Tommy - The Trials and Tribulations of a Girl? - Chapter 34

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Tommy
The Trials and Tribulations of a Girl?

A Novel By Teddie S.

Copyright © 2018 Teddie S.
All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 34
Again. Why me?

When Amy and I returned to the resort, we stopped at my aunt and uncle’s house and found my aunt and grandmother there. As we walked in, my grandmother said, “Kai. Ajie. How was your meeting with the Chiefs?”

Amy and I looked at each other. Then Amy looked at my grandmother, put her hands on her hips, and said, “Grandmother Devereux. I think you know how the meeting went. You called me Ajie. And either you were there hiding in the shadows, or someone told you about the meeting.”

“Well, the Chiefs did stop by on there way out of the resort to say hello.”

“And they told you everything.”

“Of course. And you two impressed them.”

“Grandma.”, I said. “Chief Kinlicheeny said that you are an important member of our nation. Just what did he mean.”

“Just that I’m a member of the Navajo Nation. We’re all important.”

“Grandma!”

“Honey.”, my aunt said. “She’s a member of the Council. One of the tribal elders.”

“Grandma. Why didn’t you tell us.”

“It’s not important.”, my grandmother replied.

“I think it’s very important.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

I just shook my head.

“What are you two doing for the rest of the day?”

“I think we’re going to enjoy the thermal pools, have dinner, and then hike up and watch a sunset.”

“Good you two need to relax.”

Relax, we didn’t. As we walked towards our room, we cut through the hotel to see what the dinner special was at the restaurant. A man and woman were walking out of the restaurant and towards us, and he stared at me. The closer they came, the meaner his look became. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was, but I was getting an uneasy feeling about this. A very uneasy feeling.

Then he pointed at me and said in a very loud voice to the woman that was with him, “There’s that faggot that I told you about! The one I heard talking in the restaurant. See he’s wearing a dress, makeup, and I'll bet a wig. Aren’t you fag?”

This situation was becoming confrontational, and it was the last thing that I wanted. Amy whispered, “Ignore him.”

We tried to walk around him, and he physically blocked our way. And I said, “Sir. Please let us pass.”

“Answer my question, fag?”, he yelled.

I saw the woman he was with, probably his wife, look shocked at his actions. Then she said, “Steve. Let's go. Leave her alone.”

“No! This isn’t a girl. These queers need to be taught a lesson.”

He reached for my hair, and I knocked his hand away. Amy screamed, “Leave her alone!”

“Mind your own business! You’re probably one of those lesbians.”

I said as calmly as I could, “Sir. You’re making a big mistake.”

“No, I’m not!”, he yelled.

He grabbed at my wig again, and this time he got a hold of it and pulled it off. And it hurt, as the bobby pins that I used to hold it in place pulled on my real hair.

Then he yelled, “See I told you!”

“Steve. Stop this!”, his wife yelled.

I stood there waiting for him to hit me. But before he could say or do anything else, I heard a deep male voice behind me say, “Sir! You have to stop this.”

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”, the man yelled.

“I’m the room clerk. And we can’t allow this kind of behavior here.”

“Who’s going to stop me.”

The desk clerk, from behind me, took my shoulders in his hands, moved me out of the way, stepped in front of the guy, and said, “I will if I have to. Sir, please walk away.”

As the man said, “Is that so.” He tried to push the room clerk out of the way.

I’ve never seen someone move so fast. The room clerk grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, kick his legs out from under him, and slammed him to the floor.

Amy grabbed and held me.

The man had the wind knocked out of him, and once he could talk again, he screamed, “I’m going to sue you.”

“No, sir. You aren’t.”, the desk clerk said as he pulled something out of his pocket. And as he showed a badge to the man, the desk clerk said, “I’m also a Navajo Nation’s police officer, and you are under arrest for assault and battery against myself and Miss Nez. And I might also charge you with disorderly conduct.”

“I’m an American, and I don’t have to follow your tribal laws.”

“Sir. I’m also an American. And I’m still placing you under arrest.”

Just then my uncle ran up and said to no one in particular, “The room clerk called me and said something was going on and that I’d better get here quick.”

