Nathaniel Smiley
By Chris James
Chapter Seven
Evan sat in the back, his head thrust forward between the two front seats. Nate almost laughed at the excitement which seemed to bubble out of him.
"So tell me about this Snowbird, it sounds like a ski resort," Evan said.
"No," Nate laughed. "It's a beautiful nature area though. The wilderness is a big tourist attraction, one of the biggest around the Robbinsville area. Cherokee has the casinos, something we didn't have there a decade ago."
"Yeah, why the casinos?"
"Money, plain and simple. The only real industry the Qualla has is tourism; a lot of folks are still pretty poor. But it's the lifestyle; you'll see that around Snowbird. Bill says they have the greatest concentration of traditional Cherokee in the Qualla area.
"But before you decide the casinos are a bad thing, you have to know that all eleven thousand Cherokee in the Qualla get a yearly payout from those gambling folks, even the kids. So it provides jobs and money for the budgets of the school and tribal affairs."
"I suppose that's good, does anyone object to the gambling?" Evan asked.
"Sure, the Cherokee Christians do, many of them don't take the money either," Nate said. "I expect most of the Qualla considers itself Christian, but they also see the positive side, not that I'm in favor of gambling... but its money that comes in year round."
They pulled into Cherokee about eleven and Evan groaned when he saw the teepees off the main street and the other tourist attractions.
Ted laughed. "Yeah, kinda spoils the image, doesn't it?"
Evan nodded. "I suppose the Cherokee are lucky to have all this, I saw a documentary about the native tribes out west, and they're in a sorry financial state."
The Falling Waters Lodge looked a little less touristy to Evan's eyes, and he agreed the lobby looked like a movie set. Once again John was behind the counter, an utterly contrite person at this point.
"Ted... Nathaniel, I'm sorry about what happened, I was an ass," John said.
Nate wasn't going to let him off that easy, but Denise certainly had brought about a change. It was Ted who needed to accept the apology.
"OK, John... let's put that behind us," Ted said. "I don't want any enemies in the Crowe family."
"Thank you," John said just about the time Denise walked into the lobby.
"O'siyo, Nathaniel... Ted." She said, and this time they both got the bear hugs. "And this must be your teacher. I'm Denise Crowe, welcome."
"Evan Stevens, so glad to meet you."
Denise turned to John. "Have you... ?"
"John and I have already spoken, and now we move on," Ted said.
"Good, so you're going to visit Bobby Travers this weekend, I like them," Denise said.
"Yes, thought we might get some good ideas about their dance setup," Nate said.
Denise laughed. "I'm sure you will, but this weekend they practice playing ball... you watch yourself."
"Oh... no, that's great, I love watching the game, but I won't be playing," Nate said.
"They play what?" Evan asked.
"The Cherokee version of lacrosse, an ancient tradition," Denise said. "Anetsa it's called and translates into English as 'little brother of war.' Clans used to use it to settle disputes, it can get pretty violent."
"Cool," Ted said. "I used to play lacrosse."
"Um... probably not like this," Nate said. "Thank you, Denise, we'll just watch."
"OK, we have your rooms," Denise said.
John handed over two keys, they had forty-two once again, and Evan would be in forty-three. They drove the Jeep around the building and parked. First they unloaded the equipment and placed it in Evan's room, the bags followed. Nate thought it a bad idea to drop in on the Travers family in the afternoon, because then Bob would feel obligated to invite them to dinner on short notice.
Nate decided to give Evan a tour of the town and let him see the museum. Joseph would end up letting them use a lot of things before the film could be finished; it was time to be diplomatic.
As always the town was filled with people. Parents with cameras, little kids with feather headdresses and rubber tomahawks, and cars, always too many cars. The walk from the lodge wasn't far, driving was unnecessary even if they could find a parking place. As before they went to the Hungry Bear for lunch and then went to find Joseph amidst the gaggle of tourists in the museum.
"O'siyo," Joseph called out, and a dozen heads turned to see what the unknown Cherokee word was aimed at.
'O'siyo," Nate replied, nodding to Joseph and smiling at the tourists.
"Excuse me," Joseph said to the tourists, "I'll be right back."
"I'm sorry," Nate said," We can come back... "
"No, I only have a few more minutes with them, will you wait?"
"Yes, go finish."
