Thank you
for opening this book

I have been thinking
about you
and offering up prayers
for you
for a long time

Not because I knew
who you were

But because
I knew someone
would one day
hold these stories
and wonder
if they mattered

Biindigen
Come in
Sit with us
for a while

Miigizi
Eagle
will meet you here
in his own time

These are brief
true encounters
with men
carrying more
than anyone knew

Some end
before everything
has been said

That is all right
You do not have
to understand
everything

Receive each story
as it comes

These stories
were written
to be heard
aloud
alone
or with another person

If something
catches you
stop
Notice
what stays

Say one thing
or pass
Both count

If a story asks you
to come back later
it will still
be here

Let silence
have its place

Thank you
for trusting me
long enough
to begin

I am glad
you are here

Two years
we sat together
with the Bible open

He talked then
not like this

I went to his graduation
sat with his family
watched him cross the stage

They called his name
and people clapped

They said
he was going to college
People clapped again

About a year later
his mother called
and asked if I would come by

He was on the couch
when I came in
not sitting
laid back

Controller in his hand
headset around his neck
something still running
on the screen

I took the chair across from him
and moved it closer

wrappers on the floor
cups
stuff pushed to the side

I said his name

He looked at me
then back at the screen

What are you doing

Nothing

The game kept going

How long you been up

A while

You sleeping here

Yeah

You been going out at all

Not really

What are you doing most days

This

He tapped the controller

It’s whatever

He looked back at the screen

It was different then

How

It just worked

College

I don’t know
it wasn’t the same
Nobody cared like that

I was there
for a while
then I wasn’t
I flunked out

Just like that

People kept asking
what happened

What did you tell them

Nothing
What am I supposed to say

I came back

Here

He looked around

Everything’s right here
Controller
headset
phone
I don’t have to go anywhere

I see people
working
doing stuff
They act like they know

I don’t know
how they know
I just watch it

What do you want

Nothing

Not even one thing

There’s nothing there

He picked up the controller

I said
what do you listen to

Stuff online
Guys talking

About what

How to do it
Everything

They sound
like they know what they’re doing

One guy said
no one’s coming to help you

He nodded

Yeah
That’s probably true

He picked up the controller
started the game again

Voices in his headset
calling things out

He leaned forward

I’m not like
all the way gone