Three Bears

I would like to thank the many followers and others who graciously comment on my stories and send emails. I try to put something in each story to please as many as possible, but like the old Ricky Nelson song says, “you can’t please everyone, so you have to please yourself.”

There are no ten-inch dicks, triple F breasts or instant debauchery in this story. It has a slow start and builds gradually, if you’re looking for a quick stroke story this isn’t it. Though the story is about a black girl and an American Indian it is meant to be a romance/first time story and not an IR story. Hopefully, the powers that be will see it as such. The word nazi’s will pick apart terminologies and references to different cultures, but then that’s what they do best. This is a three-part story with all three parts finished and edited, they will be released a week apart. I trust you’ll enjoy the journey.

Three Bears part one

It was another Friday night with me sitting at the far end of Gleason’s Grocery Store parking lot eating salted in the shell peanuts throwing the shucks into a bucket on the passenger side floor. The “cool” kids of our small Appalachian town all drove trucks jacked up with big tires and names like Ram or Silverado with 3″ tailpipes that spewed large clouds of black stinking diesel exhaust. Driving my late granddads hand me down 1961 Dodge pickup with a slant six instantly excluded me from that crowd.

Being Native American, or American Indian, whichever you prefer, and not a part of the local white or black culture I was considered as ‘one of those hill people’. Which lent to me sitting on the upper end of the lot away from those guys, which kept me from getting into fights and hurting other people. I wasn’t there to hang out with or hurt anyone, I was there to watch Hannah Johnson walk from the store to her car after her shift was done. Only in my dreams did I think the adult version of Hannah would ever speak to me or consider accepting an invitation to do something with me. For you see, we lived in different worlds.

Our town may call itself integrated, reality was a bit different, it was still as racially divided as it had ever been, just a bit more subtle. Oh sure, folks got along and worked together, but where they lived was another ball game altogether. The west half of town was nearly all black homes whereas the east side was nearly all white, the majority of homes on both sides of town were well-kept and modern. There was a third class of citizens that neither black nor white people tended to associate with. People like me who lived back in the hills, not off the grid, but close.

The ones people made snide remarks about family trees having no branches, all of us were supposedly uneducated worthless mooches living off the backs of others collecting welfare checks every month. To be sure there were some exactly like what I’ve described, however, the majority of those people living in the woods simply wanted to avoid all the noise and hubbub of town. There were no politics or drama where I lived, most of us were too far apart to care what the closest neighbor was or wasn’t doing.

Then there were people like me who are even more despised. The original owners of the land, the Native Americans, my ancestry is Shawnee. Though tribes were rounded up and shipped to Oklahoma in the 1800’s, some returned to re-settle in their beloved woods. Such was my great-great grandfather Black Hoof, a great Shawnee warrior chief. Though the bureau of Indian Affairs attempted to change Indian names, very few accepted them. To the best of their ability they maintained their Shawnee names, culture and ways. Of all the tribes in North America, the Shawnee have maintained and taught their language and culture to a greater degree than the rest.

My grandfather told me many stories as I grew, he had the facial features of a proud American Indian you might find on a long-ago postcard, my facial features were quite similar to his. Government officials claim there is no animosity toward indigenous people, but it still exists, as I learned when I first attended school. Having a full-blooded Shawnee mother and a half white/half Indian father didn’t help things either. I was in a scuffle of some sort nearly every school day, it always had something to do with me being poor and an Indian. Or as most kids called me, a worthless half breed.

I first met Hannah when I was six years old. There were no school busses for kids who lived in the hills, if we were going to get to school, we walked. Though my folks were poor, mama saved enough money selling eggs and doing other odd jobs for people to buy a few school clothes at the thrift store and register me. She could read and write some but had only a rudimentary understanding of arithmetic. It wasn’t because she was stupid, in fact she was quite smart in her own ways. Being dyslexic made learning for her extremely difficult, school systems being what they were then, she kept getting bumped to the next grade even though she was failing miserably. She left school at 16 feeling defeated and useless.

She met my old man a year later, they married, and I was born eight months after they’d said I do. My dad was a stereotypical redneck drunk, a worthless good for nothing waste of humanity who blamed everyone but himself for his miserable existence. His only redeeming quality is that he held a job at the local sawmill doing basic labor. The owner made sure my mom got half his pay every week which was just enough to keep us afloat and pay the real estate taxes each year. He drank the rest of his pay, I never saw him hit mama, but I hated him just the same. I remember the day mom came home all smiles as she hugged me.

“Three Bears, I done got you signed up in that school yonder, over by Punkin Holler. You gonna learn to do numbers and everthin.”

Three weeks later at the age of seven I set out with a peanut butter sandwich in a brown bag and a few pencils in a backpack that had been thrown out because a strap was broken. Mama picked it up off the roadside, sewed the strap back on and I was on my way, trudging the three miles to school on my own. I was about a half mile from the school when I encountered a young black girl walking with an older woman. I would later find out it was her grandma. The older woman stopped and looked at me.

“You by yo’sef boy?” She asked.

“Yes’m, I live yonder by Crandall Ridge.”

Holding the girl’s hand tight she made a face, “Mmm, hmm, I be Granny Grace, you hill folks always was a hardy bunch but you cain’t be trudgin round by yo’sef, come walk wit me an Hannah. I be a-waitin to walk wich you young-un’s when school be done.”

My first day of school was a pisser, my tribal name is Three bears, my English name is Jace. They couldn’t decide what to call me. The Weeks boy calling me a stinkin injun during recess brought about my first school yard fight. It would not be my last by any stretch of the imagination. I was sent home early that day, the Weeks boy said I had started the fight. With a scuffed up face I met Granny Grace and Hannah the next morning where I had encountered them the previous day. As we walked Granny asked a few more questions.

“Wat happen yo face bo?”

“Got in a fight with a kid that called me a stinkin injun.”

She grabbed me by the ear and made me look up, “Listen boy, you don’t go fightin wit dem no count white boys. Lotsa otha kids hang out wit, neva mind dem boys. Dey git you kicked outa school.”

I took her words to heart, “Yes’m.”

“Wat yo mama name?”

“Mary Beth ma’am.”

“Who she be from home?”

I knew what she meant, what was my mom’s maiden name.

