Chapter 3
Kona's first journey into the big city occurred after he had finished the ninth grade. He had been somewhat eager to experience the big city for the last couple of years, in between his studies and his, now self guided, shamanistic training. He got his opportunity one day when a member of the community said he'd be going into town for the day on business and offered to take Kona with him if he so desired, the fox eagerly accepted but was cautioned that his visit probably would be the best one. For the car ride Kona was quite excited as he watched the fields go zipping by. The ride was uneventful but the driver told Kona some of things he'd have to expect and teach with, one of which was the transit system, which Kona had been given 10 tickets for, and that he would have to be back at the parking spot by 2:00pm to get a ride back home. Kona understood this and eagerly awaited his arrival into Saskatoon. The car pulled into a parking lot, after paying for a full day's parking.
"Now Kona," the driver said, "be careful here, things here aren't like back in our community. And remember to be back here by 2 this afternoon; that should give you 6 hours to explore and find out what you want to know."
"Don't worry," Kona said to the man who had driven him into the city, "I'll be back in time just do what you have to do today." The man watched Kona, who was wearing a backpack, sandals, shorts and a t-shirt, walk away from him.
"I wish he wouldn't have insisted on going alone, but I suppose it's the best way for him to learn what the human world is like outside of places like ours."
It was early morning which was the best time for Kona to be outside, as it would get much hotter the later in the day it was; he had eaten breakfast before he had come here so he would not have to get a meal for a while yet. The first place he wanted to go was the downtown public library, as he walked a shamanist necklace he received from the elder shaman thumped against his chest periodically, identifying his heritage for all to see. As he approached he noticed the large parkade behind the library, in the shape of a large trapezoid. Most people would have just seen the parkade and moved on after a few awe inspired moments staring, but for Kona is was different. When he had started high school he had been given a choice of two multi-class programs to enter, MCA (Music Computer Art) or Home economics which consisted of Sewing, Woodworking, electronics, cooking and drafting, not having any interest in MCA he had opted for the latter. Most of the home economics didn't interest him but he had found cooking very informative, and it helped him to make meals for himself other than instant ones which he primarily lived off of until that point. Drafting however had sparked an interest in him that he had not experienced outside of his shamanistic practices until then.
Drafting, or rather the architectural drawing of buildings, had become his favorite class since then and he had received very high marks, it was a shame that it was only for 4 weeks. As such he had signed up for the grade 10 full year drafting course when the option had come to choose new classes for next year. He wasn't sure what would come of it but even in the short time he had taking the classes had caused him to notice the various design differences on buildings that until then he had just passed over without given it a second thought. He felt that he wanted to do something related to Drafting as a career.
He entered the library and quickly sought out the circulation desk and walked over to it as quickly as possible. Owing to the fact that he was only 3 feet tall, even though eh was still growing, he made his way over to a lowered section that was obviously for children and stood there, waiting for help from one clerks. In short order a clerk came over to him, gave him an odd look, but then smiled at him and spoke.
"What a darling costume, but aren't you hot in there for summer little boy?" Kona tensed a bit.
"I'm not wearing a costume and I'm 14 years old," Kona said a bit coldly, feeling a bit insulted. The clerk looked at him oddly.
"Oh my, I see well then," she did not seem totally convinced but she the mannerisms of the fox seemed like those of a teenager so she decided to run with it, "how can I help you today."
"I'd like to get a library card," he said.
"Ok then," she reached behind the desk and pulled out and application form for a library card, "just fill this out and give it to me when you're done." Kona took a pen from the desk and began to fill out the form. He looked up once to notice the clerk giving him odd looks but he brushed past them. Her attitude had had clouded his day somewhat but he was holding out for clearer skies. He passed the form back to her and she checked it over, pausing a couple times.
"Kona, you're from out of town?"
"I wrote down where I live and it's the truth," Kona replied.
"Well, just be sure to return the books when you're done with them," she said handing the arctic fox a small thin plastic card, "just sign the back and you can check out books here at the circulation desk." Kona took the pen again and signed his name on the back of the card before leaving to use one of the computers to search for books on architecture. He wasn't very fond of computers, seeing them as useful tools for some amounts of research however he preferred holding the books in his hand in order to do the research, it felt more natural to him. So once he had found and noted the call number for the books he wanted, he left the computer and set out for the section. He needed a stool to reach some of the book but a few minutes later he had pulled five books on architecture from the shelves. Two fairly thin, one very bulky, and two more sitting somewhere in between them in size. He sat down and began to read, becoming more enamored with the profession the more he read.
