“One never knows what paths you may cross.”
I moved into the bigger tent, woke up and noticed Jesse was out and up. I do love my sleep. As i woke and unzipped the tent, a car pulls up!
I come out of the tent, and a black jeep was stopped up at the front camp to see if they needed food. She asks me, Hey do you need a ride to Bismark, I'm headed up there?
Oh Boy! what a chance! the forty minute drive would be beneficial.
Nancy and I, we got aquainted. This woman was from New Jersey. She is an encouraging person. She looked at me with an eye of curiosity. I wasn't sure what I should be thinking, I wasn't apt to be socail. Only because I just wan't to listen. Being here took my perspective to observe rather than take acomming attention.
She spoke about her pacific heritage, being from Tailand and the Philipines.
"I have a culture too, my kids are moved out and now is my time to travel the world like i've always wanted to do. I came here to support the natives traditions. I myself am a minority and being in New Jersey I understand the fight for recognition." she chuckels, "although i keep quiet to myself mostly."
I guess after ten minutes I should say something,
" I'm here to share the message of unity, to bring about the message of peace to those who do not know what's going on. There are so much wrong information out there about Standing Rock and there are people who just want to sabotage the truth. I just want to walk up to those officers and hug them, give them a sense of peace to open their eyes with their hearts and see what we see. I want to see them take camp with us and enjoy the life we live."
"Honey, listen," she says sternally with a sense of relation.
"You cannot make anyone see what that don't want to see for thems elves. You must remember that those people are being paid, they have given themselves up for service of the military, and the government pays them so they can support their family and their homes. When they go home at night, they still have their police mentality, even after they drop their utility belt. They are living the life they only know how to survive."
"But I know this, I just want to do something about it!"
"Then you have to learn that you can only take care of yourself on whatever journey you choose. You DESERVE to be happy. I see your saddness, you're a sad person and that's okay. Just love yourself in what you do and it will all be okay."
As my eyes water. I'm sad because I care. We hug as we both depart, her to the main camp and me to the van. Thank you Nancy, for the laughs, tears, questions, and silence.
Be well Blue Jacob.
I come back to the van and there was some cedar by our car. Thankful for the cedar, I ask myself, do they think we are bad people? Just yesterday this guy asked if we were the feds. HA! we are not the feds. we're just a bunch of hippies.
Oh hey what do you know, a man with a couple friends, David and Mike - from detroit. I was happy to hear that he was here to take a look at our car. This man had a white beard, a purple french cap, a slight limp from his left leg, and goes by the name of Fiddling Big Al - He looked like Dick Van Dike and sounded like him too! I didn't mention it as i assume that he may have heard that before.
"Well, .....let's see what we have there."
He said with confidence and a voice scratchy, elderly, pleasant, and almost sweet to the ears.
so we tell him what happened. The battery, the jump, the fuse box, a random wire, some broken plastic..... and the fact of going into town the previous day to check the battery from walmart with Nancy. Seems the battery was good according to the shops measurements.
Nothing more could be done with the van so we headed south to the Main Camp. I brought fried chicken from Bismark to the camp because I have the resources to, It was on sale and I figured bring what I can. Elliot wanted some for his dog and the rest went to the table to be served as we dished out lunch or dinner, i'm not sure - It was eating time tho...