She Sits on the Bridge

by

Luci Tapahonso

---

When Nelson was still running around and drinking years

ago, he was coming home from Gallup

hitch-hiking late at night

and right by Sheepsprings Trading Post-

you know where the turn to Crystal is?

Well, he was walking near there

when he heard a woman laughing somewhere nearby

It was dark there

(there were no lights at the trading post then)

he couldn't see anyone but he stopped and yelled out

Where are you? What happened to you?

but she kept laughing louder and louder

and then she started to cry in a kind of scream.

Well, Nelson got scared and started running

then right behind him - he could hear her running too.

She was still crying and then he stopped             she stopped also

She kept crying and laughing really loud

coming behind him and she caught up with him.

He knew even if he couldn't see her.

She was gasping and crying

right close to him - trying to catch her breath.

He started running again faster and off to the side

he saw some lights in the houses against the hill

and he ran off the road towards them

then she stopped and stayed on the highway

still laughing and crying very loudly.

When Nelson got to the houses

he heard people laughing and talking

they were playing winter shoe games inside there.

But a little ways away was a hogan with a light inside

he went there and knocked

Come in     a voice said

An old man (somebody's grandpa) was there alone

and upon seeing him said

Come in!     What happened to you?

and started to heat up some coffee.

Nelson told the old grandpa about

the woman crying on the road.

You don't know about her? he asked.

She sits on the bridge sometimes late at night.

The wind blows through her long hair.

We see her sitting in the moonlight or

walking real slow pretending to be going to Shiprock.

We people who live here know her and

she doesn't bother us.

Sometimes young men driving by pick her up -

thinking she wants a ride and after riding a ways

with them - she disappears right in front of them.

She can't go too far away, I guess.

That's what he told Nelson

Stirring his coffee.

Nelson stayed there in the hogan that night

and the old grandpa kept the fire going until morning.

---

From Earth Power Coming edited by Simon J. Ortiz, Navajo Community College Press.
© 1983 Luci Tapahonso

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