Christine Wollstone studies a beautiful child in her literature class and discovers he is raised by a single father

Napi, who looked a bit (rather a lot actually) like a bearded musician from the band ZZ Top, had promised Stone Child he would be allowed to attend school beginning 9th Grade and, of course, was true to his word. He had put in all of the proper paperwork necessary to apply for an opening in a small charter school with an accelerated program and it seemed it would be a good fit for the young man

Pompositee Succubus had personally assured Napi the ‘Ann Coulter School of Socratic Philosophy’ was an excellent liberal arts college prep school and asked him to become involved per the school policy of close parent relationships to the school through volunteering. Napi was determined to do his best. He had meet with Stone Child’s teachers just prior to semester start and kept a printout of school events in his kitchen to remind himself of important dates. Napi accordingly attended a school ‘meet the staff’ social. It was strange. Napi was standing alone in the center of the crowd, each direction he had turned people had dissipated like vapors when he had approached. He knew what it was. His bearded appearance in casual clothes, his faded jeans and shirt made him Indian in a White crowd no differently than had he been actually Red skinned. The fuckers. Why did he always think that someday it could be different? But suddenly it WAS different. Out of the corner of his eye, Napi saw Christine Wollstone, with her back to him, draw a breath up from very deep and then Christine had turned 180 degrees and resolutely walked directly over to Napi and said hello. Man, was Napi grateful for that. Not only had Christine prevented Napi leaving Anglo society disillusioned for the thousandth time, but she was not arch or even condescending. Christine was Human, it was obvious. It began with just these few moments of small talk, you could see she was real and Napi was incredibly grateful for those few moments of humanity, only that, immensely grateful and nothing more.

But Christine was beautiful, he could not help noticing as well. Shortly another parent with obviously important business interrupted and Napi excused Christine to her many responsibilities with a subtle head/eye gesture, very gracious in the native way, in a manner of speaking Napi had communicated: ‘I understand.’ Christine, very smart, acknowledged as though she were Indian herself. It was her return look of comprehension, acknowledgement and what seemed like gratitude for allowing a pushy and rude interruption (as though Napi did not exist) to become graceful. They separated and Napi went home so grateful. In his thoughts he thanked Christine and was relieved to know she was one of Stone Child’s teachers, he was certain now the boy would be ok. Napi had worried a LOT about the boy’s immersion into the White school

A few weeks later Napi had dropped by the school running an errand, he had to catch up Stone Child’s immunization record to comply with having put the boy into a state chartered school and after having left the building and returning to his truck named “White Trash” (Indians name nearly everything they own;) he noticed Christine walking between buildings and Napi gave her a friendly wave. Christine did not hesitate. She turned and walked the 75 yards out of her way simply to say hello and visit for a few minutes. But she had to leave, it was during class, and Napi felt a bit conflicted. He hated to see her go. Man, Christine was friendly, unusually so considering the social environment, also really smart and interesting… and beautiful. And interested? This last thought was pretty scary but really wonderful. Napi was rattled by the very idea. No way he told himself. Just look at the class of people she was working with. No way. But her persona had shone in the morning sun, a golden glow of light surrounded Christine that was magically striking. A natural Brunette, Napi actually believed for a time that she was blonde. A doubt lingered, Napi tried to put it away, but he could not. Christine herself had kept the thought alive in Napi’s thoughts. ‘Interested?’

A few days later Christine had emailed Napi:

Napi, Hi!

Stone Child said the funniest thing in class today! Be sure to ask him about how Indians predicted the weather when he gets home! Have a great day!

Christine

Napi knew Christine was teaching some history of Native America in her literature class and when it came to Indians knowing when to plant crops and the subject of season, weather and what not had come up… and the idea in some of the students thinking that these were primitive people without today’s technologies was being discussed when Stone Child had made the dry observation “Well, they did have a sort of primitive barometer.” Christine had asked “What was that?” Stone Child replied with a straight face: “Really old people.” Christine had broke up laughing. When Napi asked Stone Child what it was about and Stone Child had told him, Napi thought ‘Oh God’

Napi then, in a return mail had truthfully explained to Christine he experienced pretty bad pain from old military injuries and was always joking about his body being a barometer from frequent pain associated weather swings, he would only ever speak the straightforward truth to this woman as best he knew how, and could only hope that would both be seen for what it was and appreciated, in a culture where there did not seem to be a premium put on truth at all… perhaps truth was the message that would not put her off and he was encouraged by his further interactions with Christine as time passed

Napi had taken the opportunity, having brought up his military experience, to tell Christine about his having become so disillusioned with society through war he had vanished into Indian country for many years and eventually built a career as an investigator in Human Rights, was self taught in International Human Rights Law and even had been professionally published in the field, a nearly unheard of accomplishment for a layman

Christine had reciprocated with asking Napi if he would visit her classes and talk about his experiences with her students. Napi was estatic. Someone here in the off the reservation world was treating him as a human with a contribution to make. What a woman! Napi accordingly visited Christine’s three classes and made his presentations of an hour or so on three different days, so as to not get burned out and be fresh for each class, that was his stated intention to spread his presentations out over different days, and to see Christine on three separate occasions, his unstated but equally important purpose. Napi was open and honest with the students about the Indian experience with Christianity and Anglo society, answered their questions about native ideas of morality and marriage among other things, as there had been no qualms expressed by Christine at all over material content of the unvarnished history presented, in fact Christine had made it clear she wanted it to be just this sort of learning experience for her students

Napi told Christine direct he was concerned with making a good impression, he thought she might have taken that to mean with her students, but he really only meant with her. The talks had gone very well, Napi was totally inspired and shone… he did away with much Anglo historical revisionism relating to the native holocaust of the Boarding Schools and was totally in love with this truth committed, brave and beautiful woman by the time of the second presentation… and Christine by this time had already asked Napi if he would come along on a field trip next month to a Pueblo… ‘YES!!’

Napi was feeling strange, his spirit felt disturbed and he was worried for Christine. He emailed her

Christine, Hi, I had not heard from you since class last week, I hope all is well. I'd appreciate at least knowing I have not gotten us into any trouble over my candid remarks concerning how Indian peoples were starved and beaten into christianity.

Best

Napi

Christine had replied:

Napi,

Hi! No, there were no repercussions to you telling the truth about what happened. We have been watching the film "Into the West" and it brings to life even more the experiences you described. Today, the indian children were taken to the boarding schools. I see a sense of compassion and understanding with my students that I believe was started with your sharing. I'm glad that my students heard it from you before seeing it on the big screen in this movie. I'm thankful that I am able to share the truths about our history instead of what has been taught in the past. Things have been so white-washed that so many people do not really understand the true history of our nation and it's people. The movie was interesting because it brought to life what you spoke about in person. Most students were very moved and many said that they learned truths they never knew or forgot but never would again.

-Christine

A few days later Christine had an ‘accident.’ It appeared fairly serious, bad concussion, days missed from school, migraines setting in. Napi was devastated and began earnest prayers in his Indian way for her healing, prayers he continued over the next couple of years as a matter of deepest respect and his great love for this woman.

She had returned to work, thankfully, in time for the visit to the Pueblo. But something seemed different. Napi was determined to be patient, he had experienced serious concussion a long time ago and had been affected for many months, he knew this sort of event could be life changing, his had been. Christine, after her accident, had none the less made it clear she was looking forward to Napi’s coming along on the field trip. But weird things had begun happening to both Napi and Stone Child. In fact over time, over the next span of the next few years, it would appear Christine’s observation of no repercussions over Napi’s class presentations was very clearly mistaken. In a very, very big way. Neither would have believed what was to come, not Napi, not Christine