Evan was already across the room looking at a display of old photos and artifacts. "Nate... Ted, come look at this," He said. "Look at the image of this man, it could very well be your friend Marshall... it has that quality."
"That's a sketch of Yonaguska," Nate said. "He was the most outstanding chief the Cherokee have ever known. Because of him the Qualla exists today. I think Marshall models his image after the man."
"I see, and who is this man?" Evan asked.
"Will Thomas, his adopted son."
"But he's white," Ted said.
"Yes, a white man may be adopted into a clan. He bought land for the Cherokee, he was the only white chief in our history," Nate said.
"Amazing," Evan said.
"What's amazing," Joseph asked as he walked over.
"The story of Yonaguska and his family," Nate said.
"The prophet some called him, his Cherokee name means Drowning Bear. The finest Cherokee who ever lived, we owe him our existence. And who is your friend?"
"Joseph Crowe, this is Evan Stevens. He's going to work with us on the film project and be our teacher," Nate said.
Joseph smiled. "An academic, I'm glad to meet you."
"Thank you," Evan said. "But I wonder who will be doing the teaching. So far I'm learning much more from Nate than he is from me."
"Life is like that, but he stands on familiar ground... your time will come," Joseph said.
"Why did they call this chief the prophet?" Ted asked.
Joseph smiled. "I like this young man because he has such an inquisitive mind. Yonaguska warned the Cherokee that the white man was our greatest danger, no one would listen. He took to the mountains when The Removal began, he led the Cherokee resistance."
"Evan feels we need to present all the facts surrounding the Trail of Tears and not just the results, that's one of the reasons we're here to see you," Nate said.
Joseph smiled at Evan. "I was wondering when this was going to become a larger effort."
"It has to present a complete picture, you have so many of the details here," Evan replied.
"You're welcome to them, just let me know what you need. Nathaniel, are you going to see Bob tomorrow?"
"Yes, I hope they have time for us," Nate replied.
"I spoke with him yesterday; JT already told him you would be around for a visit. Bob loves the idea, and he said to bring your ball uniform."
"Oh no, I can't play with that bunch, they're too big," Nate said.
"You play ball?" Ted asked.
"Poorly, I played with the kids last fall at the fair... I nearly got mashed under the pileup."
"I guess he expects you to join in," Joseph said. "Maybe you can get a driver position."
"We'll see," Nate said.
He took Evan and Ted out to the OconalufteeIndian Village so they could see what kind of exposure the tourists were given. Joseph had given them passes for the self guided tour of the grounds. It wasn't that the displays were fake or historically inaccurate; they just seemed simplified for the thousands of people who came through there each year.
There was dancing in the village square, a display of weapons and an arts and crafts area. The recreation of the ancient dwellings and village life from hundreds of years before was interesting for the novice, but it lacked the depth they sought. Evan summed it up quite nicely.
"You can see these people going through the motions but we all know they drive their cars home and watch television at night," He said. "I think the truth of that ancient past only exists in the nuances of daily life for these people."
He smiled at Nate. "You're of two minds; I see it all the time. A respect for old traditions and the knowledge of your past affects the way you treat people. The modern world away from here seems so impersonal, but when you're here I see the changes in your demeanor."
Nate smiled. "I can't wait to introduce you to Marshall; he's the embodiment of what you're talking about."
The carnival was long gone and the town was empty of any large entertainment. Everyone was gearing up for the Fourth, the Pow Wow being the big blow out event of the summer. By dinner time they were all tired of walking around in the heat so Nate suggested they return to the hotel.
They agreed to meet in the dining room at six, long enough to shower and change.
"You didn't tell me you played this ball game," Ted said as they stood under the spray.
"Nothing to tell. We don't have a lacrosse team at my school because it's an 'Indian' thing, and I don't think any of the Cherokee there would get involved, I wouldn't. So I've been pulled into a few games at the fall fair or out at the Crowe village. I suck; I get shoved around a lot and seem to end up on the bottom of a pile of bodies every time."
"Lacrosse doesn't usually have a pile up the way we play it," Ted said.
"Ours does... think rugby with sticks, or kill the man with the ball. All those describe our game pretty well."
"So what's this uniform?"
Nate laughed. "Shorts, no shirt. A shirt would get ripped right off, sometimes the shorts do too. You have to see the game to understand, you will tomorrow I suppose."
