Post #43 – Memoir and Fiction, Writing Alchemy – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
StoryMap: The Neverending Writing Prompt Inspires Fascinating Stories
Kendra and I have created a StoryMap that’s all about Five Points, OK, the community where every person, indeed every thing has a story. And they’re all just waiting for you to bring them to life. We know that many people who buy StoryMap use it to get their creative juices flowing. Usually they just write for about 10 minutes focusing on a character or a place or a situation.
Occasionally, someone sends us a StoryMap inspired story that we decide to publish. Angel Makes a Discovery by Johnine M. Simpson is one of those stories. Johnine tells it is four parts. Earlier this week, we published Part 1 and today we are pleased to publish Part 2.
Be sure to leave Johnine a note in the Comments section.
Randy Shares Angel’s Discovery, Part 2
By Johnine M. Simpson
Randy was ready at 8:30 the next morning to take Angel’s treasure to Five Feathers Casino.
“Drat!” Randy exclaimed as he went into the garage. “I forgot to clean off Angel’s treasure and if I take the time to do that now, I won’t have enough time to get to Five Feathers and back to my shop on time. I’ll just have to take it ‘as is.’” He plucked the plastic grocery bag from the shelf in the garage where he had put it the night before. “There, at least I won’t get the crud on me.” He closed the door and began striding down W. Sooner Street toward the casino a few blocks east of their house.
As he approached Five Feathers Casino, Randy saw a tall dark man sweeping the walkway in front of the casino. As he approached, he recognized the man he’d seen in the park. The man was dressed in the uniform required by the casino with his dark hair tied at the nape of his neck. Randy realized how handsome the man was. “Hello, Sir. You are just the man I wanted to talk with.”
“Really? What about? Have we ever met?” He stopped sweeping and leaned on the broom he had been using.
Randy stuck out his hand. I’m Randy Bushey. Folks around here call me Bushey. I own Bushey’s Main Lobsters on W. Sooner Street and First Avenue. My wife, Fay, owns I See London, the lingerie store on Eureka Ave and W Boomer St.”
The native man put out his right hand and shook Randy’s. “My birth name is Nocona Quanah. My mother named me after a famous warrior of our Comanche tribe. Over the years my name’s been shortened to Noco. People around here call me Noco.”
“Nice to meet you, Noco. I don’t want to keep you from your work.” Randy hesitated. He noticed Noco’s keen dark eyes that looked sincere and eager. A smiled played on his face. He was not scarey at all.
“I don’t go on the clock until 9 but I always come early so I keep busy. It’s ok.” Noco looked expectantly at Randy.
“What I want to talk to you about is a treasure my dog sniffed out and dug up in the park yesterday. I saw you in the park last week with a metal detector. I don’t know if you were looking for something specific or just hoping to find something.” Randy paused hoping Noco would offer an explanation but he didn’t.
After waiting for almost a minute, Randy continued. “I figured that if you have a metal detector and your people have lived in these parts for a long time, perhaps you could help me.”
“You see, my champion Pomeranian, Angel, stopped as we walked through the park yesterday and began digging with a vengeance. She has never done that before. She wouldn’t take no for an answer or stop so I took her back to the park after work and let her keep digging in the same spot. She uncovered this item. I don’t know what it is and I wondered if there is any chance you would know or could direct me to someone who would know.” Randy looked hopefully at Noco.
“I guess I could take a look at it. Where is it?”
Randy lifted the heavy plastic bag held at his side. “It’s right in here,” he said as he opened the bag and removed the object holding it out to Noco. “Sorry I forgot to clean it off. It’s a little cruddy I’m afraid.”
Noco’s eyes got big and he reached for the item. Then he remembered his manners, “May I see it up close, please?”
“Of course.” Randy handed him the found object.
“Oh my God,” Noco sighed. “I can’t believe one of these still exists around here. They are rare if I am right about what it is.” He turned it carefully in both hands scrutinizing every aspect of it. To himself he murmured, “Yes, I think it really is one.”
“What. What? My curiosity is killing me.”
“Bushey, I can’t be sure until I talk with my mother about it. She’ll definitely know what this is. Would you be willing to let me borrow it to show her? I plan to see my mother after work this evening. I promise I won’t do anything to this item; I won’t even clean it. I’ll just let my mother see it and hold it so she can tell me what it is. As an esteemed Elder in our tribe, my mother will know.”
“I don’t know.” Randy hesitated. “Do you think it’s valuable or what?”
“I’m not sure of its value in terms of money but if it’s what I think it is, it has great value to our Native culture and tribe. It may or may not have monetary value; I’d have to find that out later.” Noco looked at Randy who was shifting his weight from one foot to the other and looking confused.
“Oh heck,” Randy blurted, “what harm could it do. Yes, go ahead and take it to show your mom. When can we meet next so I can get it back and learn more about it? Here, put it back in the bag so you don’t get dirt on yourself.” Randy held the bag and Noco put the treasure into it. Then Randy handed the bag to him.
Nico looked confused. “Let me think. I have tomorrow and the next day off. I have to take my mother and her sister to Tulsa to a specialist. I won’t be back to Five Points until Friday. I work the night-shift on Friday so won’t start until 3 PM.” His voice trailed off.
“Do you have any break in the evening – a supper break or something?”
“Usually about 8 pm things settle down some and I could get away then to meet you if you come here to the casino. Would that work?”
“I can make it work. I’ll be here out front at 8 pm and you can come out when you get your break. I’ll understand if you’re a bit late. Thanks for doing this.” Randy smiled.
“Thanks for finding this,” Noco responded. “It is quite a discovery if it’s what I think it is. And, in case you’re curious, I was not looking for this particular item, just whatever the metal detector might have located which, incidentally, was nothing.” He smiled at Randy.
“Good luck in Tulsa with your relatives, Noco. I hope all goes well. See you Friday night. And, thanks again.” Randy turned and began to hurry toward his store at the west end of Sooner Street.
[Be sure to return on Monday for Part 3 of Angel Makes a Discovery.]