“Don’t rightly know miss Granny, she comes from over Milltown way. I aint got no grandparents I know of.”

“Uh-huh. She be Shawnee then aint she boy?”

“Yes’m, she’s full, my daddy’s half.”

Granny stopped and looked me over, “Mmm-hmm, so den you be mostly Shawnee huh? I thought you was Indian. You say yo mama call you three bears? That aint gon do son, we gon call you Bo. White folk aint gon cotton to nobody named three bears. Where you say you live boy?”

“Up by Crandall Ridge.”

A gentle smile came over her face, “Yo mama be da egg lady den aint she boy.”

I would discover over the next few weeks that Hannah’s dad would drop her off at his mother’s every morning before school. Granny Grace would feed her and walk us both to school. That went on for the next three years until Granny Grace died over the summer. In all that time Hannah and I were friendly with each other when we walked, but we were never close friends. She was quiet and I was always too afraid of saying or doing something wrong, most days I was as quiet as she was.

With Granny grace no longer alive Hannah’s folks arranged for an elderly neighbor to watch and get her to school in the morning. We started fourth grade together the fall after Granny died, but it wasn’t the same. We would see one another in class or at recess, we’d say hi but that was all. That didn’t last for more than a few weeks after school started. She had black friends who didn’t want to be seen with no Indian, she chose them over me. I didn’t blame her, after all, I was anything but liked at school. I wasn’t white, I wasn’t black, all the other Indian kids were in the upper classes, to put it mildly, I didn’t fit at all.

Without Granny Grace to encourage and push me along I struggled with school, by the time I was advanced to seventh grade I was so far behind everyone else I should have been held back. But I wasn’t, I failed eighth grade and was held back a year, which turned out to be a good thing. It not only gave me a second chance at education, I excelled, even if it put me a year behind the class I had been a part of. Freshman year however was a disaster, things did not click for me, I basically had no friends and whereas there had been grade schoolteachers to help. There was no time for that in high school, I was basically on my own, all of that only added to my frustrations in life.

Two months after the start of my sophomore year I turned 16, with a constant haranguing from the old man to get a job I dropped out of school. It was that winter mother went home to Jesus following a nasty bout with pneumonia. Which left me on my own for the most part, though I applied everywhere I knew, no one was interested in hiring a 16-year-old high school dropout.

I continued on with mom’s chickens and egg deliveries, a few of those people enquired as to whether I would be willing to cut, split and stack firewood for them, work I gladly accepted. I had an equal amount asked if I might be willing to deliver firewood, for which they would gladly pay. Word of mouth travels fast in the back woods of West Virginia, in no time I had more requests for firewood than I could keep up with. Our property butted against four hundred acres of woods with dozens of trees that had either fallen during storms or were old enough they’d fallen over, and an owner who was happy as pie for me to cut and clear all I wanted.

With what little money I had and some bargaining I was able to buy a mule and some old harness to skid logs. I picked up a used Stihl 031 chainsaw at an auction and was officially in the firewood business. I didn’t own a splitter, I spilt everything by hand with a maul and wedges, to say my body toned quickly would be understating the obvious. My biggest issue was delivering wood, I was using the mule to pull a small wagon, but it was slow going, I was missing out on sales.

With mama gone the old man took to the bottle heavier than ever before, I was on my own all the time when I turned 17 the following November. By spring he wasn’t much more than a pickled human being, by summer he’d lost his job. Two months after my 18^th birthday as I headed out on a delivery, I found him lying dead on the road leading to our property. His life ended the day mother died, it had taken him a little over a year to finally kill himself. When we buried mom there had been a dozen or more people at her funeral, when they chucked my worthless father in the ground, other than the grave diggers, it was only me and the preacher.

By most folks’ standards my mother wasn’t an educated person, but she must have foreseen the future. Before she died, she convinced the old man to make a living will leaving everything to me when both had deceased. Mind you it wasn’t much, a small run-down house in desperate need of repairs, 57 acres of land and my granddads 1961 Dodge pickup which hadn’t run since pa lost his job. I traded two cords of wood to have it tuned up and was able to begin delivering firewood more quickly and further away from home.

Though the world and our little city had advanced into the twenty first century, it was as though the backwoods areas were still thirty years behind. Town people had most of the amenities they wanted, beyond town, things were not the same. There was no cell coverage where I lived, I felt lucky to have electricity, the internet was as foreign to me as outer space. I would hear people talk about it, but I didn’t miss what I didn’t have, to me it was no big deal. I had a landline phone, power, and after the toilet was repaired, I was no longer walking to the outhouse to relieve myself.

The kids I’d gone to school with were due to graduate that spring, I went and sat in the bleachers watching those I knew walk across the stage receiving a handshake and diploma as their reward. It was there that I saw Hannah again for the first time in over two years. As the afternoon sun shown on her burnt sienna skin I remembered how much I loved to look at her when we walked together. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen of any color or nationality, now she was even more beautiful as a young woman.

Knowing I wouldn’t be welcomed by anyone following the ceremony I quietly exited toward the parking lot. I had let my coal black hair grow since leaving school, it was in a braid part way down my back, much like I’d seen in a picture of my great grandfather. I was almost to the truck when I felt a soft tug on my hair, normally that would have brought an ass kicking, but when I spun with my fist cocked and ready to nail whoever had pulled my hair, my eyes lit up.

Hannah was smiling as she spoke, “Bo, is that you? Oh my gosh, how long has it been?”

I smiled as she said the only name she had ever called me, Bo. Never halfbreed, or a half dozen other nasty names, always Bo.

“Hi Hannah, I watched you cross the stage, you look beautiful as ever. Your all growed up, I reckon you’ll be goin to a big college now.”

I knew how to speak properly but didn’t do so purposely, people thinking I was ignorant gave me an advantage. With no TV reception where I lived my time at night was filled with books and an occasional Cd I watched on the sixteen-year-old TV. I didn’t graduate from high school, but I also hadn’t ignored the process of learning just because I wasn’t in a classroom.

She smiled as she responded, “Actually, I’m going to the tech school, Doc Walton’s dental assistant is retiring, he promised the job to me after I finish. I might go on to be a hygienist later, I’m not sure. I just started working after school and weekends at Gleason’s over the winter, I thought I might have seen you there by now.”