Then my uncle looked at me, as Amy held me and I cried, and asked, “Kai. Are you alright? What happened?”

Even though I was shaking and crying, I told my uncle that I was alright and Amy told him what had happened.

Then my uncle said to the desk clerk, “Shilah. Are you all right?”

“Yes, Mr. Biakeddy. I am.”, the room clerk replied. “I also had the other clerk call the sheriff when this all started. If this guy had just walked away when I first told him to, I would have just let it go, unless Miss Nez had wanted to press charges. But he just wouldn’t let it go. If you get my handcuffs out of my jacket pocket, I’ll get this guy up and into the office.”

My uncle headed towards the registration desk just as my aunt walked up, and asked, “Kai. Honey. Are you all right?”

“I think so, Aunt Ruth.”, I replied.

“What happened?”

Amy told her the story. And my aunt just shook her head.

The man's wife walked over to me, and she was crying. And she said, “I’m so sorry that he did this. I don’t know why he did it. Are they really going to arrest him?”

My aunt said, “I’m afraid so. He assaulted both Kai and the desk clerk.”

“Oh God.”

“Why don’t we go sit over here, and we can talk.”

The four of us walked over to one of the tables and sat. The woman then looked at me and said, “You’re a blond.”

“Yes, he is.”, my aunt said.

“He?”

“Yes, he. He is a special person to the people of the Navajo Nation. He’s a person with two spirits. He has the spirit of a man and a woman in him. And a person with two spirits is highly revered by our people.

“He’s visiting us, and here his female spirit is strong, so he presents himself as a girl. At times like this, he dresses as a girl and can look like a girl. And, he is not a homosexual. In fact, he’s married to a lovely girl. And his people treat him with great respect. Your husband jumped to conclusions and has gotten himself into some trouble.

“And even if Kai hadn’t been a person with two spirits and your husband had done that to him or anyone else, it wouldn’t have been allowed. We accept people for who they are,”

The woman looked at me, and said, “Honey. I am really so sorry that this happened.”

I looked at her, and she was looking very sad. And I said, “I’m sorry that this happened too. I’ve seen this sort of thing happen before and it’s not very pretty. And I hoped that I’d never see it again.”

Just then my uncle walked over with my wig, handed it to me, and asked, “Can I get anyone anything?”

“Not for me, Uncle Paul.”, I replied. “I just want to go to my room and try to relax.”

“Kai. You should probably wait here until a sheriff deputy gets statements from you and Amy. They’re talking to Shilah and the man right now. So it probably won’t be long.”

“Uncle Paul. I’ve never seen anyone move as quickly as Shilah did. Who is he?”

“He retired last year after twenty years in the Marines as a military policeman. And when he came home, the Navajo Nation police department hired him full time, and he also went to work for us part-time. He works registration and is also part of the resort’s security.”

“That explains it.”

“What’s that?”

“How he reacted so quickly to this whole thing.”

I then picked up my wig and said, “Amy. Honey. I need to use the restroom. Come with me.”

Amy went with me to the restroom. I rinsed off and dried my face. Then redid what little makeup I use, put my wig back on, and straightened it as much as I could. Then Amy and I went back out into the lobby.

We walked back over to the table where we’d been sitting. My aunt and uncle were there, but the man’s wife had left. As we sat down, we thanked my uncle for getting us something to drink.

I asked Aunt Ruth, “Where’s the guy's wife?”

“She went to her room to pack.”, Aunt Ruth replied. “She’s going back home as soon as she can.”

“She’s not staying with her husband?”

“She told me that they have been having some problems and had come here to try and reconcile their marriage. And that he blew it when he attacked you.”

“That’s sad.”

“Yes. She said that they have been having problems for a long time and things, like what he did today, have gotten worse over the past year.”

“She was funny in her reaction to how you just walked right into the ladies room. I explained more about Kai and the two spirit people to her. She said that she didn’t completely understand, but that she liked our live and let live attitude towards people.”

Shortly the room clerk, Shilah, and a sheriff's deputy walked up to the table. The first thing I said was, “Shilah. Thank you so much for intervening with that guy. I felt like I was going to get beaten up again.”

“Miss Nez.”, Shilah said. “I saw where his actions were going and I couldn’t let that happen to you or anyone. He was well out of line.”

