Souvenir of Arizona
By Benedict Thielen, first published in Scribner's Magazine
Two young individuals on their honeymoon stop at a gas station in an Indian reservation to buy souvenirs and eat lunch. To the great embarrassment of his wife, the husband spends the entirety of their stop mocking the Native Americans who live there.
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Plot Summary
Harry and Gertrude stop at a gas station to fill up their car. Gertrude asks Harry if they can grab food while they are there because she is hungry. Harry argues that they need to get back on the road because they need to be ahead of a car that keeps passing them. Gertrude begs her husband to eat and he gives in. The two walk into the lunch restaurant and Gertrude asks to stay in the area to rest, to which Harry declines. Harry explains that they have 80 more miles left to drive. He convinces her to that they need to get back on the road as soon as possible. Gertrude orders a ham sandwich and a glass of milk and asks her husband what he wants. He asks her to order the same thing, but with a beer. The waiter explains that they don't have beer because they are on an Indian reservation and those are the rules put in place. Harry laughs and mocks this rule as well as the Indians. He asks the waiter if the Indian people ever give them trouble. The waiter explains that they don't and that the Navajos trade with him often. Harry tells his wife that the Navajo people are very bad and cause a lot of trouble. As they wait for their food, Gertrude admires the landscape around them and the butte with the sunset in the background. They watch as the car that Harry wanted to get ahead of passes them. Gertrude asks her husband if they can walk around the store and her husband reluctantly agrees. Harry makes fun of the Navajo jewelry and items while Gertrude finds a bracelet. Harry asks if she wants to buy it as a souvenir. The door of the shop opens and a Navajo man walks in to trade a goat skin he carries. Harry begins to mock the man's outfit and appearance too which the Navajo man says nothing and continues with his trading. Gertrude tries to show Harry a necklace she found to get him to change the topic, but her husband is persistent in mocking the Navajo man. Harry goes up to the trading station and mocks the language of the Navajo people. As the Navajo man finishes trading, Harry asks the storekeeper if the Indian people are sociable or give the people trouble. The storekeeper explains that they don't cause trouble. Harry then turns to Gertrude and asks her if she wants to buy the jewelry. Gertrude explains that it's too heavy and that she has a lot of jewelry at home so she doesn't want to buy a souvenir. The couple leave the shop and go back to their car. Harry comments that Gertrude has been quiet recently. They begin to drive away and Harry shouts at the Navajo man as they drive by him. Then he speeds along the road, hoping to catch up with the car that passed them earlier.
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