“Little Busy Squirrel grew up to be your mate? I would have never thought he would have the guts to ask you.”
“Bawb told him the worst I could do was say no. I think some days, he thinks the worst I could do was say yes.”
Walking Skunk looked at me. “All the other things you do, and you still find time to marry off my Granddaughter?”
“He came to me asking for advice. He had done a lot of good work for me, I thought it was the least I could do to help him out.”
“You are a good man, Bawb. Strange, but good.”
“Let’s eat.” Walking Skunk thanked the deer’s spirit, and everyone dug in. I suppose it was just getting a chance to slow down, but it seemed like the best meal I’d had in a long time. Nikki came over to sit with me, and I introduced her to Walking Skunk. Morning Flower had to hear the latest about Nikki’s pregnancy, and we all enjoyed the meal, and the company. Then something happened I wasn’t expecting. Ruth and the boys brought out their instruments and began to play. Before long, people got up to dance. Nikki and I danced a couple of songs, and Morning Flower wanted me to dance with her, so I did. Then I saw something I’m still not sure I believe. Beatriz Cachi walked up to Walking Skunk, and said, “What are you doing sitting there, old man? Get up and shake your hind end with the rest of us.” He did, and after a while, he seemed like he got to like it. After a few dances, he sat down to rest, and Morning Flower went over to talk to him. I saw the old fella getting more and more insistent, but Morning Flower kept trying to talk him into something. Finally, she came and got me. She said, “Bawb, would you please talk to my Grandpa? I want him to come back to the village, but he doesn’t want to come.”
I said, “I think he’s old enough to make up his own mind, Morning Flower. If he doesn’t want to go, I won’t make him.”
“But he thinks he did a bad thing, that he didn’t do. Can you help me find out why he thinks he did bad?”
“I’ll talk to him. If he doesn’t want to tell me, I’m not going to pry. I won’t promise you anything.”
“Thanks, Bawb.”
I went over to where Walking Skunk was sitting. I asked, “Mind if I sit here?”
“Since my Granddaughter sent you, I probably will, but sit anyway.”
“She just wants you to go back to the village with her.”
“If that was all there was to it, I would go. If I go back, they will want me to be their elder. I am not wise and brave enough to be an elder.”
“Funny you mention brave. That’s not usually the first thing people think about when they think of an elder.”
“If I didn’t have the courage to do the right thing, all the wisdom in the world wouldn’t do any good.”
“So, something happened that makes you think you don’t have enough courage to be an elder, and you don’t want to admit it to Morning Flower. That about right?”
“Are you sure you can’t read minds, Smallfoot?”
“I’m sure. It’s just the only way I can make it fit together in my head. Let’s see now. It was something she doesn’t know about, but you do. You think it makes you too cowardly to be an elder, but nobody else in the village feels that way. You saw her get taken, didn’t you? Too many Smallfoot, with weapons, and you couldn’t find a way to get her back. You think you should have charged in, even if you couldn’t have done any good. That’s what you blame yourself for, ain’t it?”
“How did you figure that out, Bawb? I didn’t tell you a thing.”
“You were fine till Morning Flower showed up. Then you started acting a little down. I mostly guessed the rest. I got pretty close, then?”
“Right on the head, mostly.”
“Let me ask you this. Would you want an elder who rushed in, and got stunned or killed, without helping the situation at all? Just because you didn’t have a way to help doesn’t mean you didn’t do the wise thing.”
“It just feels like I was a coward. The village deserves better.”
“Don’t you think I feel like the folks who I lead deserve better? Every day of the world? That’s part of the job, Walking Skunk. If you ever think you are the man for the job, you better take a close look at what you’re doing. All you can do is give them the best you have.”
“You think I should go and be the elder they want me to be, don’t you?”
“I think you would be better at it than you give yourself credit for, but you need to make up your own mind.”
“I can see why Morning Flower thinks so much of you, Bawb. You are a good man, for a Smallfoot.”
“You do alright yourself, for a hairy old fart.” He laughed. “I like you, Bawb.”
I replied, “Remember that, when we play ‘Loser Stinks’.”
“I couldn’t do that, Bawb. ‘Loser Stinks’ is serious business.” It was my turn to laugh. I said, “Whether you believe it or not, I think the village could do a lot worse than having you for an elder.”
He got serious, and said, “I really couldn’t have done any good, trying to rescue Morning Flower that day, could I?”
“Not a bit. I’ve been shot with a stunner before. There isn’t any way to push through it. You’re down, and there ain’t a thing you can do about it.”
“I’m glad I met you, Bawb. I’ve been hiding out here being silly.