Kona had read through the two thin books, and set them aside, one to borrow for later reference and the other to leave in the library, and was working on the bulkiest book, which he was having trouble understanding at the moment, when he looked up and saw that it was now 10:30. He couldn't help but chuckle at his own loss of the track of time as he shoved the big book away from him, deciding he'd read into it later once he had learned more about drafting, and grabbed the two medium book he had yet to read, along with the thin one he wanted to re-read, and carried them to the circulation desk to check them out. The same clerk from before was still there and she was a bit amazed at the books he was checking out, as he handed his card forwards.
"I guess you're at that level then," she mused to herself as she checked the book out, sticking the date due slip in the last one she scanned. Kona took the books and loaded them into his backpack before sticking the card back in his wallet.
As he left the library he noticed it was warmer now as the sun was climbing in the sky. Not wanting to get food just yet he headed to the bus station to try and find somewhere interesting to go, maybe he'd get a look at the Kelsey Campus for SIAST, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology. He stood at the last crosswalk, his mind swirling with thoughts about this city, it wasn't as bad as it had been made out to YOW!
Kona jerked forwards as something grabbed a hold of his tail and yanked hard. He turned in time to see a mother pulling her pre-school aged son away from his rear and chiding her son as he tried to reach forwards for another grab.
"No, don't pull on that Thomas, you could damage the nice costume that person is wearing," she looked up at Kona, "Sorry, he's in the grabbing phase right now." The fox didn't have time to respond as she whisked her son away.
There is was again, people thinking he was in a costume. He mentally prepared himself for more judgments like that before his day would end, his day getting cloudier as he thought on that. The crosswalk hand changed to a walking man, and the fox began to cross, reaching the other side of the street where he could get a good look at the posted bus schedules. He was in luck as one of the busses that could take him up to Kelsey campus was about to pull in.
He stood by the sign that indicated the bus stop and sure enough, the bus, labeled as the number 4, pulled around the corner and came to a stop. The bus driver looked at him skeptically but didn't refuse the ticket Kona handed up not did he refuse the fox the transfer when he asked for it. Kona moved towards the back of the bus and sat down towards the rear on the left side of the bus, with the seats on either side of the bus facing each other. The bus was empty at first, but then a group of five teenagers boarded, each paying for their passage. The leader of the group was the first to notice Kona, and especially the necklace around his neck, he then whispered to his companions. Kona noticed and groaned inwardly, he didn't want to assume the worst but his day was getting cloudier by the minute.
The teenagers who had boarded the bus all moved to strategic positions, two sitting on either side of Kona, though not right next to him, the leader sitting directly across from him with the remaining two sitting next to him. The leader leaned forwards and was the first to speak.
"That's a nice costume you got there, are you hot?" his voice sounded concerned but Kona caught the mocking tone underneath the false concern.
"I'm not wearing a costume this is what I really look like." The teenager on Kona's left, and the one directly across from him started sniggering.
"Really, so that fur is really part of your body?" the leader smirked, leaning back in his seat.
"Yes," the fox replied. The teenager on his left reached of and grabbed Kona's tail, not wanting to have it yanked like earlier, the fox jumped out of his seat before the hand could fully close on it.
"Certainly feels real to me," the grabby teenager said, having gotten enough of a feel to note the heat and liveliness of the appendage.
The leader chuckled, "so I guess you really are a fox," he pointed at the necklace Kona was wearing, recognizing the design, "who made that for you, a salesman at a fair?"
Kona fell into the verbal trap without even realizing it, "no, the shaman who trained me gave it to me." The leader smirked and spoke to his friends.
"Well waddya know, not only is he a fox he's an Indian fox," this was greeted with several laughs from the teenagers. Kona seethed with anger at the use of the racial slur.
By this time the bus had stopped four times to let on passengers, some older, some parents with children, and some other teenagers, and all of them were now staring at Kona and some, the children especially, were pointing at him. Parents weren't sure what to say to their children so some used the "guy in a costume" excuse. Kona's ears were more sensitive than human ears and as the taunting continued, with jabs now aimed at his physical appearance and his revealed heritage. Kona moved to the very back of the bus and managed to pull the stop cord just as Kelsey Campus became the next stop. The bus pulled to a stop in front of the building with the SIAST emblem, four hexagons placed over each other in a certain way, and Kona stepped off the bus, fuming form the jeers and jabs aimed at him, and trying to leave it behind him. He looked up at the sky, it was still clear skies but his day was getting stormy.