Then Shilah introduced the deputy to us, and the deputy said, “Miss Nez. We know of your situation of being a person with two spirits, and that you are a man. I’m going to need you to use your legal name and address on your statement.”

“I understand.”, I said. “How far do you see this going?”

“I’m not sure Miss. It could go to trial. Or if he pleads guilty, he could be fined or sentenced to jail.”

“I just feel so sorry for his wife. I hope he gets off with a fine.”

“Yes, Miss. Would you like to go somewhere private so I can take your statement or would you like to do it here?”

“Could we do it here?”

“That would be fine Miss.”

Then the deputy looked at Amy and said, “Miss, I understand that you also witnessed this altercation.”

“Yes, sir.”, Amy replied. “I did.”

“Are you a friend of Miss Nez?”

“I’m his wife.”

“Oh, I see. Would you be willing to fill out a witness statement?”

“Of course.”

As he handed a form to Amy, he said, “Just fill out the top, then explain in your own words what happened, and sign it. And would you please move to another table, and I’ll sit here with Miss Nez and take her statement.”

Amy moved to another table and worked on her statement. And the deputy sat with me, and I told him my story, which he wrote on a statement form. Then he had me read and sign it. I signed as Thomas Bly Young.

As the deputy was getting up, he said, “Even though I know Naainish Yazzie, this is the first time that I’ve had official contact with a person with two spirits. You’re an interesting person.”

“Thank you, sir.”, I replied. “I wish I could say that this was my first official contact with the police.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I was jumped by a bunch of guys on the college campus where I go and badly beaten.”

“Were you dressed like a girl?”

“No. I was Tom, and I was just walking to my car, and they picked me at random. And they did call me all kinds of names.”

“Yeah.”, Amy added as she handed the officer her form. “He had to have surgery, and spent some time in the hospital.”

“Did they ever catch them?”, the officer asked.

“Yes.”, I replied. “They gave each other up once they were confronted with the evidence against them.”

“Good. And I think I have everything I need from you folks. So I’ll let you get back to your day. And I hope your day gets better.”

The deputy left, I looked at the time, and said, “Well that took care of relaxing in the pools.”

Amy said, “We could always go and sit in the soaking tub before dinner. And then do the pools after watching a sunset.”

My aunt smiled and said, “That might do both of you some good. Why don’t you do that and then meet us in the restaurant for dinner on us.”

“Aunt Ruth. You’ve done enough.”

“Please. I know it’ll help make your Uncle Paul and me feel better about this.”

“Okay. We’ll see you at seven.”

Amy and I went to our room, and as we walked in, I turned, wrapped my arms around her, and started to tremble and cry on her shoulder like a little girl. Amy just held me.

It took me a while to calm down, but I finally did. I stopped crying, and Amy asked, “Honey. Are you all right?”

“I ... I think that what happened, or all most happened, just hit me. I had a flashback to when I was beaten up, and it scared me.”

“I know honey. That guy was terrible. But you had some good support.”

“If Shilah hadn’t been there I’d probably have been beaten up again.”

“I would hope that guy had enough control not to hit you.”

“Did you see his eyes?”

“Yeah. He had a really angry look about him.”

“Something I don’t want to ever see again.”

“Me either.”

“Let's get in the tub. I need to relax.”

With a sly smile, Amy said, “Me too. And I bet I can help you take your mind off of all of this.”

Between relaxing in the tub and other things, we were almost late to dinner. Amy, or should I say Ajie, and I walked into the restaurant right at seven. We were both dressed as we were for the meeting earlier today, long skirts, fancy blouses, and moccasins, but we added a little jewelry for tonight. Amy had done her hair in a ponytail. My hair was still in the braids. Both of us wore the beaded chokers that we had been given to indicate membership in my grandmother's clan. And speaking of grandma, she was sitting there with my aunt and uncle.

As we walked up to the table, Uncle Paul stood and helped us with our chairs. Then grandma said, “I hear that there was a little excitement today.”

“More than a little as far as I was concerned.”, I said.

“Are you all right, honey?”

“I think. I’m going to have to watch who’s around when I talk about Kai and Tom.”

