Scattered Bones by Maggie Siggins

Author:Maggie Siggins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: conflict, Award-winning, First Nations, Pelican Narrows, history, settlers, residential school, community, religion, burial ground
ISBN: 9781550506716
Publisher: Coteau Books

Father Bonnald’s Tea Party

Saturday

Chapter Twenty-Two

Etienne Bonnald has arrived at the unhappy conclusion that God enjoys playing tricks on humans. His elder brother had been a man of such sharp intelligence, clever wit, and joyful piety – their mother claimed that angels sang to him in his cradle – that Étienne had spent his young years worshipping him. Indeed, his very reason for existence, his religious vocation, had come to fruition under Ovide’s guidance. And now Ovide is driving him mad.

Buzz, buzz, buzz, all day long, wrapped in his silly apron, a cigarette between his lips – he takes short puffs, blowing the smoke in front of him with exquisite pleasure which irritates Étienne to no end. Incessantly humming ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,’ he never stops shuffling about, dusting the furniture, peeling the potatoes, feeding the stupid rabbits which Étienne had not wanted and now hates, chopping wood, weeding his garden.

This morning Ovide is positively frantic. He leapt out of bed in a panic. His voice rang out, “The tea! It’s today. We must begin the preparations at once.”

Straight away, the two brothers quarrelled. Ovide was determined to serve cold tongue with a French mustard sauce. Étienne was against it. “Why go to so much trouble to entertain a writer of English, an American, who is probably an infidel, and certainly a blasphemer?”

“It was you who thought up the idea of an afternoon tea,” Ovide shot back. “Why, I don’t know, since you have no intention of being civil.”

Étienne doesn’t know either except that Joe had wanted it. “Mr. Lewis and me, we became quite good friends on the Treaty trip. He gave me that fantastic knife. Would really appreciate it, Father, if you would return the kindness.” And Ovid had put in his two cents – Everyone else is entertaining the famous author, how could the priest hold his head up in Pelican Narrows if he didn’t do likewise. Étienne finally acquiesced. “Yes, all right. But it will be simple fare.”

Slices of bread and butter served with Ovide’s Saskatoon berry preserve was what he had in mind. But his brother insists on a much more elaborate affair. Besides the boiled moose tongue, there is to be on offer pemmican larded with blue berries – Ovide calls it paté myrtille – and pineapple sponge shortcake, since a can of the fruit was found in the pantry.

And, of course, every crevice of the rectory must be scrubbed.

Ovide begins his tasks by waving a duster in his brother’s face. And this is a man, thinks Étienne, who once could recite Thomas Aquinas by heart. Fortunately, he has a legitimate excuse to escape the mayhem. The new chief of Ballendine Band is to be chosen this morning – the government allows such elections only when the Indian agent makes his annual visit – and as a pillar of the white community he must attend.

It’s a lovely, breezy day. Peaked waves on the lake sparkle in the sun. Wild asters, pink-purple in colour, boasting bright yellow faces, bloom along the path leading from the rectory.

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