THE GITCHIGUMI AFFAIR

Roland "Roly" Winarski was a star athlete at Gitchigumi High School. He was the star running back on the football team since his sophomore year. He was also a starting point guard beginning in his junior year and played first base on the baseball team every Spring. Tall, blonde, and muscular, he was the heartthrob of every teen girl in the county. Although he dated several of his classmates, there was one who was his favorite. He even fantasized about marrying her and raising a family. Jeanie liked Roly but had no intention of marrying a "jock." She broke off their relationship shortly after the senior prom when Roly insisted on having sex. Jeanie held her ground and refused to succumb to his advances.

Gitchigumi High played their final baseball game at Cliff High, located next to an Ojibwe reservation. Roly batted 1000 with four hits. Two of the hits were home runs and ended with seven RBIs for the game. He caught the eye of Marsha Alanatha, the prettiest senior girl at Cliff High. Marsha was three-quarters Ojibwe. Her mother was half Ojibwe and half French. Marsha had her mother's full-figured bust and her father's dark brown eyes and long eyelashes. Her lips were naturally full, and her smooth skin was a light olive color.

Roly hadn't noticed her in the bleachers. When the game ended and he was packing his gear in a duffel bag, he looked up to see Marsha walking in his direction. He was immediately smitten by those eyes that sparkled and the broad smile as she approached. With his jaw dropping, he stopped loading his duffel and smiled back at Marsha.

"My name is Marsha Alanatha. I already know your name. You played a hell of a great game, annihilating our team."

Roly gulped, "Sorry."

Marsha laughed and said, "No need to be sorry, you were great!"  She began to feel a little uncomfortable with his stare. "Say something."

"Oh, sorry." He blurted.

"Why do you keep saying you're sorry? You haven't done anything to offend me." She then handed him a slip of paper with a phone number on it. "Call me, I would like to get to know you."

Roly nodded but was unable to speak. He couldn't believe this gorgeous creature wanted to get to know him better. He could only stare at her as she walked away toward a group of girls eager to hear about Marsha's encounter with that hunk.

It was the beginning of a hot summer romance. Roly called her the next day and asked her to see a movie at the local drive-in theater. They didn't watch much of the film, though, as they spent most of the time making out.

The following week, Marsha asked him to meet her parents before their next date. Roly agreed and was greeted by her mother with a warm welcome. Marsha led him to the living room, where her dad was reading the local newspaper.

"Dad? This is my new boyfriend, Roly."

Kieth Alanatha looked up from the top of the newspaper, reading glasses on the end of his broad nose, and grunted something unintelligible. He quickly disappeared behind the newspaper, ignoring the couple.

Kieth Alanatha was a highly respected owner of the local hardware store in Cliff, but had little time for Martha's boyfriends. It would be later that Summer at a family picnic before Kieth would warm up to Roly. By then, Marsha and Roly had fallen in love, discussing marriage and even debating the number of children they would have. Marsha wanted six. Roly was not sure he wanted that many, but kept it to himself. It would be Marsha's choice, after all.

However, a family would have to wait. They both were starting their freshman year in college that fall, so Marsha was taking the "pill" so as not to get pregnant until they were out of school and married. Roly received a football scholarship at a southern Minnesota State university. At the same time, Marsha enrolled in the local liberal arts college in Gitchigumi. Marsha would visit Roly for a couple of weekends, and whenever Roly made it home, they would be inseparable.

That was until a few weeks before finals, when Roly came home to attend Jeanie's sister's wedding dance. Marsha was working at a supper club and could not attend with Roly, but would try to meet him later that evening.   

As these things happen, Roly had too much to drink, and so when Jeanie sat next to him in a high-backed booth, some of those old feelings welled up. Jeanie also had too much to drink and began talking about getting back together. One thing led to another, and before long, they were making out in the booth. As luck would have it, Marsha arrived at the dance earlier than expected and found Roly in Jeanie's arms, their lips locked.

