I have been so down on all things Gallup these days, I have decided to purposefully write about some positives. I have Otis with me. But wait, is that a positive? Well, I have learned to do more stuff around the house and have made some good friends at Home Depot. And just having a Home Depot is a positive. Last time I was here, there wasn't so much as a Safeway. My apartment is growing on me. We are close to the kid's athletics fields so we get to absorb that energy when we hear them out there practicing. I have a grand view for sunsets and sunrises. Okay, one little positive/negative about the complex. I have befriended a Navajo gent by the name of Andrew (well, Richard was his given name, but somehow it got changed recently). Andrew is about 50ish, clearly either developmentally delayed or the victim of severe head injuries, or likely both. We have been talking everyday as he waits for the bus to take him to his activity center. He taught me how to do needlepoint. His sister hates me. Because I am white. She has never spoken to me, but throws me looks that could kill, and when she is around, Andrew ignores me. He tells me she gets really mad if he talks to me. Or the Bolivian pediatrician that was here for awhile. But he is obviously so lonely. Well, 4 days ago I showed him my finished needlepoint masterpiece from a pattern he gave me that is meant to frame a picture. I framed a picture of Andrew in it. I haven't seen him since. I think his sister is locking him in the apartment because he was talking to me, that evil white woman who gave up her entire summer at home to come care for the Navajo, whose ancestors were happily drinking beer in Bavaria whilst other European settlers were doing awful things things to Native Americans. I don't understand why it is okay for some people to be racist.
On the medical side of things, the clinic seems to be settling down. I am still that doctor that doesn't follow rules that make no sense, but there are more docs suddenly around and all are questioning the same things I have, and some change is in the air. We still see anyone who walks in, but we aren't being pushed to get them out the door at 4:30 or else. And today, when we had a young girl brought in unresponsive from the middle school, it was me they asked to see the patient first. We have a new Navajo NP and a locums from the DR that just finished residency. Ha, we now have 3 of us to do what I have been doing all by my lonesome!!
I went to my first Pow wow during the recent inter tribal Indian Ceremonial last weekend. Uh, it was actually the weekend before. My how time flies. What struck me about this was that here were tribes from NM, AZ, SD, and other places. They all have their own take on creation and God and other things. But here they were, all in beautiful regalia, dancing with and for each other, for the sheer joy of expressing themselves via dance and drums. Well, okay, there was a small cash prize given to those judged by Native peers to be the best dancers, but lots of folks were just dancing to dance. And I thought to myself, so many people right now are dying because of their interpretation of religion and God and creation. Maybe we should all eat some fry bread, smoke a pipe, and dance a little. Just a thought.
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