There will be some Cherokee(will be bold) sayings in here as well as English.

Friends from the Cherokee Reservation:

The day in the park went wonderful. There were no interruptions except for a couple cops coming up to see how our day was going. Kim and I bought lunch for everyone (which consisted of hot dogs and hamburgers from a nearby stand). My family & friends went back to their hotel rooms that night and Kim, Chey, Joey, & I went back to the firehouse. It was Jimmy's turn to have Joey that weekend.

The next day we were sort of surprised by a bunch of my friends from the Cherokee Reservation in Texas. Tommy & Fawn were the first of my friends that I saw. I was out of the firehouse within a couple seconds. I flung myself into Tommy's arms and Fawn was right behind me.

"O'siyo Oginalli Tsilugi."

"O'siyo!"

"Dohiju?"

"Dohiqu."

All three of us hugged till we thought we were going to burst and until I cried out in pain from my ribs.

"What's wrong with you?" Tommy & Fawn asked together.

"Dukeman cracked a couple of my ribs a couple days ago when he attacked me. I'm alright but they are a little sore."
"So we have to be careful. Is that what you are saying?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying."

Fawn interrupted Tommy and me.

"So is Dukeman in jail now or what?"

"Yes, Fawn. Dukeman is in jail. And according to my parents, he will be getting the death penalty."
"Good he deserves the death penalty more than once if you know what I mean."
"Unfortunately I do. I've always understood you, Fawn. How's your mum?"

"She's doing fine. Glad you asked. She also wants to know how you have been. She's expecting me to bring back lots of souvenirs for her and the other adults that didn't come with us. So are we going to go to any rodeos while we are her? And are you going to be riding any bulls at any of the rodeos?"

"God, talkative today are we. And slow down when you are asking questions. I may ride in some of the rodeos but I don't know. I haven't done that since I was 19-years-old. I gave it up when I became a paramedic. You and everyone else know that. You can't be a paramedic and a professional bull rider at the same time. I wouldn't be getting any sleep if I did that. And I would probably be in the hospital a couple times a month," I slowed down. "We'll see. If there are any rodeos in town while you are here, then we will go to a couple of them, okay."

"Okay. Your horses miss you. Your father brought them out to the reservation so they had more room to run around, but all they seem to do is stay in one big group and mope around. I didn't know 400 horses could be like that."

"Wow, there little girl. Did you just say that Cory owns over 400 horses back in Texas?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes I do. Why would that be any of your concern?"

"It isn't. I just haven't known anyone with that many horses. That's all."

"What were you guys saying earlier? We didn't understand one word you were saying," Alex said.

"We were talking in Cherokee. Why, haven't you ever heard anyone talking in Cherokee?"

"No!" everyone answered in correspondence.

"Well then, we'll have to teach you some won't we," Tommy said.

"That would be nice," Carlos said.

"So what are we waiting for?" Fawn asked.

"Cory could probably teach you some African as well. She knows, what, over 800 African languages. She used to live in Africa at one point of her life. Don'tcha, Cory?"

"Yes Awinita, I do."

"Who's Awinita?" Cruz asked.

"That's my Cherokee name," Fawn replied.

"Oh."

Cherokee & African Lessons:

"So what do you want to learn first?" I asked.

"How about, something about being hungry," Casey said.

"Okay, I've got the perfect one. It's African so stay with me here. This means 'I am hungry,' Nzala."

"Nzala, okay I think that was an easy one so give us a hard one," Olivia said.

"Okay this one is about love. Njaa ngla leweni w ndoma l woma, this one means love is blind."

"All those words for just three words. That's a little weird," Olivia said.

"That one was also African."

"Okay. So give us one in Cherokee," Elliot said.

"Mmkay, you know this from Dances with Wolves. It's a name. Shumani Tutonka Ob Wachi. What do you think it means?"

"Doesn't that mean 'Dances with Wolves'?" Casey asked.

"At least someone here is a movie buff. Okay this one means 'May the Great Spirit's Blessings always be with you,' Yigaquu osaniyu adanvto adadoligi nigohilvi nasquv utloyasdi nihi."

"So what's Cory's Cherokee name?" Cruz asked.

"My Cherokee name is Magaskawee, which means Swan maiden or graceful."

"So could we get a Cherokee or African name?" Davis asked.

"I don't see why not. But I'll have to ask my father first. I'll let you know tomorrow."

Fawn, Tommy, and I left and went to my family's hotel and had dinner with them.