Indian on Purpose

By Craig Strete

Amos Brokeshoulder was an old man as Indians reckoned it.

He was proud of getting old because he knew winters and summers and fall. He most likely would have lived a long time but now he was mostly waiting to die. His old wife Betta died five years ago in the spring so he figured to join her.

She had cancer. One day she was fine and the next she fell down and couldn't get up.

Doctor said she had pancreas cancer. Maybe different than other kinds of cancer but Amos didn't care. She died anyway. Doctor said she didn't suffer but Amos didn't believe him.

It had been five lonely years without Betta but Amos figured he was about done with living. There was no fooling around now. He even bought himself a new shirt just to die in. He used to drink and maybe he thought about diving into a bottle again but he had promised Betta he wouldn't drink no more and he didn't.

He figured he'd die in the spring when the weather got better. Amos Brokeshoulder was partial to April.

He figured that was a good time to die.

And he would have died too but things got changed round and he had to give up the dying business altogether.

There was a knock on the door and the old man got up slow and went to see who it was. People so rarely knocked that he found it strange.

"I come back," said the girl named Solace and she looked plenty sick when she said it. She had a tiny baby cradled in her arm.

She was dressed in blue jeans and a shirt that must have belonged to some guy as it don't fit and it got the name Bobo stitched on the pocket. She had a running cold sore on her lip and she looked like she been run over.

"I see that," he said, looking shocked.

"I am home now," she said...

• Language: English
• Publisher: ReAnimus Press
• Release date: Sep 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005487386

Craig Strete

Craig Kee Strete is a Native American science fiction writer, noted for his use of American Indian themes.Beginning in the early 1970s, while working in the Film and Television industry, Strete began writing emotional Native American themed, and science fiction short stories and novellas. He is a three-time Nebula Award finalist, for Time Deer, A Sunday Visit with Great-grandfather, and The Bleeding Man.In 1974 Strete published a magazine dedicated to Native American science fiction, Red Planet Earth. His play Paint Your Face On A Drowning In The River was the 1984 Dramatists Guild/CBS New Plays Program first place winner.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Amos Brokeshoulder was an old man as Indians reckoned it.

He was proud of getting old because he knew winters and summers and fall. He most likely would have lived a long time but now he was mostly waiting to die. His old wife Betta died five years ago in the spring so he figured to join her.

She had cancer. One day she was fine and the next she fell down and couldn’t get up.

Doctor said she had pancreas cancer. Maybe different than other kinds of cancer but Amos didn't care. She died anyway. Doctor said she didn’t suffer but Amos didn’t believe him.

It had been five lonely years without Betta but Amos figured he was about done with living. There was no fooling around now. He even bought himself a new shirt just to die in. He used to drink and maybe he thought about diving into a bottle again but he had promised Betta he wouldn't drink no more and he didn't.

He figured he’d die in the spring when the weather got better. Amos Brokeshoulder was partial to April.

He figured that was a good time to die.

And he would have died too but things got changed round and he had to give up the dying business altogether.

There was a knock on the door and the old man got up slow and went to see who it was. People so rarely knocked that he found it strange.

I come back, said the girl named Solace and she looked plenty sick when she said it. She had a tiny baby cradled in her arm.

She was dressed in blue jeans and a shirt that must have belonged to some guy as it don't fit and it got the name Bobo stitched on the pocket. She had a running cold sore on her lip and she looked like she been run over.

I see that, he said, looking shocked.

I am home now, she said and she looked around and don't much like what she sees.

How you figure that? Brokeshoulder said with an ache in his voice.

Solace was his kin and then again she wasn’t. Not anymore at least. She had been away too long with the white people.

You gone ask me in or not? said Solace who always looked angry. She waves the baby at him, as if that prove something.

He stepped aside and she came into his cabin.

He stared at her. She stared right back. She had bloodshot eyes and her face was hard and she looked around the cabin with distaste. She got some tattoos that stick out under the cuffs of the shirt. She moved her lips like she was gonna spit on the place but she held it in. It was plain she wasn’t happy about being here.

Care to sit down? said Amos.

She sat down abruptly in a chair with no cushions on its back. The baby cradled in her arms was asleep and she seemed to have forgot it was there.

Now what? she said and she looked at the old man’s face.

He tried to come up with an answer but he is too busy thinking about the past. He thought about their history together and it wasn’t a good memory.

It all begun long ago when his sister Amanda Brokeshoulder came back to the reservation. She had married Indian but it didn't take.

She was all alone then and she had a little brown baby with her and her name was Solace. It was a newborn and it was a source of wonder to the old man. He was a sort of distant father who watched the child grow up but had little to do with the raising of the child.

His mother was Amanda Brokeshoulder who was Amos's youngest sister.

