Their Time

I hear you went to visit your grama the other day. She was glad to see you, and greeted you with open arms and a smile. "I'm glad to see you grandson, where have you been?" "Oh, I'm working now, gramma. And you know how it is, I have no time."

She fed you rabbit stew and bannock. You ate quickly and told her she was a great cook. You were still chewing your last piece of bannock as you dashed out the door.

"See you, gramma!"

Her tiny figure stood in the doorway and watched long after your truck disappeared around the comer.

Weeks flew by and became months before you reappeared on her doorstep. After she fed you, your gramma started to tell you a story. She said, "Did I ever tell you about the time your grandpa and I . . ."

Her words were lost somewhere between her mouth and your ears. Your thoughts were elsewhere, a different place a different person.

When she finished her story, you stood up and said, "Gee, gramma, that was a good story." She answered, "I wish I could see you more often, grandson." You nodded and said, "Well you know how it is, gramma, I have no time."

Last week, we lost a great person. Your gramma passed on to a new life. Our whole village showed up at her funeral, to show their respect.

I saw you standing by her grave, your head hanging down. You did not say one word, and yet I knew your thoughts. They rang out loud and clear and shook the poplars and the willows and echoed in the valley.

"Oh, just one more day gramma, give me just one more day with you.

Let me hear one more story, gramma, and see your smiling face, one more time."

The truth tore at your heart, and caused your tears to flow, they fell to the ground and mixed with the freshly turned gravel at your feet.

No more time. I know your sadness, I know your sorrow. It happened to you, it also happened to me, she was my grandmother, too.
what is important?
Your time.
My time.
Whose time?
We must never forget - their time.

- Linda McDonald

From Writing the Circle, an Anthology: Native Women of Western Canada by Jeanne Perreault and Sylvia Vance, eds. NeWest. Used by permission.