As Chapter II ended, the reader waited for a segway to Chapter III. That smooth transition never happened.

Chapter III, Of Labor and Love.

KAVIKA: Now that Enoch and Kavika are considered as men of respect, time is nigh for these big men on the Rez to act the part.

They headed down to the local furniture store, Trinkets R Us that was run by Aunt Sarah and Auntie Many Eyes (one brown, one blue - a result of many years of cross begetting).

The blood brothers wanted to buy Indigenous American. At Trinkets R Us they found two LA Z Brave rocker recliners. All parts and assembly guaranteed done by Native American manufacturers and workers. This has been certified by the Red Brick Building On The Red, White and Blue Street Corner Company (A wholly owned subsidiary of Mumbai-Beijing Industries. Trafalgar Square, The Cayman Islands).

The next step for the men was to set up the sticks of domestic furniture next to the Purdoo Foul Ball Lacrosse Field to watch the weekend afternoon match up. It was the Ojibwe Rednecks vs. the Jewish Whiteboys.

Hebrew Nat was not to be left out. A man's best friend is a man's best friend. The brothers in blood bought her a cradle board, and carried her Cleopatra style to the game with her favorite package of potato chips, Wise original.

Kavika and Enoch were both ready for an afternoon of rooting for their home teams as the Cheerleaders ran onto the field shaking their pom poms, and some odd looking but functional things they grasped in their hands to assist while leading cheers.

Kavika jumped to his feet when he saw the most beautiful women in the world. She stood out not only because of beauty, but also because she was a Redhead. Neither of the blood brothers had ever seen a Redhead before. 

Kavika turned to Enoch and asked him, do you think there was a Viking in the woodpile? You know those guys really get around. Enoch was stunned by the lack of decorum shown by his closest friend. Putz! he exclaimed, as he smacked him upside his head. Gevalt Kavika, where are your manners?

But Kavika didn't hear a word his life long buddy said. He stared googly eyed over the Redhead. Kavika was mesmerized by the freckles on her lovely face. They were like little stars floating across the creamy smoothness of her pretty facial skin.

Enoch, my blood brother, I think I am in love. Enoch could see it was love at first sight. He knew Kavika's emotions as well or better than his own. It is like that with blood brothers. You grow up together, you read each others souls.

Kavika grabbed his "love flute". Hebrew Nat always had one handy just in case Kavika or Enoch fell into lust. After all, it was the Natinator who invented "Doggie Style". It is a canine form of musical courtship.

Kavika commenced to play the flute. Its sweet haunting refrain wafted through the air, along with the aromatics of freshly made Frybread and Matza Brei from the concession stands.

It was the alluring combination of the concession fragrances, the romantic strains from Kavika's love flute, and the rugged good looks and rock hard physique of Kavika's statuesque solid warrior frame, coupled with the handsome facial features and the kindness in his eyes that stopped the Redhead cold in her cheer-leading tracks.  

Who could resist the appeal of a Redhead of such elegance, or a warrior of such machismo? Nature kicked in. This wasn't about nationality, it was all biology. Yanni and Helena Rubinstein would have been proud of the effects the flute and make-up had on these two star crossed young lovers.

It was a whirlwind courtship. Kavika showed up at the home of the Redheads parents. Any thing worth doing is worth doing well. He wanted to earn the approval of her folks. Her father Sol the-Red, and her mother Lily-of-the-Fields were old school. They hyphenated to keep the traditions alive and well. Both were less-than-happy that Kavika was courting their daughter. Each were more concerned with the happiness-of-their-daughter.            

After a whirlwind courtship, Kavika brought the Redhead to meet his parents at their family condowam. He introduced the Redhead to his father Done-Begetting, and his mother Oh-No-More-Begetting. Things went generally well. References to freckles, Redhair, and Vikings not-with-standing. 

Ojibwe venerate their parents, as we all do.

With parental approval of the obviously meritorious young Lady, Kavika asked for her hand in marriage. She happily accepted. Kavika withheld the fact that this was a package deal from her.

The very next day, Kavika relayed that he had sealed the deal. He told Enoch, and Hebrew Nat they were also to play a part in this. Kavika told Enoch and Hebrew Nat that Enoch was to be the best man, the Nat-o-Rama the Maid of Honor. This is to be an eclectic wedding. Well suited to the diverse groups involved.   

