Back at the Ranch

More pictures of Petra pend posting. However, day to day life at the tall and at camp continue. Monday, Graeme took a personal day Monday after staying up to see the final World Cup game. The workers asked, "Wane Prince?" (Where's Prince?) I explained that he was sleeping. The day moved on uneventfully, but he was missed. Knowing that he'd return more cheerfully if left to his own, I said nothing. Tuesday, he returned and our field seemed a bit livelier to everyone.

Today, he almost missed work again. His roommate Hew usually wakes him up because Graeme doesn't hear the morning bell. But this morning Hew didn't hear the wake up bell ringing either. At 5:00 Hew appeared, "I just got up. I'm going to get water," he told me. I asked if Graeme was up. "He was right behind me." One of the buses was late as well so the situation didn't seem to dire. The first bus filled and left. Ken and I waited with a group for the second bus boarding near the end of the line and watching for our boy. Like Hew, Graeme went to the cafeteria, but instead of just stopping for water, he grabbed something to eat as well. The late bus driver didn't listen when Ken asked him to wait a minute. We drove off without Graeme. "Well, he can help Suha in the pottery lab," I said. But Suha was on the other bus to be part of our group photo. The photo. My heart sank. This week marks mid-season for the dig and three fresh volunteers have joined the team. Today and tomorrow, three others – Justin, Stefanie Griffin and Larry Murrin – leave, but before they do, the entire group poses at the tall for a picture.

Justin's last day. The group picture. "How are you, Rebecca?" Doug asked. "A bit fragile, but I'll keep moving," I replied. What do you say to that? Apparently nothing. You smile as if that's normal and keep going.

Standing at the sift after the photo shoot, I thought I heard Graeme's voice. Trick of the wind that whirls across the top of the tall. I finished picking through my sift, flipped out the leftovers, and turned. There he was sitting in Rainbow's square, chatting with the workers. My heart soared. When the bus left he set out walking from camp. No taxis drove through the area at 5:15 in the morning, so he kept walking and then hitched a ride for the last kilometer or so, arriving at the tall around 7:15. "Does Justin know you're here?" I asked. He walked toward her square and called her name. They half ran toward each other, like in a movie, and hugged. "Does Daddy know you're here? He nearly flat-lined when the bus driver pulled out without you. Go tell him!"

When asked to introduce ourselves during orientation, I realized and announced that my purpose here, aside from the experience for myself, is to witness the experiences of Ken, Justin and Graeme. Archeology can rot, but I know what matters to me.

Oh, and there's another group picture here at camp at 4:00.