Tracks

Pauline narrates this chapter, and begins with her departure from Argus. She goes to live with Bernadette, a widow with three children—Clarence, a grown man, and two teenage girls, Sophie and Philomena—and Bernadette’s brother Napoleon Morrissey on land in the northern part of the reservation. The Morrisseys are wealthy by reservation standards, keeping a 640-acre farm, though Napoleon drinks. Pauline explains that Regina and Dutch are mistreating her, and she begs for a place in Bernadette’s household where she can work for her keep.

Bernadette agrees and teaches Pauline her trade, nursing the dying and preparing the bodies for burial. Pauline accompanies Bernadette and learns how to tend to the dying.

Pauline is plagued by visions and dreams, including of the men who died in the meat locker. When she sits with dying people, she sees death come upon them. She believes that death is a form of grace (68). She sees things, does odd things, and talks to people who are not there. For example, she is once found high in a tree, asleep, and she reports that she flew up there. People begin to talk about her being not right in the head, in addition to being a liar.