Smoke Signals

1998

Grandma Builds-the-Fire: You saved Thomas. You did a good thing. Arnold Joseph: I didn't mean to.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Hey Victor! I'm sorry 'bout your dad. Victor Joseph: How'd you hear about it? Thomas Builds-the-Fire: I heard it on the wind. I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the sunlight. And your mom was just in here cryin'.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire: If we forgive our fathers, what is left?

(Thomas concludes his story he is trading for a ride) Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Arnold got arrested, you know. But he got lucky. They charged him with attempted murder. Then they plea-bargained that down to assault with a deadly weapon. Then they plea-bargained that down to being an Indian in the Twentieth Century. Then he got two years in Walla-Walla. Lucy: (to Velma) What do you think? Velma: I think it's a fine example of the oral tradition. (laughs)

(Victor, Thomas and Suzy watch an old western) Thomas Builds-the-Fire: The only thing more pathetic than Indians on TV is Indians watching Indians on TV.

Victor Joseph: Thomas, you are so full of shit.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Geez, Victor... I guess the warrior look doesn't work every time.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Sometimes it's a good day to die, and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast.

Randy Peone: It's a good day to be indigenous!

Victor Joseph: You gotta look mean or people won't respect you. White people will run all over you if you don't look mean. You gotta look like a warrior! You gotta look like you just came back from killing a buffalo! Thomas Builds-the-Fire: But our tribe never hunted buffalo - we were fishermen. Victor Joseph: What! You want to look like you just came back from catching a fish? This ain't "Dances With Salmon" you know!

(Thomas and Victor try to hitch a ride with Velma and Lucy) Velma: Hey Thomas, need a ride? Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Yeah! Velma: What are goin' to trade for it. We're Indians, remember. We barter! Thomas Builds-the-Fire: A story? Lucy: Better be good.

(Velma and Lucy drop Thomas and Victor at the bus station) Velma: You guys got your passports? Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Passports? Velma: Yeah, you're leavin' the rez and goin' into a whole different country, cousin. Thomas Builds-the-Fire: But... but, it's the United States. Lucy: Damn right it is! That's as foreign as it gets. Hope you two have your vaccinations. (All laugh)

Randy Peone: Good morning, this is Randy Peone on KREZ radio, the voice of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation. And it's time for the morning traffic report on this rainy Bicentennial Fourth of July. Let's go out to Lester Fallsapart in the KREZ traffic van broken down at the crossroads. Lester Fallsapart: Big truck just went by... now it's gone. Randy Peone: Well, there you go folks. Looks like another busy morning.

Victor Joseph: Thomas, don't you even know how to be a real Indian? How many times have you seen "Dances with Wolves" anyways? 100... 200 times? Oh jesus Thomas, you have seen it that many times?

Arlene Joseph: If you leave here don't you ever come back. You hear me? Victor Joseph: Dad don't go.

Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Your father saved my life Victor Joseph: Thomas you don't even know my father. Did you know that my father was the one that set your parent's house on fire? Did you know that my father beat my mother? Did you know that my father beat me too? Thomas Builds-the-Fire: All I know is that when your father left your mother lost you too. Victor Joseph: Thomas I wish that fire had killed you. Thomas Builds-the-Fire: Victor LOOK OUT!

Police Chief: This man apparantly wants to press charges against you. He said and I "you assaulted him and pushed him to the ground". Victor Joseph: That's bullshit. Police Chief: Mr Joseph there's no need for that type of language. Mr Johnson's daughter Holly says he's, and I quote, "a drunken asshole". So you two are free to go.

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