As we talked I realized it was the little girl we had portrayed in the movie. That made everything real to me. Working on the movie script we had used as many historical records as we could. The Draper papers described the incident with the Indian child.
Now I was in the presence of one of her descendants. I actually had a shiver go down my spine. The one known as Death Wind had been a fictional character to me until just now. Now he was real, and that meant all his evil actions had occurred.
I began to understand why the Shawnee appreciated my exposing Lew Wetzel for what he was.
The next day was spent in the sweat lodge. I will not say much about it except the name was earned. There was no question that I had been purified, my dirty sweaty clothes would attest to that.
I had to fast that night. At least I was allowed to take a shower and put on clean clothes. The next day I was inducted into the Shawnee Tribe as a brave. I thought they inducted people as Chiefs and gave them a fancy headdress.
I found out they did that to honor politicians and others for publicity. Mine was for defending the Shawnee people. This honor was one of the highest I had ever received. To me, it ranked right up there with my Order of the Garter, maybe even higher. For the Garter, I had saved one person, though granted the Queen of England was an important person. The simple hawk feather in a headband was for defending a whole people.
I don’t think I will share this line of thinking with my godmother. At the ceremony, I did announce the forming of the educational fund. I thought Indians were stoic and didn’t show emotion. The tears shed by men and women told a different story.
After that, there was a showing of my movie in the community center. There were cheers for the Indians, boos for Lew Wetzel in all appearances awes for Mary, and cheers for Simon Kenton as he ran the gauntlet. George Washington rated hisses.
King George of England had them throwing popcorn at the screen. Oliver Spencer got the most cheers as he stood up to Simon Girty. Girty himself was ignored.
All in all a different take. It was the only time I was booed in a movie and enjoyed it. I booed right along with them.
After the movie, there was a picture taking and autograph session the same as everywhere. I slept on the couch that night. I made a mental note to have a new one delivered to Chief Redfoot. The springs were terrible. Maybe that was why he didn’t have a girlfriend.
I kept my mouth shut.
The next morning I was up early and did my run. A half dozen young braves joined me. They kept up with me with no problems, it a lot of fun running with boys my own age. As we ran they extolled the virtues of girls in the tribe. I think they were serious about me being a true member of the tribe.
I tried to let them know that my path would take me in other directions but they would always be in my heart. It may sound corny here, but it was from the bottom of my heart.
After that Chief Redfoot drove back to my plane. I thought the truck was going to fall apart and even thought about buying him a new one, but realized that could be construed as an insult to his beloved la nàhl we.
I had no idea what it meant in English, speeding arrow for all I knew.
From there I started my trip home to Jackson House.
Chapter 13
I landed at Ontario airport after fuel stops in Denver and Las Vegas. After the trip, my aircraft was due for some maintenance so I left it with the Cessna people to wiggle their noses and magically fix my plane or whatever they did.
Dad had arranged for a car and driver to pick me up so I was able to relax on the short trip home. As I thought over the last month I had to laugh at myself. I had intended to take a leisurely trip around the country visiting sites I would like to see.
Instead, the Ricky Jackson Circus hit the road without a dull minute. I was physically and mentally tired. How had I let myself be talked into it? It certainly had helped movie attendance. ‘Over the Ohio’ was a box office success and winning the critic’s accolades.
On a personal note, I was now considered a serious actor instead of just a movie star. My next role was a matter of great speculation in the industry. Playing a student at Oxford sounded pretty good to me.
The whole family was there to welcome me home. School had just let out for the day. Denny and Eddie gave me a hug. Mary had brought some friends home from school with her. She insisted on introducing each of them.
As she went on about me I started to have some suspicions. These were partially confirmed by the smirk Mum was wearing and Dad was trying to hold back laughter. I asked my sister to join me in the next room for a minute.
She walked in looking like she was going to her execution.
“How much did you charge them?”
“Nothing!”
“What did they have to do?”
“It wasn’t very much Ricky, I swear, they only had to donate five dollars to Feed the Puppies.”
What could you say to that, puppies need to be fed?
“I’ll let you get away with it this time, how much did you raise?
“Sixty dollars.”
“There are only five of them there, what about