No matter how much Roly tried to patch things up with Marsha, she would have none of it and ended the relationship. Roly even gave up his scholarship and enrolled in the same college where Marsha was attending, to no avail. Her mind was made up.

Roly was welcomed onto the football team and excelled as usual. His grades were average, and he dated other co-eds, but he still yearned to get Marsha back. That was not going to come to fruition because Marsha was engaged to an upperclassman and was planning to marry the following Summer.

Roly had finished his last final and was celebrating with friends at a local college bar when Marsha approached. She began celebrating her finals earlier in the day and asked Roly if they could talk privately. They left the bar in Roly's car and drove to an abandoned construction site.

Roly waited for Marsha to speak first.

"As you know, I am committed to marrying Glen Anderson later this Summer, and I will be following through with the wedding. But I wanted to tell you that I still have strong feelings for you."

Roly was speechless. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. She was looking for a response when he finally admitted to still being very much in love with her.

"I want you to make love to me one last time, Roly, and that will end it forever." At that, she got out and climbed into the back seat of Roly's car and began to undress as Roly climbed in next to her. It would be the last time Roly ever saw her again.

A month later, Roly volunteered for the draft and shipped out to Ft Campbell, KY, for basic training. After Advanced Infantry Training, he was sent to Vietnam. He returned to Ft Hood, where he met Lisa. They married and later had three children, all boys. Roly decided to make his career in the military and was enrolled in Officer Training School. He rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers, retiring and then moving his family to South Carolina to complete raising their three sons. Over the years, he often thought about Marsha and wondered how her life had unfolded, but these fleeting moments were brief. He had no regrets and had a happy marriage.

The boys had married and left home to raise their own families. He and Lisa were happy empty nesters, traveling and enjoying their retirement. One morning, Roly awoke to Lisa's limp body. She had died in her sleep from a massive heart attack. He was heartbroken and lost without Lisa by his side, but something was drawing him back to Gitchigumi. He didn't know why. Possibly to try to connect with old school chums who still lived in the area, or see the old house he grew up in. He just knew he had to get back "home." He decided to spend a week or two in his old stomping grounds and return to South Carolina when he grew weary of living his past.

On the drive north, he thought about Marsha, so he decided to stop at the hardware store and inquire about her and her family. On the second day after arriving in Gitchigumi, he drove to Cliff and the hardware store. The clerk knew nothing about Marsha but said her boss might be able to help. He inherited the store from his father. She then called for Mr. Alanatha to come to the front checkout. It was Randy, Marsha's brother. It was like seeing Kieth again.

Roly explained why he was there, but Randy just nodded. When Roly finished his request for information, Randy told him to come back the next day. There might be someone he would like to meet. Randy received a call on his cell phone and waved Roly goodbye. "See you tomorrow about ten then?"

Roly's heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing Marsha again. He had no idea of rekindling a romance. He just wanted to spend some time with her and learn about her life.  Still, he was excited to see her again.

With his adrenaline running in high gear, he had very little sleep that night. Rising early and having a quick swim in the hotel pool after a half hour in the sauna, he showed, shaved, and picked out a clean shirt and blue jeans. He still had plenty of time to have breakfast and drive to meet Marsha at the hardware store.

Randy greeted him as Roly entered the store and motioned for him to follow to the back room. Standing next to a pallet of cardboard boxes marked "fastener" was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-fifties. Roly's first thought was that she looked great for her age. She was trim with full breasts and naturally full lips, just as he remembered. Her skin, although smooth, was lighter than he remembered.  Her long eyelashes blinked several times, trying to wipe away tears that filled her blue eyes.

What? Wait. Blue eyes? He thought.

The woman reached out and took Roly's hand, her eyes glistening with tears. "Mom divorced shortly after I was born. With the help of Grandpa Kieth, she raised me alone. She died a few years ago, but before she died, she told me about you.