return to the village. It was time to help load up the Champion and start back home.
As we drove out of the small village, our relatives, dressedin their traditional multicolored clothes, stood waving goodbye. They looked vibrant and solid, like a patchwork quilt of people.
On the drive back home, I sat in the front seat again, between Nolay and Mama.
I asked Nolay, “Who is Pa-hay-okee?”
“It’s the old Indian name for the Everglades; it means ‘the grassy water.’ ”
“Is it true, is it really dying?”
“It’s hurt, but it ain’t so bad yet that we can’t fix it.”
I looked at Mama and said, “I wish I could live on Cat Island. It’s always so much fun there.”
Mama put her arm around my shoulders and said, “Bones, it’s fun because you’re visiting. If you lived there, it would be like home. You would still have chores to do, and you would still go to school, just like all the kids there do.”
“I reckon so.”
Mama’s fingers found the string necklace hanging around my neck, and she asked, “What is this?”
“It’s a gator tooth. Jimmy Cat gave it to me; he said it was good luck and would keep away bad spirits.”
At that moment, Nolay jerked the Champion into the other lane so hard, it shoved me and Mama into each other.
“Sorry, ladies. I didn’t want to run over that possum crossin’ the road. There’s too many danged things trying to get across the road these days.”
I dangled the alligator tooth in front of Mama. “See, it must work. That was pretty good luck.”
“It was good luck for the possum.”
“Mama, did you know that the possum is a mammal and that there are over four hundred different kinds of mammals that live right here in Florida?”
“I did not know that.”
“Well, it’s true, and the possum is the only one that is kin to the kangaroo. It’s a mar-soupel just like a kangaroo. Kangaroos live in Australia.”
“You mean a marsupial?”
“Yes, ma’am, ’cause it keeps its babies in a pouch just like a kangaroo. And do you know how it gets its babies into its pouch?”
“Do tell.”
“Well, it keeps its babies in its nose and when it’s ready it sticks its nose down in the pouch and sneezes them in there.”
“Good Lord, Bones, did Mr. Speed tell you that?”
“No, ma’am, he told me the part about the four hundred mammals and the kangaroo. Nolay told me about sneezing the babies into the pouch.”
Mama glanced in Nolay’s direction. “Well, isn’t that interesting. And just where did you come up with that sort of information, Nolay?”
“I just might of seen it happen a time or two,” he said.
“Well, the next time you see it happen, please let me know, because I would certainly like to witness such an event.”
I looked up at Nolay and said, “You know, today when I was out with the kids, they told me a story about when you used to live in the village. Johnny Cat said you used to take people out snipe hunting.”
Nolay let out a little chuckle. “We used to have some good times growing up.”
“But what if something happened to someone out there? You know, like if they got snakebite or something?”
“I didn’t take ’em anyplace dangerous. Just having a little fun is all.” Nolay glanced down at me. “Bones, if you couldn’t have fun in life it would be pretty boring, don’t you think?”
“Yes, sir. I reckon so.” I snuggled in closer to Mama. “Nolay, why is Grandma Spot called Blind Spot?”
“When she was younger, before she lost her sight, she was known as Spotted Cat. I reckon as she aged and her life changed, her name aged right along with her.”
“I wish she could still see.”
“Grandma probably sees more than most people do with two good eyes. She sees from the inside, from her heart.”
I sat and pondered on that. It was sort of the way Mr. Speed saw things, too. I guess him and Grandma Spot had a lot in common.
I looked up at Mama. “Mama, tell me again about how Grandma Spot named
As we drove out of the small village, our relatives, dressedin their traditional multicolored clothes, stood waving goodbye. They looked vibrant and solid, like a patchwork quilt of people.
On the drive back home, I sat in the front seat again, between Nolay and Mama.
I asked Nolay, “Who is Pa-hay-okee?”
“It’s the old Indian name for the Everglades; it means ‘the grassy water.’ ”
“Is it true, is it really dying?”
“It’s hurt, but it ain’t so bad yet that we can’t fix it.”
I looked at Mama and said, “I wish I could live on Cat Island. It’s always so much fun there.”
Mama put her arm around my shoulders and said, “Bones, it’s fun because you’re visiting. If you lived there, it would be like home. You would still have chores to do, and you would still go to school, just like all the kids there do.”
“I reckon so.”
Mama’s fingers found the string necklace hanging around my neck, and she asked, “What is this?”
“It’s a gator tooth. Jimmy Cat gave it to me; he said it was good luck and would keep away bad spirits.”
At that moment, Nolay jerked the Champion into the other lane so hard, it shoved me and Mama into each other.
“Sorry, ladies. I didn’t want to run over that possum crossin’ the road. There’s too many danged things trying to get across the road these days.”
I dangled the alligator tooth in front of Mama. “See, it must work. That was pretty good luck.”
“It was good luck for the possum.”
“Mama, did you know that the possum is a mammal and that there are over four hundred different kinds of mammals that live right here in Florida?”
“I did not know that.”
“Well, it’s true, and the possum is the only one that is kin to the kangaroo. It’s a mar-soupel just like a kangaroo. Kangaroos live in Australia.”
“You mean a marsupial?”
“Yes, ma’am, ’cause it keeps its babies in a pouch just like a kangaroo. And do you know how it gets its babies into its pouch?”
“Do tell.”
“Well, it keeps its babies in its nose and when it’s ready it sticks its nose down in the pouch and sneezes them in there.”
“Good Lord, Bones, did Mr. Speed tell you that?”
“No, ma’am, he told me the part about the four hundred mammals and the kangaroo. Nolay told me about sneezing the babies into the pouch.”
Mama glanced in Nolay’s direction. “Well, isn’t that interesting. And just where did you come up with that sort of information, Nolay?”
“I just might of seen it happen a time or two,” he said.
“Well, the next time you see it happen, please let me know, because I would certainly like to witness such an event.”
I looked up at Nolay and said, “You know, today when I was out with the kids, they told me a story about when you used to live in the village. Johnny Cat said you used to take people out snipe hunting.”
Nolay let out a little chuckle. “We used to have some good times growing up.”
“But what if something happened to someone out there? You know, like if they got snakebite or something?”
“I didn’t take ’em anyplace dangerous. Just having a little fun is all.” Nolay glanced down at me. “Bones, if you couldn’t have fun in life it would be pretty boring, don’t you think?”
“Yes, sir. I reckon so.” I snuggled in closer to Mama. “Nolay, why is Grandma Spot called Blind Spot?”
“When she was younger, before she lost her sight, she was known as Spotted Cat. I reckon as she aged and her life changed, her name aged right along with her.”
“I wish she could still see.”
“Grandma probably sees more than most people do with two good eyes. She sees from the inside, from her heart.”
I sat and pondered on that. It was sort of the way Mr. Speed saw things, too. I guess him and Grandma Spot had a lot in common.
I looked up at Mama. “Mama, tell me again about how Grandma Spot named
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