He picked up this indian once. Yeah, it was a long ride and he needed some company. This Indian, dressed like a pale face and was headed for LA, like right now, for some particular reason, but they bonded somewhat, so they chose to slow down and enjoy the land some.
Arches NP in Utah had captured their attention, the colors, the sun dance, the dry pure air, the grass. They spent a few days and nights, walking, talking, reading, writing, eating and sleeping. His black dog spent the majority of the time between the rocks.
On one particular moment, as they scaled the natural rock steps leading to nowhere, he saw the obvious colors of a rattler tucked under a flat rock. This other dude, reacting quickly, but with a composure that can only be gained from experience, eased the great snake out from the rock cover with a stick that looked much like a divining rod. The stick was passed to this newbie Midwesterner, with instructions to hold it up in the air, evidently limiting the striking capability of this 6’ long, 4” thick creature. Yeah…..right.
Grabbing the neck, just below the poised head from behind in one quick smooth motion, this Maricopa Indian drove his large blade deep into the spine, and within minutes the snake was motionless. No sense of triumph emerged, in fact, the Indian was gone back to the campsite immediately to
clean and preserve the catch.
He just sat on the rock contemplating the recent unexpected series of events.
Later, eating snake (like chicken, eh?) and holding the rattle sack pouch he was given as a gift, he asked the Indian why? “Hmmm…..why do you ask why?”