"Looking forward to it," Ted said.
The dining room was pretty full, but Evan was just giving their names to the hostess when Ted and Nate arrived, and they were promptly seated.
"Busy place," Evan said.
"Denise and her family work hard this time of year," Nate said. "There's a winter crowd but they're here for the gambling."
"So what's good to eat?" Evan asked.
"It's all good, enjoy it while you can... we camp out next weekend," Nate said.
"Yeah, looking forward to some of that possum stew," Ted said with a straight face.
Evan gave him a look and laughed. "I know better, but I've eaten rattlesnake before out in Arizona."
"Eww, that I couldn't handle," Ted said.
"You won't find that on the menu here," Nate said. "But they do have good prime rib."
"There you go with the red meat again, too much of that stuff is bad for you," Ted said.
Nate grinned. "You sound like my Aunt. So what are you having?"
"Prime rib," Ted said.
They sat around the pool after dinner watching the tourists. Nate was curious about Evan and why he wasn't dating. The man looked at the ladies but didn't talk about them. Now that he knew they were gay Nate figured he wouldn't say much of anything.
They talked about rafting on the Oconaluftee River; none of them had ever experienced white water adventures before.
"If we get the time maybe next month," Evan said. "I have friends at the university who do it all the time on the New River."
"I hear that's the extreme edge, really dangerous water," Ted said.
"I'm not crazy, a nice leisurely rafting trip is more my speed."
"The Cherokee made canoes out of tree trunks, really big ones," Nate said. "They usually have one under construction out at the village, but I didn't see that today."
"I wondered about that," Evan said. "They had to travel the river to reach the interior, from what I've seen some of these mountains are too steep to climb."
"That's why the soldiers never found them during The Removal. There are caves up in the mountains so deep they go right through to the next valley," Nate said.
"That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this project with you," Evan said. "There's so much to learn. I grew up in Raleigh, public schools and all that. Besides hearing about the Indians who made Thanksgiving possible for the Pilgrims there's very little presented about native culture."
"Surprising isn't it?" Nate said. "The oldest culture on the continent doesn't get more than a few lines in the history books. The white man is embarrassed, maybe even ashamed of his actions against the natives. Now there are over five hundred tribes and clans, almost three million people. But in the beginning there were millions more, all about six thousand years before the white man came."
"But this project is about the pride of the Cherokee," Ted said.
Nate nodded. "Yes, I see it that way too. We need to address the past because our history should not be forgotten. But the stories are timeless, the people are not. This is about capturing those people before they're gone."
"Well said," Evan said. "I see why Marshall is so important to this task; he's like a bridge to the past."
"I really believe some part of him still exists in the past," Nate said. "If we approach him carefully maybe he'll share more of that with us."
"The ghosts, his stories about the dead?"
Nate nodded. "He sees them, and I believe every word of it."
They left a seven o'clock wake up call as Snowbird was just about an hour away. Evan said good night and went off to his room. Nate took a turn in the bathroom and then sprawled on the bed waiting for Ted to finish.
"Are we sleeping?" Ted asked.
"Eventually, it will be a long day tomorrow. Maybe you ought to get some before the Travers boys bust my ass up."
"Don't play if you're worried about it, this would be a bad time for an injury," Ted said.
"I'll be sure and tell Bob that, I could be a driver."
"That's like a referee, right?"
"Sorta, they sometimes end up in the middle too. They toss the ball up for play, but once the boys get stoked up it's a free for all," Nate laughed.
They spent an hour playing their special games before sleep overcame them both, only to be awakened by the phone.
"This is your seven o'clock wake up call," A mechanical voice said. "Have a nice day."
"Oh no, it's time to get up?" Ted groaned.
"I've been awake since six," Nate replied. "Ready for a shower?"
Nate was a morning person, evidenced by Ted's groan as he was pulled from the bed. No shower was complete without at least one orgasm Nate had decreed. Ted wasn't about to argue, he was wide awake now.
They met Evan for breakfast at eight and were on the road towards Robbinsville by nine. The Qualla was only the largest tract of land in the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, nearly sixty thousand acres. But the Snowbird Village near Robbinsville and several other tracts belonged to The People, and these were some of the most scenic places in the mountains. Joseph had given them directions, but it would have been clear where the Travers family lived once they drove down Snowbird Road. Maybe it was the signs.
