Chapter 8

Joseph bent down and picked up the small box, about the size of a hand and about three fingers wide. He went to the old chair and sat down, listening to the poor furniture creak. Before opening it, Joseph noticed how it had some symbols carved into the lid as well as on the sides. Joseph's grandmother was a native, from the Pine Ridge Reservation, and though she avoided talking about it much, he could make out some of those carvings.

He lifted the lid and saw a few items inside, and one of them caught his eyes. The braided leather key ring his father showed him a few years ago. They were very similar, but Joseph knew they couldn't be the same, after all, how could that be possible? There was also a necklace with a pendant similar to an animal's tooth, as well as a red ribbon. Suddenly, tiredness sets in and Joseph feels heavy eyes again, as when he was driving. He looked at the dusty bed and thought there was no other way. He dusted it off and, before going to 'bed', he observed through the glass of the only window, how the situation was in the blizzard outside and, confirming that there has been no improvement, so he decided to take a nap before venturing back to the car.

Joseph began to wake up as he heard his name being called. He opened his eyes, still groggy, and lookd around. He was alone, so he understood that he could only had been dreaming, although he heard, albeit distantly, a female voice. He stretched and felt his whole body aching. Sleeping on that uneven mattress was not a good idea. He thought he should have slept straight on the floor, after all. When he finally woke up a little more, he realized that the cabin was better lit, indicating that day had already broken.

He got up and went to the window, taking a look before opening the door. Concluding that the day was calm. He grabbed the coat he probably took off during the night and headed out to his car. Joseph was never a very observant man, so he completely ignored some snow-covered totems. He just wanted to get to his destination soon. Unfortunately, he would not have lunch with his son, as he had promised to the boy.

The car was not completely covered in snow, as the sun had already melted a good part of that white cloud and now, he would only need to dig a little, even with his hands, to free the car and finally be able to get back on the road. After at least an hour of work, Joseph gotinto the vehicle and started the car engine. He scoured the radio for some good music, but all he could find were these modern tunes, like 'Hey Jude' by The Beetles. It wasn't unpleasant to the point he could not listen to it, but he couldn't bear to hear the same litany any longer.

He drove for a few miles, and he was getting nervous as there wasn't even a single gas station nearby, or restaurant, cafeteria, anything, but snow and asphalt. His belly was already growling louder than the music playing on the radio, but what could he do? The nearly full tank he'd left home with and the galloon he had wouldn't last forever, he needed a damn gas station, or he'd be on the road, depending on a good soul to help him. For the movement of the road, he would wait forever, for not a car or truck has passed him since he left the cabin.

The weather started to get darker again, which indicated that it would probably snow soon. He glanced at the car's dashboard meter and yes, in less than an hour he would be more than screwed. He began to regret not having taken a damn plane, but he wanted to save and now he would be stuck on the road, alone, in the cold and hungry for being such a cheapskate. He remembered how Martha used to get mad, about to die, when he usually came up with his famous cheap catchphrases.

"For God's sake man, just pay for the balloons once and let's get out of here!" She said, when they were looking for balloons for Harry's birthday party, but Joseph was reluctant to pay two dollars.

"Talk is cheap honey. If we spend all that money on balloons, how the hell are we going to pay for the rest of the party?" He argued, to which the wife just rolled her eyes, pulled the money out of her own pocket, and paid the store clerk, apologizing and practically dragging Joseph out of there.

"How many times do I have to ask you to stop being such a cheapskate, Joseph? It's your child's party, and it only happens once a year! A few cents won't stop us from buying the rest of the stuff." She said angrily, walking ahead, not looking at him.

"Once a year, every year!" He snapped, whereupon she just shot him a death glare and continued walking. Joseph swallowed hard and thought it best not to say any more.

Remembering that, he laughed. These cents were not really needed at the time and to buy the food and other decorations, in addition to the boy's gift, but they cost much more: Joseph's wedding. Martha filed for divorce five years later, claiming she couldn't stand having to live with an absentee husband who was unable to at least buy a wedding present without using penny coupons, and almost crying not to spend more than fifteen dollars, always with the excuse of saving money for later. For both of them, this later never came, he thought bitterly. Now, she was celebrating everything she couldn't with him alongside Carl, her new husband. He couldn't even hate the guy, for Carl was a good man.

The car began to weaken, and Joseph tapped the steering wheel a few times.

"C'mon! Hold on a little longer, beauty!" But the car didn't seem to care about Joseph's whimpered, coming to a complete stop a few feet later. "Shit!" he yelled, getting out of the vehicle and slamming the door, but not too hard. The car was new and he worked too hard to buy that steel girl.

He looked for some debris, such as branches and stones along the side of the road, in order to signal that his car was parked there and avoid accidents. Returning to the vehicle, he leaned back and waited. Night was coming early, after all, it was winter, and he saw a woman walking towards him. After a few minutes, he realized it was a lady, with long braids and dark skin. A native, for sure. She walked past him and gave him a critical look, looking back straight ahead.

"Hey ma'am!" Joseph yelled, going after her. She didn't stop walking, she just slowed her steps. "Could you tell me if there are any stores down this road, or gas station, restaurant? My car stalled."

She didn't say anything, just shook her head and shoulders, indicating that she didn't know any, or, that she didn't understand what he was talking about. Joseph ran his hands through his short, dark hair. When he stopped walking and was turning to go back to his car, the woman stopped walking and just pointed into the snow. He followed her finger and saw what appeared to be some kind of building, only a little way off the road. She started walking again and Joseph thanked her and decided to go where she had indicated. Probably someone there could help him.