocks can't talk."  "You need to take me with you."  I was getting aggravated. I was hurrying to get out the door and this rock was trying to convince me it talked.  "NO, ROCKS CAN'T TALK.!   Besides don't tell me what to do.  You're a rock.  You aren't supposed to be able to talk."  I picked up my knapsack as I bolted towards the front door.  I was just about to shut the door when I heard again. "Take me with you. You'll be sorry."  I turned about face went down stairs and put the rock in my bag that Marlene had given me.  Not believing that I actually listened to a very smug rock.  I mean it was the only way I could shut it up. When I arrived in the cafe I placed the knapsack behind the chair.  Pinache appeared soon after.  We were in mid-discussion (I had no clue why I was talking to her) when I heard a voice. I couldn't be sure who it was.  I checked my knapsack.  It was still there.  We kept talking.  I hear a voice again which again makes me look over to my knapsack.  I reach down surrendering  to the rock that talks.  I push the stone across to Pinache.  "My friend would like to know what this stone means to you?"  She is profoundly touched.  She takes a deep breath and explains that she prayed to the crystal mountain (the night before) to give her a sign that everything she had been through was real. Before her was a sign that what she had asked for had come.  She spent a little time holding the rock that talks.  Pinache push the stone back across the table. I put it back into her hands.  "This is your gift", I said. "I told myself that when I first meet your people I would give you a gift.  It’s not mine, it’s yours please take it with all my heart."  She held the rock. "John, I too have a gift for you.”  Three weeks later Pinache handed me what she called a Thunderbird Drum, made by her brother and given to her, given to me from the Objibwa peoples.  I didn't know what I had received completely.  I did now it was very strong.  I had now idea how to play it.  "Pinache have you ever heard of a man named Lee Brown?"  "Oh yes, I met him last year. Would you like his number?"

I contacted Lee Brown next.  It took some talking before he would agree to have a meeting with me.  I pressed as politely as I could.  It was urgent.  I was not exactly sure why.  I didn't want to intrude.  Or be disrespectful.  The man had a life too.  Probably a pretty busy one.  I headed north to meet him with my drum, some tobacco that Pinache told me to take to give to him.  She didn't explain why though.  It was a very long trip.  I got lost which I have a strong habit of doing.  It was early evening when I pulled up into his drive.  He came out to greet me. I shook his hand, gave him the tobacco and then began apologizing for being late, explaining that I had gotten lost....He turned quickly around gesturing me to follow.  We walked into his house through the living room, down the hall to his children’s bedroom.  His was putting together a bunk bed.  Lee was not amused or happy to see me.  It was not unfriendly.  It was a little chilly however.  "Why did you come here?"  "I don't know really. I came for a ritual."  I didn't even know where that had come from.  I honestly had no clue up till that moment exactly why I was there.  I just knew I had to talk to him. "Why don't you go to the Catholic church for a ritual?" I was stunned by this. "I don't mean to be rude.  If you're Catholic, I apologize, but I mean a real ritual.  Not that.  You mean the taking of bread.  No, no not that type of ritual."  I wasn't sure what type of ritual I was even asking for.  If you were to ask me, I would not have a idea what so ever.  We finished putting together the bed.  Lee walked into the living room.  I followed.  "What do you think of the world?",  he said.  "I have a lot of hope for the world."  The package of tobacco was tossed onto the coffee table.  "I have none."  I couldn't believe my ears.  Here it was again. I opened my mouth and responded before I knew what I was saying, "Well get in line."  Lee was taken aback, "What?" he said. "Get in line.  I'm sick of all you people with no hope.  If you got no hope then get in line, and get out of my way.  All I know is,  I'm hear to help the Children of Hope.  That's all I know.  If you feel like that, then great, get out of my way and get in line." The tobacco was opened, then placed in this nice looking shell.  He tried to light it.  It wouldn't light.  With that he stood up throwing the tobacco into the open fire.  "Come, we smoke a pipe."  I was right behind him wondering what it was I said that sparked such a fire under his butt.  Everything was moving so quickly.  I had no time to think of anything.  Lee's kids came too.  That made me feel a lot better.  I brought my drum.  We went to a place where there was an old fire pit and a funny small looking dwelling.  I had no idea what it was.  So, how come it looked familiar.  We shared the pipe together. It all felt very good this ritual, I had no concept of what it was.  It felt very good to be with the little kids. Made me smile.  After a time we went inside.  "That tobacco is herbal, it won't harm you."  I was allergic to tobacco so I was concerned a bit.  "Oh, okay thanks."  We sat for a time.   Then he saw me to his gate. It felt like a circle surrounded the house.  When I was just about to step through the circle my mouth opened up again, "Lee, when I talk please come."  His mouth gaped. So did mine in the hearing of what I said. I repeated it again for some reason. "When I talk please come. I don't know why I say that.  Please come it, would be good to see you there."  I drove down the driveway thinking, geez John what was that all about?  Please come? (Oh god, really sometimes.)

Duende (c)