Well forks, it didn't end as well as I thought it might...
After nearly a week in the reservation, and several trips to a sacred place called Green Grass, I'm afraid the vision quest will have to be on hold for now...
Three things got in the way.
1. One, there was a meeting of all the Sioux Nation...right in the middle of me wanting to do it.
2. The Elder Mother, who wanted to do this for me, had been told that she couldn't...as a woman. Only a man could send a man on a quest...I suppose that makes a sordid amount of sense, huh?
3. My dire need to get back to reality.
After three trips back and forth (by thumb) on a road that had about 1 car per hour traveling down it, and 99% of those either didn't have the ability to stop....or thought it was suspicious as Hell for a white man to be on reservation land hitchhiking...which I thought was kinda funny....I mean, what am I gonna do? And I remember that two of the people who picked me up asked if I was carrying any weapons...which again, I thought was rather funny. I mean, just look at me! Who would think I was dangerous...for really???
So....movin' on....
I left the "Res", as I called it...and made my way back to Bismarck. I worked one day...one very LOOOONG day of 14 hours...of nothing but moving furniture. My legs were like jelly, but I pressed on. I had to make enough to get my 'puter back outta pawn. I had pawned it before I went to the reservation...I had to survive, and I had to get gifts for my new friends...and tobacco for the medicine man...although he never took it. It's OK though, I had to try, RIGHT?
So the people that had me and two others move their whole house just so they could move to? Nevada. Can't say I didn't try and stop them. But they bought me lunch (I musta really looked tired...mainly cause I WAS!!); made sure I had plenty of fluids in me, and tipped me 30 bucks on top of the $11 an hour I made for the job...more than enough to get my baby out, and still have a few bucks for the road.
I left Bismarck, and made it almost immediately to Fargo, after walking nearly 5 miles to get back to the interstate with ALL of my bags...and I got my first ride in a semi, from a guy named "Joe", in what...35 years?? Wow...
And then I got stuck. I'm still in Fargo. And yet, the trip continues. In the meantime, the McDonalds employees here took real good care of me, and let me continue charging all of my electronic goodies...:D. Thanks for the pies, the GIANT CONE, and the free Mountain Dew Brenna. What a sweetheart. IN THE MEANTIME: The bastards in the Supreme Court ONCE AGAIN denied my stay of termination reconsideration, because the bastard idiots of DHS appealed my appeal to the assessment. Assholes. It's ok, though, for I will be RESUBMITTING IT AGAIN, once it comes from Palmer (IA's, DHS director).
TO BE CONTINUED!!