Luci Tapahonso
- Sometimes
this middle of the road business
is hard to take. - Last week in Gallup,
I was in line at Foodway
one checkstand open and
a long line of Navajos waiting
money and foodstamps in hand
waiting to buy food and pop. - My turn and I fumble
dropping the change
Sorry, I say, sorry
The cashier looks up smiling
first smile in 20 minutes of Navajo customers
Oh--that's okay. Are you Navajo?
I swear, you don't have an accent at all! - She's friendly too quick and I am uneasy.
I say to the people behind me
Ha' 'at'ii sha'ni?
Why is she saying that to me?
We laugh a little under our breaths
and with that
I am another Navajo
she doesn't greet or thank. - My change is dropped in front of me
and we are not surprised by that. - Merle Norman offers a free make-up job
just the thing for a new look
I say to myself and stop in
for an appointment.For 15 minutes, I wait for a saleslady
then I ask for an appointment outright.
Just a moment, she says,
someone will be with you shortly. - I wait some more while the salesladies
talk about a great hairdresser,
General Hospital and Liz Taylor. - So I just leave, shortly is too long,
seeing as I'm the only customer in the place. -
I guess I can do without a new look
but this kind of business
sure gets hard to take.
From Seasonal Woman by Luci Tapahonso, Tooth of Time Books.
© 1982 by Luci Tapahonso
Books by Luci Tapahonso
- A Breeze Swept Through, Univ. New Mexico Press.
- Sáanii Dahataal: The Women Are Singing, Univ. Arizona Press.
- Blue Horses Rush In, Univ. Arizona Press. (Hardcover)
- Children's Books
- Navajo ABC: A Diné Alphabet Book, Eleanor Schick (Illustrator), Aladdin. (Hardcover)
- Songs of Shiprock Fair, Anthony Chee Emerson (Illustrator), Kiva Pub.
- Sáanii Dahataal: The Women Are Singing, Univ. Arizona Press.
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