“Yeah, if I need groceries I usually go first thing when they open at seven. Doesn’t take me long to get what little I need, that’s probably why you haven’t seen me.”

I could hear someone calling her name, so did she but ignored them.

“What are you doing these days Bo? Sorry to hear your mama died, do you still deliver eggs like she used to?”

I shook my head, “Nope, when the last hens stopped layin I decided to focus on just my wood business. Doin okay, I make enough to pay utilities and buy groceries. I watch what I spend so there’s enough left over to save for property taxes, lotsa hours, but what the heck, I’m young.”

I watched as two rather large black guys walked up behind her, she must have seen the direction of my eyes change and turned around as they got close. The taller of the two was anything but pleasant.

“Why you talkin to that tree nigger Hannah? Come be with yer own people and leave this fool alone.”

Over her shoulder she said softly, “I’ll see you Bo.”

The tall one took her elbow and while looking back at me proclaimed, “You won’t be seein nobody girl.”

I’d been called a tree nigger before, Tonto, Geronimo, Cochise, red skin, half breed, and a plethora of other racial tropes, most times it didn’t bother me, but for some reason this time it did. Had it been just the two of them and Hannah not around I’d have gone nose to nose with both. I may have gotten my ass kicked but they damned sure would have known they’d been in a fight to the finish. I never went looking for a fight, but if someone was dumb enough to start one, I was more than happy to finish it. Say what you like about the difference in people, but I had come to realize there was as much hatred in some blacks as there was in some whites. I once had an older black lady say to me after delivering and stacking her wood.

“I only like nice white folk, you be one a dem.”

I replied, “Well that makes two of us, cuz just like you I only like nice white people. I can’t imagine you like every black person you’ve ever met.”

She smiled and handed me a small zip bag with cookies like she usually did, “You be right boy.

These be for you, enjoy um.”

Sitting in my truck following the altercation in the parking lot I watched as Hannah received hugs and cards from relatives and friends. I envied her that luxury, I was happy for her, she deserved all the accolades they were willing to heap on her. At that moment I made the decision to shop later one evening just to see if I might catch a glimpse of her. A few nights later as I entered her checkout lane I saw the light turn off and a lane closed sign appear. When I looked up she was surprised.

“I’m sorry Bo. I didn’t see you, my shift is over and I’m done for the day.”

I nodded and moved behind the lady in the next lane, as Hannah got to the door she was met by the same tall guy that had been in the parking lot the day of her graduation. I heard her say in a disgusted manner.

“You need to stop coming here, I can get home just fine. Go be with your wife and kids.”

As I was checking out I enquired what the confrontation at the door had been about. Lois looked at me and hurrumphed.

“Her brother is here every night when she gets done, the girls near 19 and he still thinks she’s a little girl. There’s such a thing as being protective and then there’s what that idiot does. I’m as black as she is and been workin here ten years since high school, aint nobody ever messed with me anymore than they would mess with Hannah.”

I decided I had enough drama in my life to not get involved in a family shit storm and stayed away. I went back to shopping in the morning and didn’t see Hannah for several weeks. That is until a Saturday morning. I had neglected to shop earlier in the week while I concentrated on completing deliveries before the cold set in and was in need of some basics that I thought I could get quickly. Hannah was standing at her register looking at the door when I walked in, she gave me a timid wave and turned back to the register. I tried to engage her in conversation as I checked out, to no avail. As she was handing me the change she said soft enough that only I could hear.

“I shouldn’t be talking with you, if my brother finds out it won’t be good for me or you. He says I can only talk with black guys. Sorry.”

Never knowing what her schedule was I started the ritual I mentioned at the beginning of my story. Sitting in the parking lot eating salted in the shell peanuts, hoping she might be working. Even if she wouldn’t or couldn’t talk to me, I could at least catch a glimpse as she went to her car. This would be one of those nights, when she was about thirty feet from her car one of the souped-up trucks that generally set on the other end of the lot where they drank beer and talked smart rolled between her and the vehicle. I knew who the guy was, it was the Weeks boy and two of his miscreant friends.

The stupid ass he yelled out, “Hey, brown sugar, I think you need to take a ride with us.”

The other two guys in the truck were making lewd remarks and telling her they had the meat she needed, stupid shit like that. She kept backing away as the truck slowly moved toward her. My hand was on the door latch as I watched, when I heard him slam it into park I exited my truck headed toward them. His mistake was that he hadn’t seen me and got out of the truck, when he heard my footsteps he turned and assumed a combative stance, probably something he’d learned watching MMA. When he regained consciousness he was looking at his two buddies lying next to him, out cold. I opened the door to Hannah’s car and waited until she had it started and on her way. As I turned to my truck the Weeks boy was back up and fuming.

“You really fucked up this time Cochise, I’m gonna kick yer red ass.”

When he reached for the tire iron behind the seat I grabbed him by the neck slamming his head against the door frame.

I fumed, “You’d better hope that tire irons made of chocolate asshole, cuz your gonna eat it in about a minute. Hope you had yer tetanus shot.”

The bravado quickly faded as I continued to squeeze the life out of him, just before he passed out I let him drop to the blacktop. Looking at his two friends skittering away I laughed, with friends like that who needs an enemy? Apparently word of the altercation was all over town by the next morning. I was washing the morning dishes when the phone rang, I thought nothing of it, people called at all hours for wood. What I heard after answering was a surprise.

“Bo, it’s me. Hannah. Thank you for last night. I don’t like those guys, they scare me. How did you know I was working, why were you in the parking lot?”

“Cuz I’m there every Friday and Saturday night hoping you work so I can watch you walk to your car. I noticed your brother doesn’t come anymore, oh, and you won’t need to be scared of those guys. They won’t bother you again.”

The line was silent long enough that I muttered “nice talkin to you too” while moving my arm to hang up. Just as I was about to set it on the cradle I heard a loud, “BO, BO, don’t hang up.”

I spoke calmly, “I thought you’d hung up, sorry. Was there anything else I can do for you Hannah?”

“Yes, you can meet me at Tony’s Pizza around nine tonight.”

“Tony’s. That’s like twelve miles away.”

“I know. I can be certain neither of my brothers will be around, nor their friends. So, do you wanna meet me there, or not?”

