Blue Coyote Motel (10 page)

Now that the center was open, the children could be treated by a member of their own tribe and if a child needed to be hospitalized, there were several rooms fitted out for short hospital-like stays at the center. Nothing that could help the healing process had been spared. The equipment was the most modern and sophisticated available, thanks to the ample funds generated by the casino's earnings.

Phyllis had straight, shoulder-length, dark brown hair, which surrounded a heart-shaped face with flawless skin. Soft, liquid brown eyes with long black eyelashes looked out under thick, black winged brows. Long legs and a body built for physical work reflected the genes of the female Native American from olden times. She was a strong, beautiful woman, greatly respected by the tribe. Many of the young men in the tribe had been attracted to her, but none had succeeded in gaining her attention. Her standards were high and she had seen what alcoholism and dysfunction could do to tribal families.

She was well aware that the $30,000 monthly allotment each tribal member received from the casino revenues had killed whatever ambition many of them might have had to work or further their education. Even though the tribe paid for the higher education of its members, very few took advantage of the offer. Phyllis valued her free education and was sorry that others weren't doing the same. She was the first tribal member to leave the reservation to obtain an undergraduate degree fully funded from the casino that opened just as she graduated from high school. She often wondered what would have happened to her if her education hadn't been provided by the tribe. Phyllis knew her parents couldn't afford to send her to college and she knew she probably would have ended up like so many of the other men and women of her age, lots of children and days marked by trips to the store to buy alcohol.

She was also aware that she could pick and choose among the male members of the hospital staff in Phoenix. It was not for lack of invitations that she stayed home and led a rather quiet life; she just didn't find any of the men she met particularly interesting. Her heart was still on the reservation and she was gradually coming to the realization that she was fated to be a spinster and just enjoy her nieces and nephews.

On one of her visits back to the reservation, her father asked her to come with him, as he wanted her to see the new pediatric center. She treasured her time with her father who was getting up in years. She knew that he wouldn't always be there when she returned home for a visit. Her mother had passed away several years earlier and it still hurt to come back to the small doublewide trailer and not see her mother patting out the fry bread for Phyllis' welcome home dinner.

They slowly made their way up the long walkway that led to the center. Her father had trouble walking after being thrown by his horse many years ago. Without the proper medical care, his broken leg had not healed properly and his limp was very pronounced. Even so, he still kept a couple of horses, as did many of the tribe's members.

The center was just as colorful on the outside as it was on the inside. It had opened a few weeks earlier and most of the kinks typical of a new building had been worked out. Phyllis was thrilled with what she saw. She knew that many future generations of children would benefit from the center. With healthier bodies, she was hopeful that the young people would resist the readily available alcohol and drugs. There was a strong anti-alcohol anti-drug program in the newly built school and if this generation could buck the addictions of the previous generations, there was a strong possibility that these young people could achieve the greatness of their tribal ancestors. The future for the tribe's young people looked particularly hopeful, thanks to the revenues provided by the casino.

As they rounded a corner, preparing to go into the hospital section of the center, they almost collided with Sam and one of his nurses. "Phyllis, is that you?" Sam asked. "How wonderful to see you! It's been what, eight years or so?"

As he spoke, he apprised the young woman in front of him and thought how beautiful she was. She was probably married with several children, although he hadn't seen her on the reservation. Then he remembered someone had told him she lived and worked in Phoenix. Sam thought she'd probably left the reservation long ago, mentally and emotionally.

Phyllis told him she had just arrived for a short visit with her father.  He then vaguely recalled hearing that she had gone to school at the University of New Mexico and taken a job at a hospital in Phoenix. He also remembered that she had been the first young person to make use of the tribe's offer of a free education.

She recognized Sam from years earlier. Bedzil had told her that one of the tribal members had become a pediatrician and was coming back to the reservation to practice medicine. He also had told her that Strong Medicine had taken Sam under his wing, preparing him in the ways of the medicine man. She hadn't paid much attention, as Sam was a little older than she was and their paths had rarely crossed.

As Sam gazed at Phyllis, seemingly struck by her beauty, an idea occurred to him. "Didn't you get a degree in Medical Management? What are you doing these days?"

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other. Congratulations on opening this beautiful and much needed pediatric center. And to answer your questions, yes, I did get a degree in Medical Management and I'm working at a hospital in Phoenix."

The nurse accompanying Sam turned to him and said, "Doctor, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're running way behind schedule. At this rate, we won't finish until late tonight. Please, you're needed right away in Room 2."

"Sorry," Sam said. "I never should have agreed to be both the center's director as well as the only staff physician. I just run from one to the other, never spending enough time at either. It’s been good seeing you. How long will you be here?"

Phyllis smiled. "I'll be here for the rest of the week. I'm staying at my father's home, just down the road. The center is wonderful and long overdue. You're to be congratulated."

Sam hurried to Room 2, waving good-bye as he entered the room. Phyllis turned to her father, "Dad, how long has Sam been back? I thought the center was only recently opened."

"He returned a few weeks ago. He's a good man.

He completed his vision quest and will be the tribe's new medicine man when Strong Medicine decides it's time. I like him and the children need someone they can trust. It's so much better for them to be treated here, rather than in Blythe. Before the casino money came to the tribe's rescue, I know of many children whose parents just couldn't afford to make the trip and the children suffered. Come, let's go home. It's time for lunch."

It was late when Sam finished with his last patient. He was scheduled to meet Strong Medicine after work and Sam hurried to his home to continue his studies with the medicine man. "Sam, you are very late. It makes it hard to teach you the ways of the ancient ones when you work such long hours. What happened to cause you to be so late?"