“Might be a good idea.”, my uncle said.

“I thought you could sense things about people?”, my aunt asked.

“Sometimes I can when meeting people. But I didn’t meet him or remember ever seeing him here in the restaurant. Maybe he was sitting near us when I was talking to Patty and Ralph.”

“Well, it’s over with.”

“I hope.”

We had a lovely dinner and were eating a little dessert when my aunt said, “Kids. Do you really have to be back home on Monday?”

“No.”, Amy replied. “We don’t have anything planned until school starts in September. Why?”

“We’d like you to stay another couple of days as our guests.”

I thought that would be great, but after today I just wanted to go home. So, I said, “Aunt Ruth. That would be wonderful, but we can’t do that. We stayed here as your guests that week we were here when grandma was in the hospital. You can’t do that again.”

“But we can, and we’d like to make up for today.”

“Today wasn’t your fault. So no.”

“What if I offered?”, my grandmother said.

“Grandma. No! The three of you have done so much for us already. We can’t accept it.”

“Ruthie.”, grandma said, “I think Kai has her mind made up.”

“I think you’re right mom.”, my Aunt Ruth said.

With a grin, my uncle said, “Maybe we could kidnap them. I know of a remote cabin in the mountains where no one would find them.”

I looked at my uncle in a way that told him that I didn’t think his idea was funny.

Then my aunt said, “Paul, I think that someone didn’t think that your idea was funny.”

“I got that feeling too.”, my uncle said quietly.

I then looked at my uncle with a sly smile, and said, “Now, if the cabin had a nice soaking tub, like what is in our room, was well stocked with food, and had a great view then we might go along.”

My uncle looked at me, shook his head, and said, “The food and view we could do. But not the soaking tub.”

"Well, I guess that lets us out."

Amy and I took a walk up to the top of the cliff to watch the sunset, and as usual, there were other people there doing the same thing that we were.

One couple walked over to us, and the woman said, “Excuse me.”

I looked at them and said, “Yes.”

“We witnessed the altercation in the lobby, and wanted to see if you were all right.”

“Thank you. We’re fine.”

“That guy was so out of line.”

“Yes, he was.”

“As long as you’re not hurt.”

“Not physically.”

"Good."

And they walked away.

Amy whispered, “What did you mean by not physically?”

“Honey. I’m scared. I can see this happening again. And both of us getting hurt. Me I don’t care about so much, but you. … ”

Amy just looked at me for a couple of seconds, then said, “I’m worried about you. And I want to hug you so bad right now. But I don’t want to upset anyone that’s here.”

“Upset them?”

“Seeing two girls hug like I want to hug you.”

“Oh.”

I took Amy’s hand, and we walked away from the group of people and to a large group of boulders that hid us from the group. And I asked, “Will this do.”

Amy didn’t reply, but took me in her arms and hugged me like there was no tomorrow. And I returned the hug. Then we kissed like two lovers. When we broke the kiss, I said, “I guess this spot will do.”

Amy smiled, and said, “Really any spot will do as long as I’m with you. But this spot is perfect.”

We kissed again. Then as we walked back to watch the sunset with everyone else, we saw two women look at us and smile. Amy whispered, “Do you think they know what we did?”

I looked at the couple, they both appeared to be Navajo. I smiled at them, and whispered to Amy, “Yeah. I think they do. I thought we were out of site of everyone.”

“I did too. But I guess not.”

We then stood there and watched another fantastic Southwestern sunset. Then as we were walking back down off the cliff, we happened to walk past the two women that had smiled at us, and one of the women whispered, “You two make a cute couple.”

Amy and I both smiled at her.

~o~O~o~

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Comments

Good Chapter

littlerocksilver's picture

I'm sorry it had to come to this for Kai and Amy, but it was bound to happen. I think there are going to have to be some hard decisions made soon. Maybe this is fantasy, maybe it isn't; however, I do wonder how strong the spiritual world is in this particular universe. I felt the story might have been wallowing a bit, but it certainly picked up in this chapter. Hugs.

Portia

Wallowing?

Wallowing?

Hmm. More action? More...?