Let’s say I was cautiously optimistic when I told her I’d see her at Tony’s, nine sharp. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the invitation. Yes, I wanted to see her, to be around her, to talk with her, but if there was going to be a black/white/Indian thing going on I wanted no part of. I decided I’d give it a shot and see how the evening turned out. I was at a table waiting as she walked in, she wasn’t dressed fancy, but neither was she dressed sloppy. A simple red cotton blouse, snug jeans, just tight enough to show her assets, her afro was pulled back alongside her head with a big poof ball at the back.

She’d worn her hair like that a lot as a younger girl and I often told her I liked it. Could it be that she remembered and had done it like that for my benefit, or was it merely a coincidence? Either way it didn’t matter, it looked good and I was pleased. End of story. We spent an hour talking and catching up as we murdered a medium pizza along with a coke for her and two doctor peppers for me. Escorting her to her car she apologized for her brother’s behavior after her graduation. I scoffed and put my hand up.

“No need to apologize, you didn’t do anything wrong. He’s the one with the problem, not you or me. Do you have any idea why he hates me so?”

“It isn’t you Bo, he doesn’t like any boy who might be my friend unless they’re black. Some crap about racial purity, which makes me wonder. Can there be such a thing anymore? I mean we’re all the same, only one race and that’s the human race. Mother says you can take any man and any woman from any two parts of the world and they can reproduce. That tells me we’re all the same except for skin color and culture.”

I looked at her and chuckled, “Wow, I never thought about it that way, but I see your point, and I think your mom’s right.”

We said our goodbyes and went our ways, I followed her as far as town and then headed for my place. I didn’t see or hear from her all that week, when I went to the parking lot Friday night I noticed her car wasn’t there and went home. At ten after nine the next night she walked out of the store, instead of heading to her car she was walking toward me. Leaning on my door she smiled.

“Thought I’d see you here. I feel safe knowing you’re in the lot when I leave after dark. You up for a picnic tomorrow afternoon?” I nodded. “I work until noon, I’ll have the deli girls save some chicken and potato salad. You grab some chips and cold drinks for us. I’ll meet you at Potters Point around two. Night Bo.”

Just that quick she was gone. My heart was beating a mile a minute, I couldn’t believe my good luck, in my eyes I was nothing and nobody. Yet, Hannah wanted to spend time with me, the Indian drop out with a firewood business. My heart raced for hours as I lay in the dark, fatigue eventually took over enough to fall asleep. At Potters Point I had a blanket spread by the time she arrived, I brought along a small foot stool as a makeshift low table, I had used it as a little boy to climb on and brush my teeth. On it were two of what I thought might be champaign glasses. How the hell would I know, they looked fancy, so I bought them.

In the cooler was a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice, I wanted to surprise her and at the same time make it a day she would remember. Potters point is along a slow meandering river in a remote spot of a county park, years ago it was a popular spot for kids to make out, anymore they just go to a motel or somebodies’ bedroom. These days you see more fishermen at Potters Point than anyone else. Luckily for Hannah and me the point was empty. Walking to me she smiled.

“Are those glasses for some sparkling grape juice?” I nodded. “Is it red or white? My favorite is the red.”

Ah, I’d gotten something right, “I guessed right, that’s what I bought.”

We toasted each other and enjoyed our picnic lunch, we talked some about days gone by and people we had known. We even took a short fifteen-minute nap after eating, the warm afternoon sun had a calming sleepy effect. When I woke she was looking at me.

“Bo, why did you drop out of school? Did you get your GED or anything like that?”

I wasn’t sure what to tell her, “I was so far behind everyone else that I felt like a complete failure, I was ashamed and when I turned 16 my pa kept badgering me about quitting school so I could work. With mom gone I saw no reason to carry on with school. No, I never got a GED or anything like that.”

Hannah was so kind to me, she didn’t frown or make a face or show disappointment with body language, she smiled and talked softly.

“The tech has classes for people to get a GED, they’re at night and there are lots of people who go to that class. Young, old, black, white, you should think about it Bo.”

Those were not word’s I wanted to hear, but I was kind with my answer, “I got my business and that takes all my time. I don’t think I could do that, besides, I’ve been out of school so long I wouldn’t be able to pass the tests.”

“Well, that’s the reason for the classes Bo, they get you up to date and help fill in any areas where you struggled. You really should think about it.”

By the time our conversation ended it was going on five, we began packing up to leave. I wanted to at least hug her before she left, mother nature had other plans as the skies opened drenching us as we ran to our vehicles. She was smiling and waving as she pulled away, my dreams had once again been dashed on the rocks of life. As they say, life went on, I saw her a few times in the parking lot, but we hadn’t talked since the picnic. I chalked it up to having had a nice day with her and moved on.

Thinking she wasn’t interested in me I stopped going to the store every Friday and Saturday night, it had been a hit or miss situation anyway. With summer almost at an end she was working all the hours she could get before school started, something I didn’t know. You can imagine how surprised I was when I walked in at 7 AM to see her at a register. Motioning to me I went to her register.

In not much more than a whisper she told me, “Make sure you check out in my lane.”

Checking out I had paid her, loaded the grocery bags in the cart and was ready to leave when she took my elbow.

“Tony’s at seven?” I didn’t speak, only nodded. “Okay, see you there.” She said.

She was waiting at a table when I walked in, since I was five minutes early I surmised she’d been there a bit. When I reached the table she stood and hugged me, not knowing what to do I was stiff as a board, she took my left arm and threw it over her shoulder as if to give me directions. I laughed softly and figured out what I was supposed to do. Following our meal we sat in her car talking, Suddenly she leaned over and kissed my cheek, then sat back.

“Where have you been these past weeks, I haven’t seen you Friday or Saturday nights.”

“Didn’t figure you wanted to see me anymore after the picnic, I haven’t heard from you at all.”

She laughed, “I think you have that backward, the guy is supposed to call the girl.”

“I would if I had your number. I tried looking you up in the phone book but couldn’t find your family listed.”

She touched my arm as she answered, “That’s right, you still have a land line. My folks dropped ours when we all got cell phones. I’ll write mine down for you. But then you have to call me. Okay?”

“I’d like to do that, but what about your older brother, he doesn’t want me around you at all.”