Word spread throughout the Rez that there would be a Jewish/Ojibwe wedding, catered by the inorganics department of Jays' Diner and Unnatural Ethnic Food Emporium. Forty Days and Forty Nights of reverie. Tum ta tum tum tums!

ENOCH: Of Labor and Love. My first job was with Rez Lawn Moyhel. "We Don't Just Landscape Your Yard, We Circumcise It"!

My task was to snip the hedges. I got minimum wage plus tips. I collected clippings, conjoined them, rubbed them, and made expandable wreaths. 

One afternoon I drove my Ram's Horn Truck ("A Little Sheep, and A Little Ewe") to the tent of a client. The customer wasn't home. Her daughter of twenty summers and fifteen winters (don't question a woman about her age, ever), greeted me at the door. She dressed casually. The early morning sunlight caught her flip hairdo just right. It highlighted her naturally brown hair and eyes. Seeing it was like beholding a rare high end art exhibit. Breathtaking. And life isn't measured by how many breaths you take. Rather its value is in how profoundly your breath is taken by the natural highs of living. 

I took my trusty Hedge Muncher to the green spiny shrubs surrounding her abode. She opened the window, and made lunch for me. I was entranced by the smells of her home cooking. Doodles Fromage Melt Au Gratin, with a dusting of Fermented Curds. Sparkling Perrier and Soda. Ice Cream A la Mode. You can spot a graduate of the Hadassah Close Cover Before Striking Correspondence Institute of Culinary Alchemy and Plumbing Repair a mile away. 

As specified in the work order, I shaped the hedges into a family portrait. There were shrubs mirroring relatives with one good eye, teeth like the stars (they come out at night); and one whose bodice resembeld a Bas Relief of Mt. Rushmore on Steroids. From such stock could only come lasting beauty, I thought to myself. 

Completing my work, she invited me in for lunch. As my blood brother Kavika and I arrived as men, we went in search of our fortunes. Single, industrious, with the vigor and muscularity of youth, these facts were items not lost on the young and single of the fairer gender on the Rez, in both tribal communities.  

I left my boots at the doorstep, entering the house in Argyle socks, and kissing the decorative metalically framed Torah parchment on the door frame, as is our custom. On the 15th of every month, we launder, and exchange Argyle socks with our neighbors. The folkway is silly, meaningless, and not entirely sane. But with its true origins lost to history, we do it anyway. It is a bond which brings us closer to each other. And that is a good enough reason for otherwise pointless traditions to be kept.

A moderate eater, I noted she over filled my plate. I remained silent. One does not disrespect the hospitality of a Hostess. I offered that she join me in this sumptuous repast. She demurred. She is on a South Beach Diet. Its composed mostly of sand and kelp. As I ate, she picked at the tidbits on my plate with her fork.

Its one of those behaviors that is cute, adorable, and makes a young person feel connected to a new friend. Years later it will annoy the stuffing out of you. Fairness will out. There are things I do that once she treasured. Now she winces at the thought of them.

As we related and masticated, suddenly a thought crystalized in my brain. What's wrong with minimum wage and tips for a first job out of school? My student loans did exceed the annual gross product of fifteen third world nations. Yet today's minimum wage would have made me wealthy in the 12th century B.C.E. My problem wasn't an unbalanced budget. I was working in the wrong century!

More roughage, she asked? Urrp! I think I had enough, I gasped. Any more tubers and I might become a Flamingstone tire centerpiece.

She softly inquired if I had ever fallen in love. I responded no. I had been known to step in it a time or two.

The sun sank like a canoe rowed by Chris Christie in the lake. The fiery orange celestial glow ball seemed extinguished by the cool fresh waters. Daylight instantly melted into the darkness of evening.

I asked her if she liked dancing. Yes, she smiled. I adore dancing. What a co-incidence, I observed. I live driving distance to people who enjoy that sort of thing. Then it's a date, she confirmed.

Shall we say 8:00 PM EST (9:00 CST), I asked?

In unison, we both together said, 8:00 PM EST (9:00 PM CST).

We laughed and held hands.  

The rest is history.

Coming Soon to  Computer Screen Near You:

Chapter Four - Kavika and Enoch Take Brides. A Tale of Two Pities.