Free Provider's Son by Lee Stringer Page B

off other peoples sheets for half the questions.”
    â€œIts the biohazard symbol.”
    â€œWhy would you have that in there?”
    â€œGuess.”
    â€œI dont know by, its your carving.”
    â€œThink about it.”
    Annoyed, Levi chuckled and stared out at the project again.
    â€œMy people are being poisoned by this place,” Jon said. “Rare cancers are popping up all along the communities on Fighting River. But the reserve closest down river, Provider, is the worst. Thats where my people are.”
    â€œWell, we got that much in common. I grew up in a small place too. Couple hundred people.”
    â€œGadus. Sinead showed me pictures. Beautiful place.”
    â€œSinead said you was a city boy.”
    â€œWell, I did spend a lot of my life in Edmonton. But Dad grew up in Provider. Ive spent a lot of time in Provider with my grandparents. My heart is there. Dad moved out of it in the seventies after he was finished at the residential school.”
    â€œWhat do your father do?”
    â€œOil.”
    â€œNo chance you could narrow it down a bit.”
    â€œHe works out of an office.”
    â€œNot short of a dollar, is he?”
    â€œHe hasnt been short a dollar in a long time.”
    â€œYou had a good upbringing then.”
    â€œDont sound so surprised.”
    Levi shook his head and stared out at the project again.
    It was a few minutes before Jon spoke again. “Your daughter is an exceptional writer.”
    â€œYeah. She used to leave a few things around the house, parts of stories and that, and I picked it up a few times. I dont know much about that stuff, but it looked good to me. She got pissed off though when she caught me reading from her scribbler one day. I didnt read much of her writing since then. Young girls likes their privacy.”
    â€œHow old was she then?”
    â€œOh I dont know, fifteen or sixteen I suppose.”
    â€œShes had a few years practice since then. You should check out some of her essays and short stories.”
    â€œI dont know where she gets it to. Not from me or her mother. Although...maybe she do get it from her mother...”
    â€œWell...youre an artist.”
    Levi shrugged.
    â€œWhat kinds of cancers is going around at Provider?” Levi said.
    â€œWell, the rarest one is bile-duct cancer. Theres been four or five cases. For the size of the town thats way above average.”
    â€œSo whats causing it?”
    â€œThey dont know, but theres been fish caught out of that lake lately that look like those three-eyed fish on the Simpsons, only worse.”
    â€œWhat channel do the Simpsons come on out here? I cant find it.”
    â€œComedy Channel probably. The re-runs anyway.”
    â€œBile duct cancer. That anything like bowel cancer?”
    â€œNo. Bile duct cancer is a death sentence. Five years max.”
    â€œBowel cancer aint no walk in the park.”
    â€œTrue that.”
    The wind picked up and it began to snow.
    â€œThat was quick,” Levi said.
    â€œWe better head back in,” Jon said, and they walked back into the lobby. The snow clicked across the glass lobby doors behind them, and when they looked back they could see nothing except white. A few minutes later it was gone again, and the sun shone through.
    â€œI wouldnt want to get stuck in a snowstorm on Ski-Doo around here,” Levi said.
    An onsite airport bus pulled up and men and women began pouring out of it with suitcases in hand. Some had faces of quiet relief. Others stared at Wisti Lodge and shook their heads in disgust.
    â€œI better get back in the security office,” Jon said. “That wont be the last busload.”
    â€œYeah, I guess Ill dart back to me room,” Levi said. “Im missing me shed more every day.”
    â€œI wonder what a rocking chair carving would look like?” Jon asked.
    â€œA what?”
    â€œA rocking chair piece. It might work. Ive always wanted to try working