“Don’t worry about him Bo, he’s gonna have to accept the fact that we’re friends, and as friends we’re gonna hang out together. I kind of like you being at the store when I go to my car at night. I’ll give you my work schedule so you know which nights I’m working.”

After writing down her phone number and which nights she worked we parted company with a wave and a smile. I would have loved for it to be more, but truthfully, I also had to face the fact that in her eyes we may never be more than childhood friends. She was scheduled to work Wednesday and Friday late, on Wednesday I was waiting at her car to open the door for her. After handing me the keys I unlocked the door, opened it, and made a gesture for her to get in.

All the while a smile never left her face, rolling down the window she took my hand and squeezed it lightly. “Thanks Bo, I’ll see you Friday night.” While on a delivery in town a day later I stopped at the gas station to fill up, a pump away was her brother Larry, as he walked toward me I readied myself for the worst.

“Hey Geronimo, I told you to stay away from my sister. I won’t say it again, next time I’ll kick your ass.”

Walking back to his car the guy in the passenger seat made a gun figure with his hand and pretended to pull the trigger. I had no idea who the guy was but it un-nerved me, duking it out was one thing, guns were quite another. I’d grown up around guns and owned several, but I had no inclinations about pointing one at somebody. Pretend gun or not, as I say, it un-nerved me. I called and talked with Hannah that evening explaining what had occurred and maybe I should stay away from the store altogether.

She was having none of it, “No, you don’t have to stay away. I’m gonna talk to daddy and get this straightened out, this is no way to live. I’ll get it fixed Bo, just be there tomorrow after work.”

Friday morning, I put the harness on my old mule Belle and dragged a few trees out of the forest into a clearing where I could cut and split them. After lunch I took the truck to the clearing where I spent the afternoon bucking up the tree trunks and splitting. I quit about four bringing a load back with me to stack on next year’s wood piles. One of the main selling points of my business was that my wood was always dry, completely dry, not mixed with green.

After a meal of venison bologna ring, fried potatoes and the past summers frozen corn I took a bath and sat on the couch with a good book waiting for 8:30 to roll around. Little did I know at the time that tragedy would meet me head on that night. A tragedy which would steer Hannah’s heart toward mine. I’d been watching the front door of the store and at ten after nine out walked the girl of my dreams, I left my truck and was standing next to her door to unlock and open it.

I hadn’t paid much attention to any other cars in the lot, Hannah was about fifteen feet from me when I heard two car doors slam, it was a row beyond and to my right. On the right of the car was Hannah’s brother Larry, on the left was the guy I’d seen with him the day before. Hannah turned and screamed, “Larry stop.” Then began walking to me, she hadn’t proceeded two steps when I heard a deafening sound, saw a flash and felt pain rip through my upper right chest. I clasped my hand to my chest, looked down, then back up at Hannah, my world went dark as I crashed to the blacktop.

HANNAH *******

I couldn’t believe my eyes as Bo collapsed. The hurt, sadness and confusion in his eyes, they silently begged me to make it go away. Those eyes of love and sadness wrapped into one, piercing through to my very soul. How could this be happening? It wasn’t as though he was trying to molest or rape me, we were friends, why was skin color an issue for my brother? Somehow, I automatically dialed 911 as I made my way to him, he was gasping for air, blood flowing out of his body, I didn’t know what to do other than put my hand over the wound.

The sirens approaching brought me back to the moment, as I looked up I saw Larry on top of the other guy wailing away, the pistol was several feet from them. The cops showed up within seconds of the ambulance and got the situation under control. Bo was being loaded into the ambulance, but since I wasn’t family I couldn’t ride along. With my brother in one squad and the other guy in another I asked to speak with my brother through a window.

“What the hell were you thinking Larry? Shooting someone? I can’t believe you’re my brother.”

His attempt to shift the blame only made me more angry, “I told you to stay away from that half breed motherfucker. Why couldn’t you listen, and I didn’t know anything about the gun.”

“Don’t try to shift the blame to me you asshole. Didn’t know anything about the gun my ass. You may not have seen it, but you know he’s always packing. I hate you Larry, I just hate you. Bo is nice to me, he treats me like a lady, if you think what you did tonight will drive me away from him, you’re wrong. I hope they throw your ass in jail, your wife and kids can visit you there.”

I drove like a crazy woman thirty-three dark, lonely, tear-filled miles to the regional hospital, calling my folks along the way explaining what happened and where I would be, beside Bo if the hospital let me.

Bo’s thoughts coming out of sedation. *******

I could hear faint noises and voices talking in the background, then the sheer pain in my shoulder and upper chest seized me as I let out a moan. A soft female voice comforted me.

“You’re in the ICU at Bedford. Do you know what happened and why you’re here?”

Opening my eyes I could see the nurse, “Yes ma’am, I was shot. Where’s Hannah, is Hannah here? I want to see her. Is she hurt?”

“She just left to use the ladies room. Would you like me to get her? Oh, and she isn’t hurt.”

I nodded and closed my eyes. How long I was unconscious after talking with the nurse I don’t know but it felt like an eternity. As I stirred the pain once again dominated my being, I groaned and felt a soft tender hand holding mine, then her voice, that sweet voice.

“Bo, I’m here. It’s Hannah. They say you’ll be okay, you’ll make a full recovery, but it will take some time.”

My eyes were still closed as she spoke, then I felt her presence over my upper body followed by soft warm lips kissing me on the forehead.

“Bo I’m so sorry this happened. I didn’t notice his car and I have no idea why he brought that other guy. Daddy called me a while ago to tell me they were in jail, Larry may be released on bond, daddy wasn’t sure. The other guy is in there without bail, he may get it later, but not right now.”

When I opened my eyes her face was directly above mine. I so wanted to kiss her soft inviting lips, I had all I could do to keep from breaking down in tears. She smiled and kissed my cheek.

“Hello Bo, it’s good to see your eyes open. You’ve been out for two days, I was starting to worry.”

In my raspy voice I asked, “Have you been here the whole time?”

She nodded as she sat not letting go of my hand, “Mom brought me underwear and some clothes along with toothbrush and stuff.”

The nurse busying herself with the numerous hoses and lines in my body piped up.

“She’s quite the trooper, she hasn’t left your side other than to use the restroom since you got out of surgery. We’ve been bringing her snacks from the cafeteria.”