The four houses clustered together in the distance were modern and yet the Cherokee influence was there. They crossed a small bridge over a fast running stream and came up on the ball field that was also the front lawn of the homes. The first sign by the side of the road declared 'Caution: You are under surveillance by Cherokee attack eagles.' The second said: 'We don't feed our wolves, but you will.'
Evan laughed. "OK, so they've got a sense of humor."
The third sign stood at the entrance to the driveway. 'Proud home of the Wolf Clan, National Pow-Wow Champions 2004-2008.'
Nate grinned. "Nothing like a proud family, will you look at that?"
A group of men was out running around the ball field in sweatshirts emblazoned with a large snarling wolf. It looked like an NFL training camp in action, there was some serious muscle out there.
"I will not play ball with those guys," Nate said. "Funerals are expensive."
"Wow, they need another sign that says 'Serious Beef Ahead,' they take this game seriously," Ted said.
They pulled up to a row of parked cars which attracted the attention of an older man standing on the sidelines of the field. He was easily six and a half feet tall with a large shock of white hair.
"That's Bob, let me talk first," Nate said.
Bob started their way as Nate got out of the Jeep.
"Nathaniel?" The man called.
"O'siyo, Mr. Travers," Nate replied.
"Little Bear, O'siyo... it's been a long time," Bob replied, shaking Nate's hand and then giving him a hug. He looked over at Ted and Evan as they got out. "Joseph warned me the white man was invading our land once again," But he smiled a big toothy grin. "Welcome, friends."
"Thank you," Evan said. "I'm Evan and this is Ted."
Bob nodded. "Ted, the white man's answer to Bruce Lee... I've heard about you"
Ted rolled his eyes. "Does everyone know?" He asked.
Bob laughed. "Pretty much, we got the scoop right after it happened. I'm sorry, and the family is embarrassed. Nelson is a distant cousin, he shames us."
Ted nodded. "I'm sorry it happened, but I won't let anyone hurt Nathaniel."
Bob clapped him on the shoulder. "The arrows of a good warrior run straight and true, no one questions what you did, it was the right thing." He then turned to Nate. "Come to play ball with us?" Bob asked.
"Oh hell no, not with that herd of buffalo. I'll be a driver for you, but only if I can get out of the way fast enough," Nate said. "Are your kids playing?"
"Not today... they're inside doing schoolwork," Bob said.
"During summer?" Nate asked.
"Our kids go to school year round, Granny Salalei's orders," Bob said. "But they're a smart bunch so it must be doing something good for them. We're just going to play a short game today and go over the rituals since the 'buffalo,' as you call them, seem to forget the steps too easily. What can I do for you?"
Nate explained what they would be looking for at the Pow Wow and how today they wanted to get some background. Bob agreed that they could film what they liked, and just warned them to be aware during the ball play since there was no such thing as sidelines.
Ted and Evan went for their cameras as Nate followed Bob back towards the field. With a loud whistle he brought the running men to a halt and they walked over to where he stood. There were fourteen guys standing there panting and pouring sweat.
"Good workout, boys... this is Nathaniel Smiling Sky, you might know him as Little Bear," Bob said. There were some smiles and heads nodded. "He and his friends are here today to watch you play. They're making a film about the Cherokee and who else would they want to see except the best ball players in the Qualla?"
The men yelled and stomped their feet in response. Many of these were Bob's own offspring, and the children of his three brothers. Not one of them weighed less than two hundred pounds and they were all over six foot tall. It was no wonder that they won almost every game.
Today there would be seven men on a side, a very small number considering that some games were played thirty men to each team. Injuries were not uncommon so the numbers always dwindled down to a manageable herd. Nate had the feeling that Bob's huge players would outlast all others.
Bob led the men over to a shed where their equipment was kept, and each man looked for his own sticks, two apiece. Many were hand made and decorated by the owner, but each had a small net to snag the ball out of the air. Bob reached into a bag and handed Nate three small leather covered balls. Only slightly larger than a golf ball, the hard hand stitched balls looked well used.
The men lined up and began a chant as they stepped off towards the end of the field. Ted followed them with his camera while Evan stayed behind and walked over to Nate.