As it turned out he had trouble getting into Kelsey Campus, first off people assumed he was a kid in a costume so the refused him entry until he showed them his high school ID. He spent a good amount of time studying a map on the wall so he would be able to find the way around. He took a good look around but was disappointed to learn, after asking around, that the architectural programs were all at Palliser Campus, in Moose Jaw, which meant he would either have to move there or seek a degree elsewhere, like the U of S, though one of the people he had questioned remarked that he was a bit too young to be looking into this sort of thing, but that some person applauded his initiative.
By the time he had explored to his hearts content it was lunch time. Not really having anywhere else to go, Kona decided to eat lunch in the SIAST Cafeteria. The offerings were a bit sparse, as there were few students attending the summer courses, but he managed to get a sandwich, containing salami, hand, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mustard, as small half liter of chocolate milk in a small carton, and a small bag of all dressed ruffles potato chips, a guilty pleasure of his. He sat down and began to eat, most of the people sat alone or in pairs, one young man noticed the fox sitting alone and came to sit next to him. Kona groaned inwardly and braced himself for more jabs at his appearance and heritage.
"Aren't you a bit young to be eating in here?" the man's question was purely inquisitive.
"I'm 14, and before you ask this isn't a costume this is what I really look like." The man was a bit taken aback at the fox's hash tone, but he decided to be nice to him. He then noticed the necklace he was wearing.
"Is that an aboriginal shaman necklace?" he asked. Kona stopped eating, his sandwich had finished at this point, and turned to look at the man.
"Yes, my teacher gave it to me during my training as a shaman. How did you know that?"
"Well I'm taking native studies right now and I recognized the pattern and style," the young man said, "I must admit I find your people culture very interesting. Well, that is if you are an aboriginal," he added, just in case the fox would take that as an insult. Kona smiled, finally someone who was treating him like a normal person, sort of.
"Well not by blood but I was adopted by my tribe when I was an infant so I'm considered as much a part of the tribe as the next person."
"Really? Can you tell me anything about the traditions of your people?" Kona smiled and over the rest of their lunch, the two chatted about aboriginal culture. Finally it seemed like the storm clouds were clearing away from Kona's day. However after a while the man looked up and saw that it was 12:50pm and said, a bit regretfully.
"Sorry I have to go, I have lit class in ten minutes and my teacher's watch is fast. It was nice chatting with you, umm, I didn't catch your name?" The fox smiled.
"It's Kona."
"Kona, that Plains Cree for Snow isn't it, it suits you, well I have to go, take care Kona," the young man, who's name Kona had forgotten to get, left. Kona had just finished his chips, washing them down with the rest of his milk, and decided to go back to the parking lot as it was almost time to leave, feeling better than when he had entered the building.
Unfortunately Kona's high spirits didn't last long when he exited SIAST and saw the same group of teenagers from earlier on the bus crossing the street to Kelsey Campus. The clouds that had been clearing began to form again when the teenagers spotted him and began to move towards him. Kona would have just avoided them, except he needed to get to that crosswalk in order to get to the bus stop he needed. He just hoped he could plow past them and get to the crosswalk, but the leader stood directly in his way, grinning down at him almost evilly.
"Well, looks like the Indian Fox is still here," he said.
"Do you mind, I have a bus to catch," Kona said, trying to step around him, however the five teenagers encircled him, keeping him from fleeing.
"Go back to your reserve, Indian," one of the other boys taunted. Kona just stood there fuming with suppressed anger and doing his best to keep himself calm the way he had helped get into contact with nature during his shaman training. Unfortunately he made the mistake of closing his eyes to help his concentration, the leader of the group saw this and decided it was time to teach this arrogant freak Indian a lesson, so he reached forwards and tore the necklace from around the fox's neck. Kona's concentration was instantly shattered as the necklace he treasured was pulled from around his neck.
"Give that back," Kona shouted, not able to hold it in anymore.
"Why should I, you people spend so much time making these that you should have a lot of them back at home. One little loss like this won't cause any problems," with that, the leader threw it onto the lawn in front of SIAST, directly in front of the ride on mower. Kona couldn't have made it if he tried and the mower's driver didn't notice the necklace fall into his path, the mower was too effective and the fox watched helplessly as the necklace was sucked up into the mower's blades, and shattered. The teenagers were laughing and Kona was in tears as he ran past them and across the street, which by some twist of fate had the crosswalk for that direction active.
