Quote 4
"It's all your fault," he said.
"What's my fault?" I asked.
"Your sister is dead because you left us. You killed her."
That made me stop laughing. I suddenly felt like I might never laugh again.
Rowdy was right.
I had killed my sister.
Well, I didn't kill her.
But she only got married so quickly and left the rez because I had left the rez first. She was only living in Montana in a cheap trailer house because I had gone to school in Reardan. She had burned to death because I had decided that I wanted to spend my life with white people. (27.191-27.198)
Rowdy blames Arnold for Mary's death, and Arnold in turn blames himself. Rowdy claims that, if Arnold hadn't left the reservation, then Mary wouldn't have either. Still, did Mary every really leave the reservation?
Quote 5
"Why are you leaving?"
"I have to go. I'm going to die if I don't leave."
I touched his shoulder again and Rowdy flinched.
Yes, I touched him again.
What kind of idiot was I?
I was the kind of idiot that got punched hard in the face by his best friend.
Bang! Rowdy punched me.
Bang! I hit the ground.
Bang! My nose bled like a firework. (7.64-7.72)
Arnold tells Rowdy that he is leaving the reservation. He asks Rowdy to come with him, but Rowdy refuses. Why? And why does Rowdy punch Arnold?
Quote 6
"I'm not nomadic," Rowdy said. "Hardly anybody on this rez is nomadic. Except for you. You're the nomadic one."
"Whatever."
"No, I'm serious. I always knew you were going to leave. I always knew you were going to leave us behind and travel the world. I had this dream about you a few months ago. You were standing on the Great Wall of China. You looked happy. And I was happy for you." (30.182-30.184)
Arnold and Rowdy reconcile as Rowdy has come to terms with Arnold's decision to leave the reservation. It means so much to Arnold that Rowdy can accept Arnold's dreams – and even be happy for him. Why, though, does Rowdy call Arnold a "nomad"?