Sam sat down and turned to him. "I don't know how much longer I can do this. I know it's only been a few weeks, but it's getting worse by the day as the practice grows. I can't be both the director of the center and at the same time, the only doctor on the staff. I must have been crazy to have thought I could do both jobs at the same time. However, I have an idea which would solve the problem. Today, Phyllis Chee and her father came to the center to look at it. She's visiting from Phoenix, where she works for a hospital. She graduated with a degree in Medical Management. I don't know much about her, but wouldn't it be great if she could be the director and I would be free to fully devote myself to the children as well as to your teachings?

"I don't know if she would even be interested and the Council would have to approve it. I'm sure she would demand a sizable salary. What do you think?"

Sam hoped that Strong Medicine would agree with him. He found himself hoping even more that the beautiful young woman was unmarried and would be interested in the job. He didn't think he'd seen a wedding ring on her finger.

Strong Medicine looked at Sam. "My son, one of the things that I have taught you is that there are no mistakes. Phyllis came to the center at the moment you were overwhelmed with work. Do you think that was a coincidence? Of course not. The Great Spirit put her there to help you. I will convince the Council that this is necessary and hopefully, she will soon be our new director. All things happen for a reason. Learn from this."

Strong Medicine acted quickly. The next morning, he called an emergency meeting of the Tribal Council and proposed that Phyllis Chee be offered the job as director of the pediatric center, starting immediately. He explained how Sam needed to be able to devote himself to his patients and the teachings he was learning from Strong Medicine. Strong Medicine told the Council that he felt his own time on earth was coming to an end and soon he would be joining their ancestors. He needed to finish his teachings with Sam and he couldn't do it if Sam was working late at the clinic and too tired to continue learning the ancient ways. Strong Medicine was eloquent in his presentation. The Council immediately approved his request to offer the job of director of the pediatric center to Phyllis. As soon as they voted, Strong Medicine called Sam and told him. At lunchtime, the two of them walked over to the see Phyllis and her father.

Phyllis answered the knock on the door. "Please come in. This is a welcome surprise. Strong Medicine, it's good to see you. It's been too long." She walked to the back of the trailer and called out, "Father, we have guests. Dr. Sam and Strong Medicine are here."

They sat down in the small living room. Even though Phyllis’ father received over $300,000 annually, he had never bothered to replace the brownish-grey threadbare sofa and chairs or the worn living room rug. Everything was as it had been when his wife was alive. She died shortly after the casino was built. The doublewide had a feeling of a time gone by, a place lost to memories.

When Phyllis returned to the front room with her father, Strong Medicine began to speak. "Phyllis, the reservation is your home even though you have been a part of the western world for many years, first when you were in college and then with your work at the hospital in Phoenix. This morning I called a special meeting of the Tribal Council and they would like to offer you the job of director of the pediatric center. Sam has too much work to do. He can't be a doctor, a director, and a medicine man-in-training. It's too much. We want you to be the director. You would work with Sam, but running the center would be entirely your responsibility. If you agree, we would like you to start as soon as possible."

Strong Medicine looked closely at Phyllis, who was clearly stunned by the offer. Obviously, she had never even considered the possibility of becoming the director of the pediatric center. She and her father had taken a tour of it simply because her father knew that anything related to medicine interested her. Phyllis wished she could answer immediately, but first she needed to make phone calls.

"Would you give me a couple of days? I need to talk to some people and think about this. I am truly honored you would consider me for the position and I will get back to you no later than day after tomorrow. Will that be all right?" Phyllis asked.

Sam turned to her and spoke softly. "I think we would work well together. It's a chance for both of us to help our tribe, our people. Please think seriously about this. I really hope that you'll accept the position."

She looked at the earnest plea in Sam's eyes and realized not only how dedicated he was to his people and his medicine, but also how very attractive he was, something that she had never previously considered. Her eyes slid down to his wedding ring finger. There was no ring. She knew she would take the position. It was just a matter of arranging a few things.

As Sam and Strong Medicine stood at the front door of the run-down trailer getting ready to leave, Strong Medicine suddenly turned to Phyllis and placed his hands on each side of her face and said, "My child, it's time for you to come home. Your people need you."

The next morning when Sam arrived at the clinic, he was amazed to see Phyllis waiting for him at the locked front door. She turned to him, gracing him with a smile that radiated warmth. "Please show me my new office. I resigned from the hospital yesterday. I offered to give two weeks' notice, but they generously told me if I would give up my two weeks' severance pay, I could start here at the center immediately, so here I am. I do have a few loose ends that I have to tie up in Phoenix. I'll go there this weekend to pack up the things in my apartment. I've also given notice there. The apartment manager was very gracious about it. She said there was a waiting list and she could rent it immediately. It's rather amazing how it all worked out, don't you think?" Phyllis asked.

Sam thought of Strong Medicine and how he had told Sam there were no coincidences. Clearly, he had much to learn from this wise old man. Sam vowed to speed up his teachings with Strong Medicine. They were very important and he was looking forward to it. He was also looking forward to working with this attractive, intelligent young woman. "Where will you live?" Sam asked. "I hope it's fairly close to the center, as emergencies do happen."

Phyllis replied, "When I drove onto the reservation yesterday, I noticed that there were some condos being built just down the road. I was surprised, as I don't remember ever seeing any building of that type on the reservation before. Yesterday, after I talked to you and Strong Medicine, I bought one. It will be finished in a few weeks. My father's trailer is too small for me to live there for very long and quite frankly, I find it sort of depressing. My mother had a way of making everything bright and cheery. My father misses her so much that the trailer has become a shrine to her. I need to be surrounded by things that represent happiness, actually something like what you've done here at the center. Everything just seemed to work out. I still can't believe it. Let's get started."