Amanda have a drinking problem. She one of those kinds of people who could keep a job but would drink every day after work. She was good at her work so they didn't fire her but she drank like she was two people. Maybe even four people.

She was sober at work and drunk as a skunk as soon as she got off.

Amanda did a pretty fair job of raising the child until the day she caught a bad cold and up and died. Her liver was shot the doctor said and she didn't have any resistance so she coughed her life away. People aren't suppose to die of colds but people aren't Indians who drink.

Solace was fourteen years old when her mother died.

That was when Amos and Betta Brokeshoulder stepped in. They tried to raise Solace up as one of their own. His wife Betta was a good mother. He only did so so as a father but at least he was there for the child.

Solace didn’t much like either of them.

Solace had nothing but contempt for them and said as much, loudly and often. She was hell bent for trouble and there was no stopping her.  Betta tried as best she could. She tried to be a mother to her but Solace wasn’t interested. Betta tried everything she could think of to make her a home. Solace was having none of it.

Well, they had tried to raise Solace but it didn’t take.

Solace ran off as soon as she could and went to live among white people.

It near broke his wife Betta's heart.

Betta died soon after that. It might have been the pancreas cancer that killed her but Amos figured it was the girl going that did it. Betta had tried her best with that child, loved her in her own way.

And then Betta died.

And that did break Amos's heart. He knew he would never get over it so he was ready to die. But now, here was Solace, claiming to be home.

It had been five years since she had left.

I don’t understand what you mean, said Amos who couldn't figure out why she was even here. What do you mean you are home?

I mean I am back, said Solace. Are you kicking me out?

Amos had to think about that.

I isn't sure, he finally said.

It was mystifying. Why now?

Where’s Betta? said Solace. I want to leave the baby with her for a while.

She isn't here.

When will she be back?

Never, I guess. She died.

Figures, said Solace. Can I stay here anyway?

I don’t know.

I got no place else to go, said Solace.

Then I guess you be staying, said Amos and he wasn't the least bit happy about it.

How long she been dead? ask Solace

Five years, said Amos. If you’d stayed in touch, you’d know that.

Is that so, said Solace who didn’t much care one way or the other. I got my bags outside the door. Maybe you could bring them in. I’m tired out.

Amos Brokeshoulder just stood there. He wasn’t about to be fetching and carrying things for anybody but she did have a baby, so maybe she was tired. He guess he ought to do it.

He got up slow and went outside. There was maybe seven or eight paper grocery bags that were jammed with clothes and other things. Solace didn’t have anything fancy like a suitcase.

He picked up the grocery bags and start to carry them in. It took him four trips. He looked in the bags. There was clothes in there for her and the baby only they smelled like they had never been washed.

When he got it all heaved inside he stared at Solace. She stared at him right back. He went and sat down in a chair.

She didn’t say anything. She seemed to be waiting for him to speak.

Why are you here? asks Amos, but he don’t really want to know.

They say I try to rob a convenience store, said Solace looking like it was no big thing. I made bail. A pimp I know made bail. I guess he figured I’d work for him.

He was stunned. And her with a little baby and all.

She saw the look of alarm on his face and laughed.

I been lots of things but I isn't no prostitute, said Solace.

Did you tell him that? said Amos. Your pimp friend, I mean.

Solace seemed rather proud of it.

I didn't have to, she said, and looked like she had done something clever. I jump bail. So I guess you could say, I am a fugitive from justice. At least, I am until they find me.

Did you do it? ask the old man.

Did I do what?

Rob a convenience store?

Sure. Why not? Would have got away with it too except they had those dumb cameras.

The old man went silent at that. He didn’t have high expectations of Solace but was it too much to ask that she be a little bit decent. He tried to remember her as a young girl but he can’t. She was trouble, he could see that plain.

So what do you do now? he finally ask.

Well, I have not planned much ahead, Solace admits.

I could use a drink. You got any?

No.

Gonna get any?

No.

You don't hold with drinking, do you? I seem to remember that about you. You was pretty strict.

Amos was an alcoholic a long time ago when Solace was a baby. He was one of them functional alcoholics. He kept a steady job but he was drunk every weekend. Dead drunk too. He hadn't touched at drop for nine years. Amos had sobered up and intended to stay that way. Anyway he had made Betta a promise.

Solace bent down and laid the sleeping infant on the floor. It murmured a little bit and waved one tiny hand but did not waken.

Solace got back in her chair and looked around. She opened up a pocket on her shirt and came out with a pocket flask. She took a long hard pull on the flask. She drained it and then held it up and let the last little drop fall on her tongue.  She choked a little and then smiled up at the old man.

That hits the spot. You got anything to eat? I isn't had anything to eat since yesterday, said Solace, wiping her mouth with one dirty hand. You sure you don’t have nothing to drink?