"Where are they going?" Evan asked.
"To the water, I imagine. Most ball games are played close to running water for the purification rites; Ted will get most of that. But this is just practice so I think they're just going down there to cool off. For the games they'll grease up afterwards, no way to tackle a slippery buffalo," Nate laughed.
"What do you have to do with those balls?" Evan asked.
"The driver tosses one in the air and the play begins, but if the players pile up and can't move then I have to do it again, that's the dangerous part."
"Standing in a buffalo herd, I get it now," Evan said.
"If I don't move fast enough they'll get me."
Evan and Ted circled the pack as they played ball for the next few hours. Nate got lucky several times and managed to slide out of the way after tossing the ball back into play. Evan was surprised that the sticks were used only to catch the ball and then many of them were dropped. A man could carry the ball in his hand for quite a distance; this was not like the lacrosse he knew.
The play involved chasing the man with the ball, and the pileups were monumental. But despite their strength no one was out to hurt anyone else, this was just practice. After the sixth goal Bob called a halt and the players sprawled on the grass. Ted moved in close and one of the guys looked up at him.
"What do you see in your camera?" The man asked.
"I see fourteen guys having a lot of fun," Ted replied.
The man nodded. "Yeah, it's the only time I can tackle my brothers without them getting angry. Billy Travers," He said to introduce himself.
"Ted Lawson," Ted replied and they shook hands.
"You making this film with Little Bear?"
"Yes... is there anything you want to say?" Ted asked.
"I'd rather dance than play ball," Billy chuckled. "So far I've had a broken arm, sprained ankles and a bunch of black eyes from this game. Dancers attract the ladies which is a whole lot better than having all that beef lying on top of you."
"Would you want your kids playing the game?" Ted asked.
"When I have some... sure. Some guys play golf to relax, this is our way. The competition is fierce when we play against the Nation boys from Oklahoma; here it's just like family entertainment."
"And what is it you like so much about the dancing?"
"Ahh, that's a spiritual thing. I lose myself in thoughts of the past as I dance. Some of these dances have been around for thousands of years, it brings me close to the ancestors," Billy said. "But I also dance over at the Village on weekends, pays the bills."
"Do you feel like you're educating people who watch you dance?" Ted asked.
"Sometimes, but I don't think the average tourist gets the meaning behind what I'm doing," Billy said. "Someone announces we're going to do the war dance and all they see is a bunch of guys crouching and stomping their feet."
"And what is the significance of that dance?" Ted asked.
"Hmm, well a warrior has to work himself up emotionally to face his enemies. The dance was used as a confidence builder and to display the prowess of the warrior. Besides facing a slew of arrows, a warrior did a lot of hand to hand combat, all that took courage and a lot of faith."
"I see that the aggressiveness of the game relates to combat, is that how you see it?" Ted asked.
"Yes, it's the same thing. The game is preceded by prayers and ritual just like combat, and then there's the physical contact. I don't think a warrior who could play a decent ball game would ever fear close combat. Both of them teach a man how to use his strength."
"Do the women in your family dance?" Ted asked.
"Yes, when they aren't busy telling us what to do," Billy laughed. "My mom and sister will perform at the Pow Wow, you going to be there?"
"Wouldn't miss it, we need some good dance footage."
"Yeah, you'll get some then. Come on, let's go eat," Billy said.
There was a long shed out behind one of the houses and a dozen picnic tables clustered in the shade of the trees. Several women had laid out a huge amount of food, but maybe not so much when Nate considered the size of the eaters. Fried chicken and barbecue were the featured foods.
"Come and eat," Bob said, throwing his arm around Nate's shoulder. "Let me introduce you to my wife, Theresa."
The woman they approached gave them a big smile, Nate remembered her from the dancing last fall.
"Little Bear... Nathaniel, so good to see you," Theresa said.
"O'siyo, Mrs. Travers... how have you been?" Nate asked.
"Busy," she said, gesturing to the men lining up for the food.
Nate motioned Ted and Evan over. "Mrs. Travers, this is Ted Lawson, my good friend, and Evan Stevens, our teacher."
"O'siyo, gentlemen... please go get some food before it all disappears," She laughed.
