Waste Not, Want Not, Chapter X

Slowly consciousness returned to Paul. He was aware of dim light and strange sensations as he waked. “Where am I?” was his first thought. He was sure he had died. Where was he now? He had not believed in heaven or hell during his life but now he wondered if was in one, or maybe the other.
A sharp pain in his leg jolted him to think that perhaps he was stil alive. His head began to clear and a pungent smell assaulted his nostrils. These sensations were of the world of the living he was certain. He tried to move but could not. His limbs would not respond and he felt such weakness as he had never before experienced.
As he slowly gathered his wits and looked about he slowly realized he was back in his ranch house. “How did I get here?” he wondered. As the mists of his mind cleared a slight movement made him realize he was not alone.
He saw a figure standing at the foot of his bed with his back to him. The man was of medium stature and had long gray hair reaching down past his shoulders. He looked like an Indian.
He started to speak to this strange apparition but his attention was next focused on the pain in his leg. Paul looked down towards his injured limb. He saw it was bandaged with a pack of some kind on it.
The room was dimly illuminated by candle light. There was a smoky smell, like incense or something burning and the room was filled with thin smoke.
The man turned to face him. He was an old man, an Indian and he looked at Paul with kindly eyes.
He spoke, in clear English, “Do not be afraid. You will soon be well. I am El Indio. You have been bitten by a rattlesnake but I am well versed in the cures that can save you if God wills it.”
“How…how did I get here?” Paul with hoarse voice and a dry, burning throat.
“I found you. I saw your truck and wondered where you were. After a long time had passed and you had not returned I went to search. I saw what had happened and I drove you here right away. Rest now. Soon I will have soup for you to eat when you can keep it down. Be silent, rest now, we’ll talk when you wake.”
Paul closed his eyes and fell right to sleep. How long he slept he did not know. When hid awake he was hungry and he smelled soup cooking.
“Ha! You’re awake now!“ El Indio was there. “How do you feel?”
Paul stirred and then found he could sit up. He still felt a lot of pain in his leg but overall he didn’t feel too bad, just disoriented.
“I don’t feel too bad, I guess. I am hungry. You saved me?”
“Eat now and we’ll talk. God saved you. God was not ready for you, he must have something in mind.”
Paul greedily devoured the very tasty vegetable and chicken broth soup he was served.
When he was finished he could feel his strength returning.
“I have heard of you,” said Paul. “Maria told me about you. She says you help these people with their medical and…other problems.”
El Indio gave him a funny look.
“Thank you for saving me, I am grateful,” said Paul.
“Don’t thank me. Thank God for bringing me to you. I do what I can to help the good people here and others when I can. Rest now. I must perform a cleansing once again.”
Paul lay still as El Indio took an egg from a bowl and held it before his face. He mumbled something that was incoherent to Paul and then placed the egg in both hands and, holding the egg high, he made four sharp right angle turns with a pause after each turn, until he returned to his original position. He then placed one hand on Paul’s forehead and with the other hand he took the egg and passed it, with outstretched arms, over Paul’s body. Then he took a lime and repeated the procedure. Next he took some pepper tree branches and lightly passed them over Paul with a motion that seemed as though he was dusting Paul but the branches only touched Paul occasionally and then only very briefly.
Once again Paul felt himself drifting away to sleep and he heard El Indio’s voice “It is good to sleep now. You need to heal and regain your strength. I will return and look in on you when you are awake. The snake nearly killed you but God in his mercy spared you.”
Then he fell into a long and deep sleep.