I agree with what Kai said

I agree with what Kai said regarding telling others about herself anywhere near where others can overhear. Right now, as far as it goes in New Mexico, I would believe that anyone who needs to know now does, so the times when Kai and Ajie are there, strictly female is the norm.
Then Tom (Tammy) and Amy can work on how they deal with it back in their hometown.
Glad the Counter Clerk was a trained police officer and dealt with the very obnoxious man in a rapid and decisive manner.
I have yet to understand how some people believe that how others live seems to affect their own lives; especially when and if they a) don't know that person; and b) how that person lives is not going to rub off on them or force them to live the same way.
Being on Tribal Lands, his arrest can be handled both by the Tribal Justice System, OR it can also be handled in both the Federal System (if there is a contractual agree in force, as well as local jurisdiction Justice system (City or County or State); again if there is a contractual agreement in effect. A Police Department I worked in, had such a contractual agreement with the local Native American Tribe that was located within the boundaries of the City; and the rest of the Tribal lands that were outside the City limits were handled by the County.
This particular Tribe did not have either their own Police Force or Court system. About 20 miles away, another Tribal Nation did have their own Police and Courts, yet they also had a Contractual agreement with the local County.
So the man could be staring at a sentence containing a Civil Rights issue, a Race Hatred issue, on top of his assault charges, and other charges.

From what I've been reading

From what I've been reading the interaction between Tribal, Federal, and local law enforcement can be interesting.

Oklahoma has problems

With tribal lawvs. state/federal law. It isn't pretty. People have gotten away with rape due to the legal cracks it causes.Even now many native Americans find themselves second class citizens.

Assault, Battery and Hate Crimes

When looking at the comments, I have to remind myself that the events in the story took place around 1965 or 1966, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was fairly new. The law has progressed since that time (but, in my opinion, not enough.) I don't know if Hate Crimes were legally acknowledged at that time.

What happened was an assault and a battery under the law in most jurisdictions. An assault need only be a threat which causes the threatened person to fear receiving a battery. A battery is any unauthorized touching. Both are crimes and torts.

However interesting the legal aspects of the incident may be, I am more interested in what Teddie is going to make of it. I expect that something more will be made of it in future chapters, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Great chapter! Keep up the good work.

Pentatonic

I could see that on Monday

I could see that on Monday morning when the tribal legal office opened that they chose to take back the case from the county and in tribal court find him guilty of the assaults and battery, and that he will be sentenced to 1 year in tribal jail and $500 fine half of which goes to the education fund and he repays all legal costs and his jail costs.

Since the property they are

Since the property they are on is just outside the reservation it's the county's problem. That's why the sheriff was called.

Being physically assaulted...

...and verbally is like being violated where it hits mentally and spiritually. What I'm saying is more than a religious statement. It intrudes to one's being comfortable even in one's own space in the fullest sense of the word.
This beautiful story is partially beautiful because it gives an honest portrayal of what can happen. People should realize the Ajie is also hurt by all this.
Kai is fortunate to have so many who support her being.

Hugs, Jessie C

Jessica E. Connors

Jessica Connors

Arrogance rared it's ugly head

Jamie Lee's picture

The wife explaining about their troubled marriage explains only the surface reason that man decided he had the right to interfere in someone else's life.

Kai had never met that man or he her, but for some reason he instantly hated her. For him to react as he did he had to have experienced something similar in his recent past. Perhaps he has a brother, or close friend, who came out in the past year; his wife did say he got worse in the past year. If he has experienced someone close to him coming out, then seeing Kai could have been the last straw and he snapped.

Still, Kai didn't insert herself into his life in any way. She didn't try to convince him in any way about how she presented at that moment. She remained humble, asking that man to let them pass.

That man made another mistake in thinking he could act however he felt. That he had the RIGHT to act as he felt. That he didn't owe that owners of the lodge any respect. That when told to stop he felt he was above any warning given. Now he's arrested for assault and battery, and likely attacking a law officer and resisting arrest. He made a common mistake in thinking he had better skills than the person standing between him and his target.

This was very hard on Amy and Kai, but perhaps necessary as a reminder of those who took exception to those who didn't live as they thought all people should. It might also be a reminder that Tom still needs to deal with the beating he received at University.

Others have feelings too.