The meal allowed everyone to become acquainted, as did the afternoon dancing practice. Bob as much admitted there was hardly any reason for them to rehearse since they'd been doing these dances all year long. But he wanted to show off for the cameras and his guys certainly did that.
Some of the dance costumes were quite heavy and it took a large man to move easily under all the weight. But they laid out the full regalia and Ted made a point of following Billy as he donned his gear. Evan was off to the side with Mrs. Travers talking about the making of costumes, while Nate finally picked up a camera and cornered Bob.
"Can you name the thirteen moons of the Cherokee?" Bob asked the boy.
"I think so, I know there are dances for the various times of the year," Nate replied.
"None are as important as the ones for planting and harvesting, although some would argue in favor of the war dancing. Have you met Reverend Dobbs in town?" Bob asked.
"No, I'm not a church person."
"We had dinner together last year at his invitation. He gathered the leading performers from the fall fair so we could talk. I was afraid it was going to become one of those pagans versus Christian things, but it wasn't. Dobbs said he respected the ancient traditions because they began long before Jesus and the new ways were introduced.
"He said he didn't see much difference between them getting all dressed up and singing in church and our ways of getting dressed and dancing. The old ways allowed the spiritual flow to go from a dancer to the Creator. We dance to gain favor, whether it's for good crops or a successful hunt."
Bob chuckled. "I actually like Dobbs; he's pretty honest about his feelings. It took him a while to understand that he wasn't going to make any great changes in the Qualla. The issues of the last two hundred years stand in his way and many of the Cherokee are just rediscovering our heritage. So he works on understanding us as best he can."
"We study the syllabary in school, but speaking the language is still very difficult," Nate said.
"You keep at it; it's the strongest thing you'll ever learn that ties you to The People."
"How long have you been dancing?" Nate asked.
Bob smiled. "I began when I was six, my father taught me. Our family has been learning the tradition for generations, maybe a couple hundred years. It's something my sons have embraced; we do it for a living, but that means we're blessed because it keeps us closer to the Creator. So... do you dance?"
"Me? I've never even tried it," Nate said.
"Then it's time you learned."
Ted was focused on Billy when the big man laughed and pointed. Bob had Nate learning some of the steps and was instructing him in the movements of the body.
"So now we'll have a Dancing Bear too," Billy laughed. "If anyone can teach him to dance it'll be Dad."
Ted managed to swing the camera around and catch Nate going through the steps with Bob. The two of them were so focused they didn't see the sudden arrival of eight kids from inside the house. Bob's children were all part of the dancing troupe and they smiled and pointed at Nate dancing with their Dad.
Ted thought the finest moment he'd caught in the camera that day was when the kids all lined up with Nate and began to go through the steps. From the oldest boys of about fifteen all the way down to this small girl of about six, they all knew the dance Bob was teaching. Billy began to slap one of the wooden benches with his hands to provide rhythm and was joined by several others. Ted looked up to see Evan's camera capturing that as well.
Sometimes the most spontaneous moments provided a magical image, and this was one of them. There were no costumes to dress up the images, just a family of men and kids expressing themselves and having fun. Bob finally stopped when he saw Nate was growing tired.
"Well done, Little Bear... with practice you would make a fine dancer," He said.
Nate knew better, it took great stamina and strength to carry the weight of the costumes and his legs were shaking from the effort.
The afternoon was filled with small dance rehearsals and some costume work. Bob told them that his oldest boys were going to try on their new costumes and that they would be shown how well the kids danced. Thomas and Abner were sixteen and fifteen respectively, and both of them had been dancing for about ten years.
Whereas the adult costumes were heavy with feathers and bright colored skins, the boys appeared in buckskin pants with bundles of feathers tied to their arms and hair. Each one carried a stack of hoops and Nate smiled, pointing so Ted and Evan would get the cameras rolling. Billy carried out a large flat drum followed by his mother with several small ones. With the drums in place they began.
The hoop dance was usually performed by the youngest members of the family because the larger men didn't have the dexterity. Nate had seen these dances time and again in town; it was one of the biggest tourist draws. Abner flipped his way through several hoop formations and Thomas joined in.
The most amazing thing about their performance was the speed in which they moved thru and around the hoops, pausing here and there as the hoops made a configuration like a butterfly or a flower. The demonstration lasted all of ten minutes and at the end they were blazing their way thru a dozen hoops until they stopped with the pile around their feet and took a bow.
