Rez Life - Trina’s Trailer

Trina’s Trailer
20” x 16” Oil on Canvas 2025
By Parsons

Trina’s Story:

Uncle went to town for smokes.

That was hours ago. Might be he ran into someone, or maybe the truck broke down again — it’s been acting up for weeks. The starter’s shot. You have to arc it just right to get it going, and nobody’s around to help.

So Trina waits.

The woods are still and heavy. No cell service way out here. No TV. Just smoke from the stovepipe rising into the frozen trees.

She’s already cold, but leaving isn’t really an option. Mom’s passed out inside. Auntie’s place is too far to walk in this weather, and the stray rez dogs have been mean lately.

So she waits.

She fidgets with the sleeves of her letterman jacket — not because she’s cold, but because it makes her feel like somebody. The jacket still means something, even if nobody’s watching.

She tells herself Uncle will be back soon. That he’s just running late. That it’s no big deal.

But deep down, she knows.

On the rez, people leave all the time. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes they don’t.

Still, Trina waits. Because sometimes waiting is all you can do.