When the nurse left she closed the curtain but left the door open.

“How bad is it Hannah?” I asked.

I saw her wince, “They said you were lucky the guy was such a crummy shot, the bullet went through just missing your lung. Doc said it’ll take some time, but you’ll be 100 percent when you’re completely healed. Babe, I’m gonna call my folks with the good news, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I was still in a fog as she walked out but I was sure she’d called me babe. I desperately wanted to tell her of my love, at the same time I was afraid of scaring her away. Considering I was on a morphine drip, now might not be the best time to try and convey my feelings for her. My best shot was to stay quiet. When she came back we talked another hour or more, well, more like she talked and I listened as I drifted in and out. It was coming up on late afternoon and I was holding my own, it made no sense for her to spend another night in a chair next to the bed.

“Hannah, you should go home, take a shower and get some rest, I’m okay.”

Smiling she quipped, “Are you saying I stink mister?”

The machines were beeping rapidly and a nurse came rushing in as I tried to find a way to tell Hannah I wasn’t saying she stunk. Hannah rescued me.

“Shhh, Bo. Calm down, it was a joke, I was only kidding. Now that your awake I’m gonna do as you suggest, I’m going home and get a decent night sleep. I’ll come back around mid-morning, maybe mom will ride along. Oh … she looked in on you when she brought my clothes, guess what she said. She told me she thinks your cute.”

What she did next made the machines red line or beep or whatever they do when the body goes into overload, she bent over my face, gently kissed my lips and whispered, “So do I.”

Three days later I was being wheeled out and helped into Hannah’s car. We hadn’t kissed again but there was a lot of holding hands and showing affection to one another. In the car I asked about my truck.

“Mr. Gleason has it locked up behind the store in the fenced area. Don’t worry about wood deliveries either, it’s covered. Daddy talked with John Ness and his sister Kate, you know, the ones who own the phone company. Anyway, he told them your situation and got them to activate the call forwarding feature on your phone, the calls have been coming to our house. My cousin Elliot is a senior and hasn’t found part time work, so dad let him use his old pickup and Elliot is making deliveries for the time being.”

“Yeah, but there are several kinds of wood that people order, some are more costly than others.”

She snickered as she looked at me, “He didn’t become the production manager at the window factory without knowing wood. He found your price list and knows what wood is where, like I said, it’s covered.”

“Yeah but, how’d you get in my house?”

“Wasn’t very hard Bo, like most everyone else outside of town you don’t lock your back door. Oh, and the mule is fine as well, he’s ornery though, man do his farts stink.”

I was trying not to laugh because when I did it hurt, “First off, he, is a she, and yes, she does stink, but she’s a good worker.”

The next three weeks seemed to fly by, I was once again answering the phone and working with Elliot. He grasped what wood was where rapidly, it was to the point that I seldom had to show him anything. With wood cut and split a year or more ahead I had plenty to fill everyone’s order. The first time Hannah came to the house I was embarrassed, where I live isn’t fancy, I had four walls, a roof, clean windows, running water and electricity. Not much else beyond old tattered and disheveled furniture. Compared to where she lived my place was a dump, but it was a dump I kept clean. When she asked to use the bathroom I was so happy I’d cleaned it from top to bottom that morning.

Walking back into what I called the living room she commented, “You keep a tidy home, you’ll make some lucky girl a good husband, I’m especially impressed with the fact that the toilet seat was down.”

We began spending more time together, we didn’t become intimate although there seemed times that we both wanted to, I think being inexperienced made us extra cautious. With school started she was busy with her studies, she would come out once or twice during the week if her schedule allowed, we talked on the phone nearly every day. I’d been home a month and was feeling cooped up, the next time she called I suggested she go with me for pizza at Tony’s. When she accepted I went out on a limb asking if I could pick her up at her house like a regular date. I could hear her talking with her hand over the phone for a minute before she came back on.

“Yes, I would like that. Daddy said that’s the way a man picks up his date, at the girl’s house. So, what time? In an hour, are you crazy? I hardly have time to get ready. Make it an hour and a half. Okay, see you then.”

As I walked to the door I dreaded shaking her dad’s hand, a firm handshake is important, but I was still feeling the aftereffects of the bullet that had ripped through my body. Opening the door he smiled and extended his left hand. I was momentarily confused.

“Come on in Bo, I know the right side is still tender, you’ll need to shake my left hand. Come, come, my wife wants to formally meet you without the tubes and wires all over your body. My name is Everitt.”

His handshake was firm without being overpowering, he was a stout man, broad chested, I figured around five foot ten or maybe a little taller. Gesturing me into the hallway he closed the door, as he did I faced an elegant lady exiting the kitchen, her face was soft, gentle, radiating natural beauty, it was clear where Hannah’s tantalizing looks had come from. She was a few inches shorter than me, about the height of Hannah. She gently gave me a hug and stood back smiling.

“My name is Molly. I have to say Bo, you look much better without all that paraphernalia sticking out of your body. Are you feeling well, is the wound still so tender? Everitt and I were so shocked to think that our boy was a part of all this, he was raised better. I know he didn’t pull the trigger, but still, he knew what that low life riding with him was capable of. He’s done some bonehead things in the past, but this is the worst, we pray this opens his eyes, Lord knows he needs to.”

I didn’t want to get in the middle of that mess but wanted to let her know I wasn’t angry with them or their son.

“I’m okay ma’am. I understand, and yes, the shoulder is much better. I’m not ready to run a chain saw or split wood but I can at least wash and take care of my hair without help. Thank you both for letting Hannah go with me tonight, I’ll have her home early.”

Her dad stepped forward putting his hand on my good shoulder, “Son, we trust you with her, any boy who’ll take a bullet to be with her is okay with me, and she’s almost 19, she knows what time to be home. Here she comes, you kids have fun.”

If I had still been connected to all those monitors and gauges like I was in the hospital they’d have been vibrating off their stands. My heart was racing, my breathing was uneven, I could feel myself beginning to perspire as she walked to me. She was perfect, a beige mid-thigh skirt with some kind of patterned nylons, a dark brown pullover top and some of those wedge shoes that are raised a few inches in the back. Her makeup and hair were everything my mind had ever dreamed of, I couldn’t get over how perfect she looked. Her voice broke the trance.