The family applauded and whooped loudly, it had been a flawless performance. Both boys were covered in sweat and yet beamed at their accomplishment. They stood beside Ted as he played back the performance on the little monitor screen of his camera.
Once again the day had shown how all inclusive this family performing had been, the Travers were deserving of their National Champion status. But it was getting late and Evan packed away the cameras before they all said goodbye.
"You get what you wanted?" Bob asked.
"I'm sure we did," Nate said. "Next weekend we'll get the real deal with an audience."
"Yeah, Pow Wows always get the blood flowing. I look forward to seeing all of you there."
"Thank you for everything, Bob," Nate said.
They shook hands with all the men and boys, hugged the women and then they were on the road back to Cherokee and the Qualla.
"That was fun," Evan said, voicing what they all thought. "I didn't think we'd get it all in one day, but that pretty much covered the whole personal angle, didn't it?"
"Looks like it," Ted said.
"Good, then rather than stick around here I need to go back to the university for a few days, do you mind?" Evan asked.
"No, we have some things to catch up on back in Boone. When are you coming back?" Nate asked.
"Maybe Wednesday or Thursday, the Pow Wow starts on Friday, right?"
Nate nodded. "Yeah, I thought we could find a place to campout, and set up on Friday morning. The big dancing competition happens on Saturday and Sunday."
"Great, I'm looking forward to it," Evan said.
They drove back to the lodge and separated to their rooms, planning to meet for dinner in a few hours.
"What's he doing?" Ted asked once they closed the door to their room.
"I don't know, he seems pretty secretive about things," Nate replied. "But I need a shower."
"Yeah, I saw you working up a sweat out there."
"Sure was a workout, those big guys make it look easy," Nate laughed.
"Then you should learn that hoop dance," Ted grinned.
"Yeah, and fall flat on my face... I don't know how they do that?'
The conversation went into the bathroom as Nate started the shower. "Why do you think Evan needs to visit the University?" He asked.
Ted shrugged. "Maybe he forgot his wallet, I don't know. He brought a lot of stuff with him; I don't think he forgot anything."
"It's OK, we'll have some time together," Nate said.
Ted smiled and reached for the washcloth. There was something so very sensual about washing Nate like this, it was all like a dream come true... and to think, he had almost blown it. He didn't want to go on this little family vacation with his parents. In fact he'd begged them to stay home.
Ted had been thinking a lot about Alan Daniels, the new boy on campus that spring semester. Alan came from Greensboro, just a few miles up the road. The boy had been shy at first; Foxhall Academy was filled with quiet, often shy boys. But Alan was one of the gifted students who excelled in sports and academia.
Alan played soccer while Ted was into lacrosse, but since they both ran the track during warm-ups there had been an opportunity to talk. They were physically alike, a fact they both seemed to notice in the showers. The friendship hadn't evolved very far, but Ted felt there was something there.
Between his Tae-kwan-do after school and the lacrosse there had been little time to develop anything, and then summer had arrived. Ted had communicated with Alan on the internet; they were working up a weekend plan when the vacation had been announced. Ted saw it as the perfect way to get closer to Alan, stay at home while the parents went away for a month.
But now... now there was Nate, and any thoughts of Alan were just a memory. It had been two weeks since he'd even opened his mailbox online, Ted was sure Alan must wonder what had happened. It wasn't fair, but what could he tell the guy?
"Ted?"
"Um... yeah?"
"Earth to Ted... where are you?" Nate asked.
Nate was looking up at his face, he'd been spacing out. "Sorry... just thinking about someone I ought to speak to... or maybe not."
Nate grinned. "It has to be a boy, you keeping secrets from me?"
Ted nodded. "Alan, a boy at school. It never happened between us."
"But you wanted it to, what happened?"
"You happened... is there a better reason?"
"I love you... did he?" Nate asked.
"No, we're friends... that's all."
"And if he had wanted more?"
Ted smiled. "I would have fucked his brains out, but that's speculation."
"Hmm," Nate said. "You can always speculate with me."
"Oh we will, hand me the washcloth," Ted replied.
It was after they made love... as they lay in darkness that Ted finally had to explain about Alan. Maybe it had all been just fantasy, but Ted had felt something in Alan's smile.
