The Laughing Road When my daughter Karen was four we lived in Rio Puerco which is a housing unit in Fort Defiance, they are square and box like apartments all connected to one another in four and five one story complexes. One of our neighbors used to babysit for us sometimes. She was a McCabe girl from Sand Springs. Sand Springs is southwest of Second Mesa on the Turquoise Trail as it is called, the road leading to it is a narrow dirt road with no sign, so you have to have faith in knowing where you are going to get there. One night our neighbor needed a ride home, and so my wife took her and my daughter Karen, who was four with her. My wife does not know the reservation so this was an adventure for her. They drove to Window Rock and then west past Ganado and you drive and drive. I wasnt home so I did not know where they were when I got back. They were gone for a long time and then they finally came home late. My wife came in first, my daughter passed her in the doorway and ran into the room and jumped on the couch. My wife was explaining their trip, she said she did not know how far Sand Springs was when she said o.k. to the ride. My daughter was tugging at my pants leg and I wasnt listening to her. My wife told me they took off earlier in the afternoon and drove the McCabe girl back home to her parents place. We had an old chevy sedan and she said they had gassed up at Second Mesa and went off the road to Sand Springs. The area is pretty much barren and the road is dry, dusty which is why it is called Sand Springs, even the sage brush were far and few between. She said they kept on driving and going over a number of small hills. It was like a roller coaster, my daughter, Karen sat in the back and they drove on. It was 19 miles off the road and they crossed a wash and many sand dunes. When they got to the McCabes place she met the father. The McCabe family was preparing to relocate due to the Navajo-Hopi partition of lands and the area of Sand Springs was to given to the Hopis. The area was sparse because many families had already moved. Mr. McCabe is a big man and invited them to eat, which they did. He related the familys efforts about moving. He told her about his time on the tribal council and the loss of their home and gave them a small tour of their homesite and land. The McCabes would be leaving this area forever. It was a quiet and somber discussion. My daughter was still pulling on my leg as I listened. After a while it was time to go, Karen said, Come on Mom, we have to go. The McCabe family came up to her and said why do you want to go so soon. She looked at them with bright eyes and said because we have to go on the Laughing Road The little hills made her stomach whoozy and she liked that feeling. My daughter was standing on my toes, she was chanting...yes daddy, the laughing road, we went on the laughing road....her face was lit up and happy. I said, Oh... When I see the McCabe family who now live off reservation where they relocated, they always ask about the girl on the laughing road. My daughter is grown now and living in Salt Lake City. We visit and talk, my wife and daughter shared a meal that will always be remembered. It is a sad thing this relocation, but it is there still, the Laughing Road....rustywire
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 06:53:20 +0000
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