Having been raised and still reside on the Big Valley Rancheria, I have run into my share of prejudice, opinion and ignorance. Usually I am more apt to ignore, or if possible politely correct, such indiscretions. But my most recent incident has been hard for me to turn my cheek. In fact, I have lost many hours of sleep.
A few weeks ago I took my vehicle into a local tire outlet to have my rotors turned. During that weekend, my husband and I noticed two of my rear lug nuts missing. After more inspection, my husband found all my rear lugs loose, including my lock lugs.
Since I was having my transmission serviced the following week, I figured I could mention this to the store manager because it was a safety concern to me. I was not looking for anything in return. I was especially not looking for a scapegoat; neither of my rear tires happened to fall off my vehicle.
I mentioned this to my serviceman before he took possession of my vehicle. Now mind you, I have been acquaintances with this serviceman for 24 years. When my vehicle was ready and I went to pay my bill, this serviceman asked me if I still live out on the reservation. I said “Yes.”
This prompted the “Ol eye brow raise” and he stated, “Yeah, well my serviceman has been doing this for 25 to 30 years, and he would never overlook such a detail.” He didn”t say it sarcastically or maliciously. In fact, he said it with sincerity ? which bothered me even more as the days moved on.
After picking up my jaw from off the floor I decided I would walk away, chalk it up to ignorance and find myself a new tire shop. After countless hours of unsettled consideration, I”ve decided to lodge my complaint openly. Do I think it was a coincidence that all my rear lugs were loose ? with two missing ?four days after having my rotors serviced? No.
Do I believe my fellow community/family/friends traipsed into my yard one evening deciding to loosen all my rear lugs ? including my lock lugs ? but left the front lugs machine-tight? No.
Do I believe my community/family/friends were conspiring to relieve me of my wheels because “Hell, we live on the rez, and that”s just what we do?” No.
Do I wonder if the attitude would have been different had I told him that we lived at my husband”s “more respectable” town address? Yes.
So should I have the same attitude and say “well if there is one dogmatist working at this particular tire shop, they must all be.”? No.
Will I take my car elsewhere for service and safety concerns? Yes, because whether the service manager”s statement was a knee-jerk defense of his worker or whether he figured an ignorant girl couldn”t know her lug nuts from her carburetor, it was still incredibly insulting.
I understand we are a small community and that a few bad pears have spoiled the entire lug according to town folk but please remember racial sensitivity would be appreciated especially when our hard earned money is being spent locally.
Marilyn Cleveland Shupe
Finley
