Unfiltered Story #195041

Some 10 years ago I was working for the Rosebud Reservation ambulance service. Most of the people I helped had a quiet dignity about them that one could not help to respect.

One night however me and my fellow EMT, a Sioux tribal member, responded to a call for a woman in distress at a private residence. When we got there my partner went in first while I followed about 30 seconds later having grabbed some extra gear.

When I entered the room with the patient my partner was already conducting the initial assessment. The woman’s husband was standing facing his wife and my partner with his back to me.

The woman was having difficulty speaking so the husband was doing most of the talking and when I walked in he was answering the questions of what/where/when concerning the woman’s condition.

I began pulling gear out of my bag when when the husband, who hadn’t yet noticed me, remarked “I’m just glad they sent one of our people and not one of those damned whites.”

At that point I, who had never personally faced discrimination in my life, could hardly believe what I just heard. I knew that racial hatred existed on the rez and why but hadn’t encountered it before then. Still, I am a man who believe in holding oneself to a Spartan degree of self control. I merely said “Excuse me?” in a flat even tone.

The husband glanced over his shoulder and froze. Now let me set the scene. The husband was 40ish stood about 5′ 6″-7″ and perhaps 170-180lbs. I was a 26 yr old man of Norse ancestory standing 6′ 1″& 215lbs & despite being a rather even tempered soul I just naturally ‘look’ mean.

The husband swallowed, stepped aside and said “Sir, I am so very sorry” Those were that last words he uttered in my presence. We transported his wife to the hospital without further incident.