Not even a beer, said Amos. I reckon you’ll have to go somewhere else for that.

Amos got busy in the kitchen so he didn’t see Solace get up and tiptoe out. She opened the door real quiet like and slipped out. He didn’t notice Solace was gone.

Amos had left her with the empty flask and went over and looked in the refrigerator. There was store bought pancake mix so he guessed he would make her pancakes.

He took two eggs out of a carton and got some milk and added them to the pancake mix. By the time he was ready to serve them pancakes, he turned around and Solace was gone.

The baby was still asleep on the floor.

I guess she left the baby with me, said the old man.

He went and looked out the door. He could see Solace moving off in the distance. He wondered if she was going to come back.

He hope so. He know damn all about babies.

He went over and looked at it. It is a pretty cute baby even if it was Solace’s kid. The baby slept like it didn’t have a care in the world. It was a peaceful sleep.

But what do I do when you wake up, thought Amos Brokeshoulder.

He had asked himself a question but he didn’t have no answers.

CHAPTER TWO

It seemed like Solace wasn’t coming back real soon so Amos Brokeshoulder picked up the sleeping baby and made for Annie Hotwater’s place.

He held it under his arm like it was bomb that was going to explode at any minute. He walked real slow so he tried not to jar the baby none. He knew he had to have help and help right now because he had no experience with babies.

None.

His wife Betta had never had a baby of their own. She wanted one but the Great Spirit didn’t seem to care one way or another.

She prayed for a baby but it didn’t happen.

So he had no reason to learn about babies until now.

He came to Annie Hotwater’s door but was afraid that knocking on it would wake the baby so he eased open the door and crept in uninvited. The baby woke up anyway and commenced to squall.

Annie was startled at first. She was sitting in her rocking chair reading a book when he came in. Her eyes opened in surprise.

What are you doing here? she ask when she over being stunned.

I got this baby.

I see that but that don't explain why you here.

I am going to need some help. I don't know babies. They is all new to me, said Amos. Will you help me?

Annie Hotwater sighed. She don't want to help but she was bothered. It is her thing, this taking care of babies and she supposed she was gonna have to.

Annie Hotwater was injured in an auto accident and she never married because of it. She had one eye ripped out that left her face look sort of ruined. She walked with a hardly noticeable limp because one leg now had pins in it and was shorter than the other leg.

Why me? she asked though she already know the answer.

Isn't you the one that takes care of women's babies for them? I heard you was, said Amos shyly. He feels uncertain about this but he don’t let on. He tried to look grave and serious. He don’t have much choice in the matter. If she don’t help him, he is sunk.

Well, I guess so.

The baby is squalling for all its worth by now. That baby needs changing something fierce. Amos smell that but he don’t know what to do about it. He don’t know nothing about babies.

Give him to me, she finally said. She sees he don’t know what to do.

He hands off the baby like he is a bomb that has already exploded.

She sniffs the baby’s bottom and said, The baby needs a change of diapers. Maybe some food too. Is it a he baby?

I don’t know.

What do you mean, you don’t know.

I didn’t ask.

Whose baby is it? It isn't yours is it?

No. It’s from Solace Brokeshoulder.

Why you got it?

I don’t know.

You don’t seem to know much of anything, do you?

Well, I knew enough to bring the baby to you, didn’t I? said Amos feeling aggravated that she ask so many questions he don’t have no answer to.

She takes the baby and goes to a little table and laid the baby down on it and began to unwrap him.

It’s got a messy diaper, Annie said. Just so you know.

Amos nods dumbly.

She opens the blanket that is covering the baby and looks over at Amos.

What’s the baby's name?

I don’t know, said Amos. The baby don’t come with much of an explanation.

Annie snorts with derision at that and proceeds to strip the blankets away from the baby.

It’s a female baby, said Annie. And she got a diaper rash something bad.

Amos didn’t know what that meant, about the diaper rash but he stayed silent.

Annie took some powder and sprinkled it all over the baby's bottom. The baby quit squalling and gurgled a little bit.

You got diapers?

I don't know. Maybe there is some in Solace’s bags. She left about eight paper bags of stuff over at my place, said Amos. You want me to go look?

It figures. No. I got some of my own, said Annie and she unfolded a white piece of cloth and made a diaper out of it.

The baby seemed content. But it didn’t last. Suddenly the baby was crying again.

She’s hungry, said Annie.

Amos looked lost.

I don’t suppose you have any food for her either?

Maybe there is some in Solace’s bags.

She stopped him before he can go offer to fetch food from Solace’s bags.

Never mind, said Annie. I got some formula here. I’ll give her some of that. Then she thinks a little about the baby again and adds, While I’m doing that, why don’t you go look in Solace’s bags and see if there is any baby clothes. She can’t wear this blanket. It smell bad.

