Soapstone Signs

Soapstone Signs — page 3 — in return for a place to sleep and food to eat Each year Mom puts the one he carves for us in the glass display case Our guests sometimes ask to buy them but Mom always says Not these ones they are special to us When someone asks Whatcha working on Lindy smiles and says Work in progress He leaves his finished carvings on the ground beside him and the tourists can look and touch and buy those ones if they want He carves bears loons owls ospreys beavers walrus seals and even fish Lindy has a place he likes to sit by the riverbank I like to sit with him and watch him carve Sometimes he hands me what he is working on I look and then hand it back without saying a word Really that is saying a lot Today when Lindy finishes a carving I become curious How do you know what you will carve next 2

Soapstone Signs — page 4

Soapstone Signs — page 5 — He pauses looking thoughtful You ask the stone he says Whatever it is going to be it is already there How does the stone answer you Sometimes you might be given a sign and then you will know what to carve Do you mean signs like the ones where the train stops Those are important signs too but a sign can be any way that the world gives you a message Signs come to you when your thoughts mix with your senses I know what all the senses are I ask Lindy If you mix your thoughts with your sight can you see what is inside the stone He lifts the piece he is working on turns his hand and studies it against the clouds Sometimes it feels like I can see into the stone Does the stone talk to you Sometimes I feel like the stone is whispering to me Can you ever tell by the smell and the taste 4

Soapstone Signs — page 6 — Lindy laughs Sometimes the smells and tastes of the world around me give me signs about what is inside the stone Can you tell what is waiting inside by touching the stone Sometimes if I hold it just so it’s like I can feel what is inside What if the stone won’t tell you Lindy reaches into his burlap sack and holds a small piece out to me This is for you ask for yourself My very first piece of soapstone It is dull gray and feels powdery before it is carved I know from watching Lindy that the soapstone will look different after it is made into a carving It will polish to a beautiful dark green with black swirls and white shimmers like the northern lights I am not sure my ears are sharp enough to hear the soapstone whisper Will you tell me what is inside so I can try to carve it out 5

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