"That's right, run away like the cowardly Indian you are!" the leader jeered at him. Kona was crying now, the storm clouds in his day pouring rain down in torrents now, and he didn't bother waiting for the bus, he dashed as long as he could, safely, before slowing down to a walk. The walk downtown took over half an hour and as he walked, more people stared, pointed, made snarky remarks, and one more kid even tried to pull his tail, but he didn't really notice or care about this as he made his way back to the parking lot where the car was parked just as the man who had driven him into town returned. He noticed that Kona had been crying and even more worrying was that his necklace was gone.
"Kona, are you alright, where's your necklace?" The fox didn't answer, just shook his head.
"Please, just take me home."
Kona didn't talk at all on the way back, the emotional turmoil inside of him whipping up a storm of anger, sorrow, and confusion, all leaving him with one conclusion, he never wanted to go back to that city again if he could avoid it.
Once he got back home, Kona thanked the driver for the ride and moved quickly back to his house. Once he unlocked the door and made it inside he threw the backpack down on his bed and grabbed his bow from where it rested on his dresser. Once he had made it outside he made his was to the archery range, paid for a large quiver or marked arrows and made his way to the advanced shooting range.
At around the same time he had begun his training as a shaman, Kona had taken an interest in archery, as it was a practice used by his tribe since before the Europeans had come to this land, and had become very good at it, in fact he was considered the best archer of his age in the community. He never used these skills for hunting or offensively, mostly he practiced archery to keep his mind sharp and as a way to blow off steam, which is what he really needed to do right now. His bow wasn't any sort of knock off factory made piece of junk, he had made it himself as his shamanist practices had taught him that if you had a personal connection with your tools they would be more effective. He hadn't made the bow entirely on his own rather he had gone out and found the wood to be used for the arc and had, with some help, wound the bowstring. The woman of the tribe who was most known for bow making had helped him make his bow complete and Kona had been using it since then, with good results.
Kona now stood in front of the advanced shooting range. This wasn't a normal range as there were five targets but only one shooting stall and the targets were arranged in an arc so that they were all the same distance from the stall. All of the target's rings were red but each of the five had a different colored bulls eye, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple from left to right. Kona stuck the quiver of arrows down at his right and removed the lid to show that there were a large number of arrows in the quiver with randomly colored feather, each arrow's feathers being the same color and matching the ones of the target's bulls eyes. The idea for the advanced range was simple, the shooter would draw one arrow at random and fire it at a target, however the objective was to shoot the arrow with the same colored feather at the same colored bulls eye, and to do it as fast as possible; this meant that the range would test the shooter's speed, accuracy, and judgment ability all at once.
Kona put the quiver on his back and drew his first arrow, purple, he turned and fired at the far right target, getting a bulls eye. He drew his next arrow, yellow, and fired at the target second from the left. He loosed the arrows, putting all of his focus and his emotions into his shots as he fired. He let loose arrow after arrow, drawing, choosing, and shooting as quickly as he could. Eventually a teenager from the community walked by and noticed the frantically shooting fox. Not daring break his concentration, the teenager stood by and watched as Kona emptied his quiver, eventually the fox reached for an arrow and found he was out. He dropped his bow and sat down, his eyes still teary but not really crying. The teenager approached and asked.
"Kona, are you alright, did something happen in Saskatoon?"
"I hate the city," Kona said, "almost everyone there made fun of me, not just because of how I look but because of the heritage I share proudly with the rest of the tribe. And there was this group of teenagers," he put his hand up to his now vacant neck, "they took the old necklace I was given and destroyed it. I never want to go back there again." The teenager wasn't sure what to say so he just sighed.
"Whatever, I just hope you don't regret that decision later," he looked up to see the fruit's of Kona's turbulent thoughts, every single arrow he had fired had hit the correct bulls eye; if there was one thing Kona knew how to do it was how to put his emotions to work without taking them out on others. Kona sighed, got up, and began to remove the arrows from the targets, so he could get half the fee back from the range's owner. The violent storm of thought had quelled in his mind and now his thoughts were just frigid and scattered, as they remained throughout the rest of the day. He went to bed that night with a snowy heart.