“Hi Bo, you look nice tonight. Are you ready for some pizza, not sure about you but I’m famished. Mama, daddy, don’t wait up, not sure what time I’ll be home, probably around midnight.”

She took my arm and turned us toward the door. It sounds sick, but I found myself thinking getting shot had been worth it just to be with her, I was hoping this night and being with her would never end. We took her car considering it was far more comfortable than my beat-up old truck, her car wasn’t new, but it was a far cry better than what I drove. Our time at Tony’s had been fun until about ten minutes before we were going to leave when in walked Darryl Weeks and the two idiots that had been with him the night they harassed Hannah in the parking lot.

My back was toward the door, when it opened Hannah immediately went stiff, fear was in her eyes and the smile on her face vanished as she whispered “Darryl Weeks, oh no.” I turned to see the guy and his stooges walking through the door, I was on my feet in a flash. They stopped in their tracks staring at me, I now understood the meaning of what I’d heard my mom say so many times, “if looks could kill”. I’ve never been a religious guy but at that moment I prayed there would be no confrontation. Though my arm was no longer in a sling there was no way I could defend myself or Hannah considering the condition of my shoulder.

As they glared at me I noticed several other men standing up, one took off his glasses, another guy, a huge guy, stepped away from the table where his wife and kids were seated and walked toward the three. He pointed at them and in a strong, stern voice he told them what was about to happen.

“Not tonight Weeks, you aren’t welcome here until they leave. If you think you’re gonna pound on a man who took a bullet you’re sadly mistaken, we’ll put you three in the hospital. Your choice boys, and I do mean “boys”.

Not a word was uttered by the three as they walked backward out the door. I looked at the big guy and then the others, muttering “thank you” to all of them. The big guy walked to our table, as I stood waiting for him he gestured for me to sit. The smallest of his brood was next to him with her little arms wrapped around his leg peeking at us.

“No need to thank us. This kind of shit has gone on far too long in this county, time it stopped. You youngsters finish your meal, it’s on us. They won’t be comin back here tonight, and if they mess with you anymore my wife works at the clinic, you let her know and I’ll straighten him out real fast.”

As I was listening to him I noticed the little one giggling and looking past me, as I looked she was playing hide and seek with Hannah, when Hannah held her arms out the little girl went to her. Hoisting her onto her lap they talked softly a minute or so, the little girl hesitantly touched her face and then smiled. Hannah did the same with her. She slipped off her lap and went to her mom, the big guy looked at me in what seemed to be a serious manner.

“You got a good one there son, take care of her or somebody else will. She’s got that “mom” look, you don’t wanna let this one get away.”

Little did he know she was the only girl I had ever dated, I wasn’t sure she was mine to let “get away” as he’d put it. It was time to go, I stood and with my good hand I reached to help her stand, to my surprise she didn’t let go as we walked out. In the parking lot she hugged my arm tightly, looked in my eyes and said.

“Better not let go, you don’t to lose me do you?”

I couldn’t take it any longer, I stopped and turned to face her, we apparently had the same idea as she came closer and leaned in to kiss me. It was soft, warm, sensual in a way neither of us had ever known before. We weren’t experienced in any sense of the word, but we were ready to show our mutual affection. With my good arm around her shoulder’s I held her tightly, I didn’t want her to get away. As we broke the kiss I relaxed enough for us to look at one another. Our eyes seemed to pierce the other to the very essence of our being, with one hand on my chest she spoke ever so softly.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. Why did we wait so long?”

I flinched, “I know why I didn’t, I wasn’t sure you liked me until that day in the hospital, and since then I was afraid if I pushed things along too fast you wouldn’t want to be my girl. I’ve never had a girlfriend Hannah, I’ve never held a girl’s hand before tonight, and I’ve certainly never kissed a girl before you. I’m nuthin more than an uneducated Indian with not much to offer anyone regarding a future. I really like you and I wanna be with you, I can only hope you feel the same.”

Her answer wasn’t what I expected, “Well I’ve never had a boyfriend either, my brothers put the fear of God into anybody that showed any interest. I have kissed two other boys, both quick little smooches during a truth or dare game at Linda Carters graduation party. But what we just did, that was the first time I’ve kissed a man and it made me tingle all over, yes Bo, I feel the same about you.”

I foolishly opened my mouth as we began to drive home, “You really wanna be with me, even if I don’t have an education or a real job?”

She pulled to the side heavy on the brakes, gravel flying everywhere, when she was stopped she put it in park, glared at me and hissed.

“Three Bears I’d better never hear that crap coming from your mouth again.”

She’d never used my tribal name before, needless to say she had my full attention.

“You aren’t stupid, so cut the hick attitude and talk, I’ve heard you speak eloquently so don’t try to play that game with me. As for an education, you and I are going to the tech school next week and get you signed up for the GED classes. A job …. You’re right, selling firewood won’t support a family, daddy has something he wants to ask but if he hears you talking like a hick he’ll write you off. The ball is in your court Bo, do you want me or not?”

I was stunned and not sure what to say, she gave an exasperated sigh and put it back in drive, I put my hand on hers before she could pull onto the highway. Looking at me with what I thought were tears in her eyes I started.

“Yes Hannah, I want you more than anything, I always have. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, I’ll get my GED, I’ll talk with your dad, I just wanna, oops sorry, I just want to be with you. This is all new to me, everything about it is new. I don’t know anything about dating.”

She laughed softly, “Neither do I, we’ll have to learn together.”

I was on a roll, “Hannah, can I kiss you again?”

“I have a better idea Bo, it’s a warm night, why don’t we spend awhile at Potters Point? It’ll be quiet and we can talk more about us.”

Cutting, skidding, splitting and stacking wood as a living the past years had left me with no extra weight and almost all muscle. I felt as though I was a tough character, but the discomfort of the bullet wound would at times be more than I wanted to bare. I had some mild pain killers but was hesitant to take one for two reasons, I didn’t want Hannah to think I was hooked on drugs, and I wanted to be fully alert when we talked. As we drove she reached her hand over and held mine, I had tensed a few times when we’d driven over a rough spot which caused her to slow down and stop.

