McKean S02 Blood Tide (4 page)

We stood in silent contemplation until the old man said, “Look at Muddy Island, over there. White men cut it in half, shrank it, polluted it, gave it a white man’s name, Kellogg Island. Treated it just like they treated the Duwamish people. We’re a little polluted island of Indians in a white man’s world nowadays. New things like freeway bridges and Microsoft computers and Boeing airplanes and Amazon books go right over our heads.”

“I’m sorry,” McKean consoled. “You strike me as one who could benefit from leaving here for a reservation where you’d be better accommodated.”

The old man laughed and answered McKean with a question. “Why don’t you leave Seattle and go live some other place?”

For once, McKean seemed at a loss for words. After a moment’s thought he said, “I get your point.”

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me,” George went on. “You see, the old ways aren’t all dead yet. The river still snakes past here like A’yahos. It goes this way and that with the tide,” he made slithering motions with a hand. “Billy proved A’yahos’ medicine is still strong. Now, President Bush, he took his pen and wiped us Duwamish people off the map but we’re still here and there’s another president. A’yahos knows better than presidents. The tide will turn again.”