Indy Digs In - snippet

"Indy, come quick!"

Indy sprang from her chair, slapped a broad-brimmed, straw hat over her brunette head and ran from the tent. The bright sunlight was momentarily blinding and she snatched her forgotten sunshades from a shirt pocket. Once her eyes had adjusted, she ran after her assistant, Lilly, who was slipping and sliding down the shallow, sandy embankment. Indy followed with more caution and managed to make it to the bottom without falling on her rump. She skidded to a stop next to Lilly who was now crouched next to an object jutting from the red earth.

"Look, look," Lilly said, voice high with excitement and a finger pointing.

"Yes, I see," Indy replied more calmly.

"What do you think it is?"

"Well, it looks like a bone."

Lily turned a dirt-smudged face up and said, "I know it looks like a bone, Indy, but what kind?"

Indy studied her assistant while she considered how to answer. She was sure that Lilly's blue eyes, hidden behind her own shades, were probably rolling toward her hairline with impatience.

"Don't suppose we'll know until we dig it up," Indy replied.

Indy heard Lilly's exasperated sigh as she rocked back on the heels of her desert boots. "How soon can we begin?" Lilly asked as she rose to her full five-foot-five height, which was about two inches shorter than Indy. She pushed at the bill of her Texas Longhorn ball cap, her blond pony-tail swinging out the back. She brushed the red Arizona dirt from her shapely tanned legs. Her cut-off jeans and gray tank top were covered with the fine, red dust. She brushed absently at them while she waited for Indy to answer.

Indy understood Lilly's excitement and impatience. Lilly Cavanagh was a student from the University of Texas-Dallas working toward her Doctorate in Paleontology. This was her first find, even though they had been digging in the remote area between Kayenta, Arizona and Monument Valley, Utah for close to a month.

Kayenta, located twenty-five miles south of Monument Mountain, was a small town boasting a little over 5100 residence. It is part of the Navajo Nation, which meant they had had to get special permission and permits in order to dig. Although small, the town offered several restaurants, hotels, and even a movie theater. When weather turned hazardous, or when the team needed a break from sleeping in tents or needed a bath, they went into town for a meal and a bed.

"Let's get some of the crew over here to rope off this area first," Indy said.

Lilly's face lit up as if she'd just received a surprise birthday present. "I'll get em," she offered as she sped off, her boots tossing back a spray of red dirt. "Hey, Drew," she yelled to the young man sitting on the ground several yards away.

Drew Simpson raised his head and pushed his battered cowboy hat away from his eyes, which also wore sunshades to protect them from the harsh sun. "What?"

"Come see what I found."

"Now?" he asked irritably.

"Yes. And, Dr. Indy said to bring some of the men to help rope off the area," Lilly said, dancing from foot to foot.

Drew Simpson, another first-year student, rose to brush the dirt from his long legs. He was of medium height with a stocky build, sandy blonde hair and brown eyes. His khaki shorts were splotched with red, his once white T-shirt almost pink with Arizona dirt, and his tan cowboy hat wore a fine layer of the red dust. He took a swig of water from his canteen before saying, "be right there."

Lilly smiled, turned and dashed back to where Indy was now on her hands and knees brushing at the mysterious bone with a small paint brush. Lilly fell to her knees next to Indy and leaned close.

"It looks like it is a very large bone, doesn't it, Dr. Indy?"

"Mmmm."

"Think it could be a T-Rex?"

"Mmmm."

"Or maybe it's a new species," Lilly said.

"Mmmm."

Indy was so absorbed in brushing away the dirt in slow, careful strokes that she didn't mind Lilly's constant chatter. Her mind was busy going over the many possibilities of their potential discovery she almost didn't notice when the crew arrived and started driving stakes and rolling out the rope. She stopped and sat back, running the back of her hand across her wet brow. She glanced at her watch and found that it was already pushing toward noon. She stood.

"All right. Finish roping the area, plant a flag on this spot, then take a lunch break and drink plenty of water," Indy hollered to few men working with Drew. Most of the men were local Indians from the Navajo community. It was one of the conditions for getting the permit to dig. She was still learning who was who, so couldn't always remember their names. She knew they were brothers and the larger man, Wynono, pronounced wi-no-no, was the oldest since his name meant, first born son. His brother, shorter and stockier, was called, Wapi.

She glanced at Lilly. "I'm going back to my tent and document our findings. After our break I want to get some photos before we go much further."

She turned toward her tent, but tossed a glance over her shoulder, "Good work, Lilly."

Lilly beamed.