“Bo, what’s wrong? Does your shoulder hurt? You didn’t take your pain pill did you!” I shook my head. “Darned your hide Bo. There’s a water bottle in the glove compartment, take your pill. How are we going to kiss anymore if you’re in pain?”

By the time we made Potters Point I was feeling more at ease, the pain had morphed into discomfort for the most part. It wasn’t gone entirely but enough that I could be pleasant and carry on a conversation. I never knew how incapacitating something like a bullet wound could be, I would never again look at a purple heart license plate without empathy. The mosquitos at the point were in ravenous mode so we stayed in the car with the a/c running. We tried kissing over the console, only to determine that was a waste of time, holding hands we talked about earlier.

“Would you have fought those guys Bo? I mean with your shoulder and all. I never have liked that Weeks boy, he isn’t nice to people.”

I sat with me head back and my eyes closed, “I would have tried but I don’t think I could have done much to protect you. I have a question for you as well. What did that guy mean when he said you have the “mom” look?”

“I’m not sure, I’m going to ask mother when I get home. That had me baffled to. Bo (long pause), do you want to have kids when you get married?”

I knew the answer without having to think about it, “Yes, I want kids and I’m determined to be a good dad, not like my old man was with me. What about you, do you want to have kids?”

She gave her answer about as much thought as I had, “Absolutely, at least three, maybe four, I know for sure I don’t want just one. I plan to wait until I’m done with school before I get married and then a few years before I start having babies.”

She had it all planned out, I couldn’t help but hope I would eventually be a part of her future plans, I know I wanted to. We headed to her place just after ten, arriving about ten thirty, noticing there were citronella candles burning on the screened in porch as she pulled into the driveway. There was no other light, only the candles, she smiled and said quietly.

“Daddy, he thinks of everything, how sweet of him. He wants us to be together on the porch swing like he and mama used to. He was born in that house and courted mama on that swing all through high school. Come, let’s see if we fit like they did.”

Kissing was awkward for both of us, me with a tender shoulder, her with a short skirt that tended to ride up if she sat sideways. With her finger on my lips she whispered.

“Stay right here, I’m going to get into pants so we can do this without either of us being uncomfortable.”

She came back in loose jeans and a tee shirt, told me to scoot right so she could snuggle into my left side and gently snaked her arms around my neck. She made sure there was no pressure on my right side which gave me enough confidence to raise my right arm putting it around her waist, my left was around her shoulders. When I moved my hand it brushed against her breast which made me panic, she took it in stride.

Breaking the kiss she told me, “I know it wasn’t on purpose, that will come in time. But … did you like what you touched?” Then she giggled into my neck.

My dick was no longer getting hard, it was solid, pushing uncomfortably against my pants, thankfully they weren’t very tight affording me a bit of room for expansion. I think she realized my condition because we began winding down our make out session and started talking again. It was just past eleven when we had talked long enough for my cock to soften and not feel like a flagpole in my pants. Walking me to the truck she informed me that I was expected for dinner on Sunday evening, five thirty, don’t be late.

I watched her walk to the house, stopping at the door and waving to me. My heart was aflutter, how I wished my mother were still alive to meet Hannah and if my dreams came true, to meet our children. Sadly, she would never see her grandkids, but it would have made her happy. Hannah and I would talk on the phone each evening, with school she didn’t have time to break away or ignore homework, I settled for seeing her the following Sunday. The daily PT was beginning to pay dividends, that week I had gone without any pain meds at all, I was also able to raise my arm above my head, it didn’t happen pain free, but it was progress.

By the end of Friday’s PT session I was told my schedule going forward would be PT three times a week and to use my arm as I wished within reason. If it didn’t hurt or cause great discomfort she told me to use my arm and begin building the muscle strength again. When I told Hannah she sort of cooed and purred at the same time.

“Mmm, good. Now you can hold me like I want you to. Never know where that might lead. It’ll be good to have your arms around me, I’ve dreamed of that several nights. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Larry is to go before a judge in a few weeks, nobody has any idea what the outcome might be. I’ll see you five thirty on Sunday. I miss you.”

Being righthanded I had taught myself to do everything with my left hand, the PT lady suggested I begin using my right more than what I had been using it for, mainly to wash and shave. I also decided I’d ask Hannah if she thought I should shorten the length of my hair, it was half-way down my back. I spent Saturday doing little things around the place, Belle was happy to see me as I brought her a bucket with grain. I picked up the saw and was going to give it a pull, better sense dominated, thankfully, who knows how much progress I may have eliminated.

Sunday dinner was both tasty and interesting. As Hannah led me through the front door I realized the room was full of people I didn’t know. As she held my hand I was introduced to her oldest brother, his wife and kids. The kids were cute, his wife very cordial and polite, the brother? Meh, he looked like he had no use for me whatsoever and when I winced as he over emphasized the handshake he let go and blurted.

“What the hell Hannah, bad enough you got hooked up with a damned Indian, but he’s a wimp as well.”

Molly was on him like stink on shit, “You shut your dirty mouth boy. Why you wanna be like that? You hated it when you were called names and here you are doing the same thing.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough her dad stepped in, nose to nose, “This “damned Indian” as you so rudely called him, is the boy that took a bullet because he likes your sister. You need to apologize.”

By the time his wife got in his face he looked like a whipped puppy, “David you stupid ass. We’ve spent years trying to teach our kids not to be racist and you destroy it all in less than a minute. Molly, I think we should go, sorry for all the trouble we caused.”

Her mother wasn’t having any of it, she grabbed David by the arm, “Tell that man you’re sorry and do it like you mean it, otherwise Sharon is right, you don’t belong here tonight.”

Long story short, he did apologize and though the evening was tense it still turned out alright. As they left just after eight Hannah and I adjourned to the porch swing, we’d been there about fifteen minutes talking when her folks came out and sat on the porch chairs opposite the swing. Holding hands they looked at us together.

Everitt spoke, “Listen you two, we can see you like each other a lot, and while some people still get all riled up over skin color that’s their problem, not yours. If you like each other that much, then simply ignore them. But that’s not the main reason we want to talk with you. Bo, it’s obvious you hard work and long hours don’t bother you. You’re young, strong, intelligent, and it seems that you’re determined to do more with your life than selling firewood. I have a proposition I’d like you to consider.”