Maybe because we were all so tired and overwhelmed, we all became silly,
"And think of this: he doesn't need any cleaning lady," Teal said. "And his electric bills must be very low." Robin added,
"He can't complain about the neighbors making too much noise. It won't do him any good," I said "The neighbors are all animals."
Natani looked at us as if he had known us all our lives and expected us to be silly. He went to his stove where he had a pot of water simmering. Then he plucked a leather bag off the wall. The bag had fringes and a band of colorful beadwork an the bottom, as well as beads on its drawstrings. He opened it and produced handfuls of what looked like beans, which he dropped into the simmering water. He covered the pot and turned back to us.
"What are we doing here?" Teal asked. 'Is that supposed to be our dinner tonight? Another sick joke of Dr Foreman's. I bet," she said to Robin and me.
Could it be so? I wondered.
"No food. no. Soon, you will hear the sun," Natani said.
"Hear the sun?" Teal turned to me. "What the hell is he talking about now?"
"I think he means your sunburn."
As if speaking about it woke it, both she and Robin grimaced and then looked at their arms and felt the backs of their necks.
"Oh, Jesus." Robin moaned. "My skin feels like someone's holding a match to it."
"Mine feels like it was turned into cellophane. I think I can hear it crinkle," Teal added.
"You must sit," Natani said, indicating a place in his hogan. We did. Then he took his drum and sat with it between his legs.
"I'm in a tent with an old Indian man playing a drum. Am I going crazy or am I going crazy?" Teal muttered.
"We're beyond crazy." Robin said.
Very law at first, Natani began to beat a rhythm and chant something.
"I thought we weren't permitted entertainment until we earned it." Teal joked through her lips, now twisting with some agony. The sun was speaking, just as Natani had predicted.
"This is starting to really hurt." Robin complained as she touched the back of her neck again, "Now that we're indoors. I see what he means about the sun talking. It's not talking; it's shouting."
Natani raised his voice and we all jumped. His chant became stronger, his drumming louder.
"Should we just run out of here or what?" Teal asked. "Wait," I said. "I have a feeling he knows what he's doing."
"And you have sunstroke. too." Robin told me.
Abruptly. Natani stopped chanting and put the drum aside. Then he rose and went to his stove and the pot. He took it off the flame and stirred the contents. He poured the remaining water on the ground, then squatted in front of us and set the pot between his legs.
"These are beans from mesquite,- he said. "They will keep the sun quiet."
"You're kidding." Robin said. "Mesquite. Isn't that a bug?'
"No. it's a plant," Teal said. "I know that much."
Natani dipped his fingers into the pot and came up with the dark, muddy mix.
Teal grimaced. "Maybe that will make it worse. Who told you it works?"
Natani smiled. "Many, many years ago, the coyote told us."
"The coyote? What coyote?" Robin asked.
"The coyote," he repeated, and urged her to give him her arm.