WEBVTT

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Some of the early
Native bands that

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started on the Navajo
reservation, some

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of the early western bands,
even though rock bands,

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they played in these
little community centers

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called chapter houses
all over the reservation.

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And their influences were
Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard,

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some of the classic
country western singers.

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So when we're at
boarding school,

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we used to listen to
that kind of music.

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Country western was
one of the very popular

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among Native people, and, also,
the contemporary rock stations

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that you hear on the radio.

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And this is called
"Mennen Skin Bracer."

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"Having a boyfriend
that holding hands

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at the movies in
the dark auditorium,

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someone besides your
roommate to dance with.

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And on Wednesday
evenings, having your name

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announced over the
intercom, because he

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had walked across that brown
grassy lot just to see you.

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And you like
standing next to him

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until you casually
felt each other's hands

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and how strong the
bones felt. Then

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you might remember what your
mother said about dropping him

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like a hot potato if he turned
out to be your clan relative.

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But you don't bring it up.

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His name was Pierce, and
we were kitchen detail.

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I wasn't homely and I wasn't
built like some of the others.

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I matured late.

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She looks smart,
was what they said.

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What did they know?

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I was in culture
shock for four years

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at the white public school, and
never made honorable mention.

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Nobody was interested,
so I stopped trying.

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Anyway, Pierce asked me
to dance Friday night.

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Mostly, we danced, stomped,
scooping, and twirling

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to the Wingate Valley
Boys, the Zuni Midnighters,

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Offenders, you know, heavy
on the bass, rah ja jin,

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rah ja jin.

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So there I was on the
floor, nervous, because it's

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my first time with a guy.

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OK, I'm ready to show
off my stuff, I thought.

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All those months practicing
with Mary Jean was paying off.

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We went round and round.

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He led me to the edge
of the dance floor

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under the basketball hoop.

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And all evening, I smelled
Mennen Skin Bracer.

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Well, we danced
a few more times.

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And afterwards, Pierce
walked me back to the door.

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Later, I found out he left
a trail of broken hearts.

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That evening, the smell
of Mennen Skin Bracer

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lingered long on my hands.

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And even now, when
I'm in the grocery

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store in the
cosmetic department,

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I'll open a bottle of Mennen
Skin Bracer and take a whiff

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my first dance at the
Indian School gym."

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