Native American Indian Pride (contest)

                                Native American Indian Pride
                                        (contest)(1,171 words)


  Poised prominently among the trees and bushes was a Native American Indian, standing tall in his full feathered head dress, beads and buckskin.  He is surrounded by the beauty of mother Earth all around him; the greens, whites, yellows and reds of Nature’s splendor creating a canvas which any artist would marvel at with both pride and dignity.
   
    Beyond this beauty, a few feet away the landscape is littered with trash thrown from passing cars.  He stares, transfixed on the spoiled setting, as a single tear runs down his cheek. 
   
    Breaking the intensity of the moment, a red cup sails through the air in his direction, crashes to the ground and rolls to his feet.  He watches the car speeding away and remembers the words of his ancestors, Young brave, the land gives you life, and you in turn must respect it and care for the land as you tend to your family.... As the words of his forefathers play in his head, the sorrow turns to anger and the building rage in his heart reverberates through the forest.  Chattering birds are suddenly silent....  The trees, plants and land shook violently as if venting frustration.
   
    The young Burt didn’t give a hoot about anybody but himself as he drove along; his long brown hair waved in the wind, totally unaware of what he may have just begun.  Only thinking about how he could impress this girl he knows Tonya, who didn’t seem interested in him whatsoever.  She was everything he had pictured in a woman and more, she had the looks, intelligence and personality.   
   
    Arriving at his complex; nonchalantly nearing his apartment, he noticed a paper on the door.  Curious he slowly approached the mysterious parchment, “nah-dv-ga na-s-gi gu-a-sa-ta a-lu-li e-lo-hi.”  This of course didn’t help his confusion, trying to figure out the meaning.  Then disregarding it just as quickly, thinking it was some kids. 
   
    Yet he still was concerned as he slowly opened his door to a devastating sight and smell which shook him to his core, closing his eyes tightly, and hoping it was some dream.  Upon reopening his eyes, he found garbage piled as far as the eye could see.  Shocked he was trying to figure out what happened to his place and who could have done this.  Granted his apartment was never immaculate but never anything such as this.  He had to fight back his emotions to keep from crying or screaming bloody murder. 

    Pausing and then stepping out into the hallway to reexamine the note, maybe seeing something he missed.  Still misunderstanding the note, he put it in his pocket.  Noticing an American Indian standing in the hall, Burt abruptly asked, “Did you happen to see anyone by this door?”  The Indian merely said, “ne-hi gu-a-sa-ta a-lu-li E-lo-hi.”  Then simply walked away, Burt never realized he said you trash mother Earth.  Burt watched until he lost him and he didn’t know what to make of this stranger.  He wondered if he had something to do with it all, but he didn’t have time to worry.  Turning back to the task at hand, he had much work to do. 
   
    Besides the overwhelming quantity of garbage, the smell was awful and brought tears to his eyes.  While stooping over to pick up some garbage, he felt a hand shove him from behind, crashing down head first into the garbage.  Standing up quickly with a banana peel hanging from his arm and turning to try to find who shoved him.  Seeing nobody and unsure of what just happened to him, he slowly returned to work.  Feeling the warmth even through the gloves he wore, he thought who could have got in his apartment and why would they leave all this garbage.   
   
    Working tirelessly through most of the evening, he was finally making headway and could see the floor.  Later that night he was finally taking the last bit to the dumpster.  Relieved he was finally finished, he flopped down on the couch and didn’t want to move. 
   
    The following day fueled by his curiosity, he sat down at his computer and after a few hours of futile searching he found what he was looking for.  The note appeared to be in Cherokee and it said, “Do not trash Mother Earth.”  This further information explained what the letter said, but only perplexed him more.     
   
    The next night Burt was out with friends as they saw the Indian.  Burt explained, “That’s the guy I saw in the hall that day, but then he was gone, I wonder if he had something to do with all the garbage and the note.”
   
    Dan a very big guy walks up to the Indian and asks, “Hello my friend is having this problem at his apartment with garbage being in his apartment, do you know anything about it?” 
   
    The Native American looked harshly at the three and said something they couldn’t quite understand, probably Cherokee.  Greg even bigger than Dan, started getting angry as he yelled at the Native and went to shove him.  When Greg shoved the Indian he didn’t move a bit, it felt like he was pushing into a solid brick wall.  Greg went to turn away, then turned quickly back to throw a hard punch at the Indian.   
   
    The Indian simply held his hand up and when his fist hit the Indians hand, pain went shooting through Greg’s fist and on up into his arm.  The next thing they knew there was a flash and all were back in their own homes as if nothing had occurred. 
   
    Burt was walking up to his door, and saw the familiar note and dread rushed through his veins.  He didn’t know how much more he could take.  Head hung low nearing the door he noticed the note was different, it said, “u-da-nv-ga-lv-da.”  Trying to figure out what he had done to deserve this.  Grabbing the latest note and preparing for what he was sure to see, he flung the door open. 
   
    Surprised and pleased there was some garbage but not a great deal, maybe he’d stopped them before they could finish, or maybe something else.  It didn’t really matter what the reason, he was thrilled that it only took him maybe a half hour to finish the cleaning. 
   
    Back on his computer he found this one word Clean.  “I have been cleaning.”  At that moment his television turned on and displayed the incident of him throwing garbage out his window.  A moment of clarity struck and he knew what he had to do.
   
    The next day while cleaning that bit of land a beautiful Bald Eagle came soaring down toward Burt’s side which frightened Burt at first.  But then the bird transformed into the Indian landed beside him and helped Burt clean the land with a smile.  A car pulled up and Tonya stepped out and said, “Oh Burt I didn’t know you were concerned with the environment, here let me help you.”  Burt was happy as he looked over to the Indian and noticed he was long gone.