"I would never have noticed," Nate said. "Until you came along I just thought looking at other boys was plain weird."
"But you did it I bet."
"Yeah, I didn't understand why. You had all that early experience; you had to know why you were looking."
Ted sighed. "I felt strange about it. Alan was attractive, there has to be something to this gay chemistry. But feeling something is scary too, what if I was wrong?"
"Now you have a boyfriend, would you be willing to tell him about us?"
Ted slid closer and kissed the tip of Nate's nose. "Baby, I want to tell everyone."
Nate kissed back and then smiled. "Someday... when our lives are our own."
"God, I love you," Ted whispered.
"We share to-hi-du... warm peace, the good peace, and I've never been happier," Nate said.
On the ride back to Boone in the morning Evan finally shared why he was returning to campus.
"I saw the scope of what we were filming; I need a better camera for next weekend."
Nate nodded. "OK, I'll buy that excuse."
"Excuse? You think I'm up to something?" Evan asked.
Ted looked in the rear view mirror and caught Evan's eye. "We always think you're up to something."
Evan shook his head. "OK... I need Denny too."
"Denny... what does he do?" Nate asked.
"She, Denny is short for Danielle... and she knows more about sound effects than any of my former students. We're selling ourselves short when we film on a broad scale like next weekend. Digital imaging is one thing and we have a good handle on that, but the huge sound of open space isn't going to come across in those tiny microphones we're using."
"Is she your girlfriend?" Ted asked.
Evan sighed. "Sometimes... it's a kind of on again off again thing, but that's probably my fault."
"We have a second tent," Nate said. "I hope she comes."
Now Evan grinned. "I believe she will if I sell it the right way."
"Ten thousand Cherokee and you, what else could she want?" Nate laughed.
"Marriage," Evan replied, and suddenly the Jeep became quiet.
Once again Ted looked up in the mirror. "What do you want?"
Evan slid back in his seat. "I don't know... I'm scared I guess. She's perfect for me, we share the same goals. I just don't want to screw it up."
"If you wait too long you might," Nate said.
"That's what she said. Look, I just turned thirty and already I'm looking for a new angle on life. I'm not sure marriage fits into those plans, but then you're half my age and I don't know if you can understand what I'm feeling."
"Lost in the woods," Nate said. "I think you want something unique, something to call your own. I may be young but I understand the partnership Ted and I share. It gives me strength, courage and the power to accomplish what I want. Don't look at this marriage thing as a roadblock. It might be the very thing to inspire the greatness in you."
Ted looked up yet again. "He says these deep things and I don't know where they come from, but I listen to the wisdom."
"I want Denny to meet you guys and work with us," Evan said. "And you're right, now is the time to decide."
They arrived back in Boone by one o'clock and Evan packed his personal things. He would hurry back once he and Denny decided what else they had to bring, then he was gone. Nate took Ted on a walk around the campsite.
"I don't know why it's such a big deal," Ted said. "I'd marry you in a minute."
"Hetero marriage is too complicated, I'm glad to be gay," Nate said.
Ted laughed. "You wanna explain that?"
"Man and woman equals children... that's complicated. I won't have anything but you if we tie the knot."
"If? You mean when." Ted said.
"When could be anytime you want, 'if' is because it isn't legal yet," Nate replied. "There's a lot of discrimination going around about us gay folks, or haven't you noticed?"
"This is the south, what we do in private is probably still illegal."
"I'd swear we only did it on the Qualla, let them fight the laws there... they won't win," Nate said.
"Then we'd better move there when we can, I can't keep hiding my feelings for you," Ted replied.
"In three months I'll be sixteen and can stand up for myself at the Tribal Council. Joseph will speak for me, and since there hasn't been a Smiling Sky enrolled on the lists since my mother they will take me in. I'll be a member of the Eastern Band, a citizen of the Qualla and I can live there anytime I want. You will live with me."
"OK... we can do that, but what will we do for a living after school?" Ted asked.
"You could teach martial arts, half the kids in Cherokee will sign up with the reputation you have now."
Ted groaned. "I would just as soon forget that incident."
"We'll think of something. I wonder what Denny is like?"
"An intense person, she has to be to attract him," Ted said. "But he's doing things for us; this is gonna be one hell of a film."
Nate laughed. "I never had any doubts."
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