Monday—Friday

Monday morning began like most Mondays with me rushing around doing my best not to have to interact with the other family members in the kitchen or on my way out the door.

The bike ride to school was quiet, actually peaceful, and I could think with no interruptions. It was still a cool morning with the promise of a hot afternoon in store. Looking up I saw the sky was blue as blue could be. My whole world seemed full of the promise of a great new adventure opening just for me. It seemed as if every bird in the sky was speaking just to me and welcoming me into their world. I arrived at the bike compound and locked up my bike with the old chain and lock I had been given by Robby along with the bike.

Then it was on to Mr. Manis’s office. The lights were out, and I knocked. There was no answer. I started to wonder if something was wrong with him. I went on down to his classroom and it too was dark and locked. I went back out to the bike rack and sat down on the curb and read from Woodscraft Nation Handbook about poisonous snakes and their habits.

With six varieties there was a lot to learn:

1. Southern Copperhead (Akistrodon contortrix contortrix)

2. Florida Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

3. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)

4. Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) 

5. Pigmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarus barbouri)

6. Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius)

When the bell finally rang for first period it was the start of another long and busy week. Each school day was full of standardized testing and my afternoons were full of work.

The week turned into a full and busy week with chores, extra schoolwork, and studying for a conformation test at church.

By Friday afternoon I still had not met with Dr. Manis or talked to Steph. Both of these things confused me, and I found myself feeling lost and alone.

On Friday the week over, I rode home to find my oldest sister was there. She was home from work and had the entire weekend off. She was a nurse at our local hospital, and I figured she would know the difference between animal bones and human bones.

So, I asked her if I showed her some bone fragments I had dug up at my dig if she could tell if they were animal and what kind of animal they might be. She said they looked like human bones but suggested I should go see Dr. Canfield the veterinarian. He would be the best person to ask and he had the equipment to tell the difference by looking through the microscope. She went on to volunteer to drive there in the morning and we would take Butch, my dog, and have him checked out.

I wanted to make sure Butch was in good shape. He was a really good protector and I had decided I would take him along the next time Steph went to the dig site.

I was hoping we could go right then, but I would have to wait until the morning to get the answers.