Amos was glad to go. He hurried out of there before she can change her mind.

Back at the cabin he look around to see if Solace had come back but she wasn't nowhere to be seen. He rummaged through all the paper bags of clothes and whatnots and came up with a small sack of baby clothes. They had been washed, he can see that plain. They were stained and old and none of them are new.

He found a whiskey bottle half filled with milk with a baby nipple on it. He guessed this was how the baby gets its food.

He went and got a new paper bag and put the baby things in it.  He wondered if he should bring the whiskey bottle too but since it had a baby nipple on it, he threw it in the bag.

He headed back to Annie’s place

He was scared but he didn’t want to admit it.

He hoped Solace was going to come back.

But somehow he didn’t believe it.

CHAPTER THREE

When he was back at Annie Hotwater's place with the bag of children's clothes he tapped soft on the door but nobody heard him. He waited for a while and then knocked a little harder.

Come in, somebody said from inside the house.

So he went in.

Annie has the baby cradled against her chest and the little one is drinking down some baby formula. She seemed to enjoy that.

Thought you was a woodpecker, said Annie.

I was try not to wake the baby.

She isn't sleeping. She is really hungry, is what she is, said Annie. How long it been since the baby been fed?

I don't know.

Again with the I don't knows. What exactly do you know about this baby anyway?

He shrugged.

What you got in the sack?

He took out the whiskey bottle with the nipple on it and some of the clothes.

She wrinkled her nose at the smell.

Gonna have to wash those, she said. Isn't nothing been washed.

She indicated the bottle.

That what she feed the baby with?

Sure. Why not? said Amos.

It isn't very practical, said Annie. Babies got to have regular bottles. Made especially for them. It don't look like this baby been well taken care of.

I wouldn’t know, said Amos. I only got her about an hour ago. She didn’t come with no instructions.

Annie frowned at that but she just let it go.

She was glad to have this baby but she didn’t let on that it was so.

They sat in silence for a while with the only sound the little noises the baby made when it was sucking down the formula.

And then even that sound stopped and the baby slept.

Annie got up ever so quiet and laid the baby down on her bed. She tucked some blankets up around it so it would stay warm.

She came over and sat down in the kitchen chair. She looked up at Amos who was just standing there like a dog who don’t know when to sit.

She motioned to a chair and Amos sat in it.

She picked up the whiskey bottle and popped off the nipple. There was milk in there and she took a sniff of it. Her face went all sad and tragic. She upended the bottle and tasted it.

It’s milk, mixed with a little whiskey. I guess that’s why the baby been so quiet. She is half drunk, said Annie. Person who do that to a baby would do anything.

Amos was ashamed. It sounded like something Solace would do. She just wasn’t right in the head.

Tell me about that baby, she said in a low voice so as not to wake the baby.

All I know is Solace come home. She got the baby on her arm. It was sleeping when she came in and sleeping when she went out. I was fixing Solace some pancakes. When I turned round to see about serving Solace some, she had lit out. Going I don’t know where, coming back maybe, maybe not. That’s all I know.

Then you ought to learn more, said Annie, looking indignant.

I will try and find Solace. Ask her and get the whole story about this baby. At least, I will try. For all I know she done skipped out.

Amos didn’t want to mention Solace is a convenience store robber and bail jumper. She was an embarrassment.

What will you do with the baby while I am out looking for Solace? said Amos. I don't think it'll be easy to find her. Might take a day or two.

Mostly he was thinking she was a fugitive from justice but he don't want to share that with Annie Hotwater with her being one of them church Indians. She might not think it proper.

Well, I guess she be alright with me for a while. But it's only temporary, you understand. I can't keep her forever, Annie Hotwater said but in her heart she kind of wished she could keep her forever. It was the closest she would ever get to having a child of her own but she didn’t say that.

Give me three days, said Amos hoping that's how long it would take to track Solace down. She was probably in a bar somewhere but there wasn't a whole lot of bars that let Indians drink in them. So he figured he’d find Solace sooner or later.

I’ll wash these clothes. I got a box of Tide and my washing machine works, sort of, said Annie. And I got some spare formula so we fixed for now. How long this baby gonna be with me? It's just temporary, right?

Sure, said Amos. Temporary.

Amos Brokeshoulder didn’t know the future but he figured he was going to be stuck with this baby.

Amos got up then and went over and looked at the baby. It was all curled up and warm and comfy in the blankets. It was a peaceful sight and despite himself, old Amos found himself smiling.

Annie came and stood beside him and together they looked down at the sleeping infant.

Annie felt content.

Amos felt mostly afraid.

CHAPTER FOUR

It was on the third day of looking that he tracked down Solace. He