The weather wasn't bad but it wasn't pleasant either. It was cold. There was a slight breeze, and that only made things worse. It was the perfect day to sip a hot chocolate, but there was none to be found.
A middle-aged couple walked down from the mesa, where they had just seen a brilliant sun lazily fall into the bosom of the earth. A languoring end to a slow day.
That's when they saw the child. She was squatting on the floor next to a display of homemade trinkets. Cheap jewelry made from desperation, sweat and tears. "Two necklaces for ten or one for six," her mother offered.
Another couple brushed by, commenting, "That isn't even real turquoise."
"Poor girl," the gentlemen whispered to his lady. "Let's buy something for her troubles."
"I know," she murmured, while he rummaged through his wallet for cash.
He pulled out a twenty and exclaimed, "We'll take one!"
The joy on the little girl's face outshined the sun. "Which one, sir?" she asked.
"Show them the hematite, Chantel," the mother urged. Scrutinizing the lady, she explained, "Those would look better on you, I think. My family made all of these on our reservation, they are genuine."
Chantel handed the lady the necklace, and the lady handed her a twenty dollar bill.
"Do you have any change?" the mother asked. "You were our only customer today."
"I'm sorry," the gentlemen said. "I don't."
"I might have some change in my purse. Our car is just down the trail," the lady offered. But then she remembered she had left her purse in the motel room.
Sorrys were exchanged and the couple wandered down the trail. Suddenly, they stopped, looked at each other and smiled. No words were said, but the lady ran back up with the money.
She came back down with four necklaces she didn't need. She gave her husband and hug and they walked quietly to their car. Twenty dollars for that smile was a steal.
-----
That man was my father; the lady my mother. People I want to become before I die.
A middle-aged couple walked down from the mesa, where they had just seen a brilliant sun lazily fall into the bosom of the earth. A languoring end to a slow day.
That's when they saw the child. She was squatting on the floor next to a display of homemade trinkets. Cheap jewelry made from desperation, sweat and tears. "Two necklaces for ten or one for six," her mother offered.
Another couple brushed by, commenting, "That isn't even real turquoise."
"Poor girl," the gentlemen whispered to his lady. "Let's buy something for her troubles."
"I know," she murmured, while he rummaged through his wallet for cash.
He pulled out a twenty and exclaimed, "We'll take one!"
The joy on the little girl's face outshined the sun. "Which one, sir?" she asked.
"Show them the hematite, Chantel," the mother urged. Scrutinizing the lady, she explained, "Those would look better on you, I think. My family made all of these on our reservation, they are genuine."
Chantel handed the lady the necklace, and the lady handed her a twenty dollar bill.
"Do you have any change?" the mother asked. "You were our only customer today."
"I'm sorry," the gentlemen said. "I don't."
"I might have some change in my purse. Our car is just down the trail," the lady offered. But then she remembered she had left her purse in the motel room.
Sorrys were exchanged and the couple wandered down the trail. Suddenly, they stopped, looked at each other and smiled. No words were said, but the lady ran back up with the money.
She came back down with four necklaces she didn't need. She gave her husband and hug and they walked quietly to their car. Twenty dollars for that smile was a steal.
-----
That man was my father; the lady my mother. People I want to become before I die.
