I Love a Diplodocus

My first attempt at fiction. Well, my second attempt really. My first attempt was something I was not particularly proud of. Time to try again.

SYNOPSIS

Professor Bob McDonaldson and his associate, Doctor Thomas Hendricks, have just made the discovery of their lives -- the beautifully preserved, complete fossilized remains of a rare prehistoric dinosaur of the late Jurassic period, the Diplodocus (dih-PLOD-uh-kuh s).  They dream of fame and fortune as they make plans to excavate the creature, bone-by-bone, and have it shipped to the Natural History museum and there, reassembled for all to see this magnificent find.

There's only one problem.  The remains had been unearthed during an excavation which had intended to be built as the world's greatest shopping center.  However, the property was owned by a reclusive old widow, Mattie Wheeler, who "don't 'low no strangers on her proppity!"  The feisty old hag backs up her claim by being an expert shot with her 40-gauge shotgun which scares off any trespassers.

As city officials and civil engineers have found out previously, Ms. Wheeler is a formidable foe to any and all who challenge her privacy.  After all, she has never ventured out of her little shack on the property to enter into the modern world.  Why should anyone else impose such a venture on her?  Money can't buy her off.  She just wants to be left alone.

As it turns out, Ms. Wheeler may be as old as the Diplodocus.  She claims to have raised it from a little pet until it "got too big to stay in the house."  (The Diplodocus is 90 feet long and weighs over 40 tons).

The professor resorts to every means possible to sway Ms. Wheeler, including trying to romance her in order to win her favor -- all to no avail.

Who will finally prevail in this battle of ideologies -- science or tradition?

I. THE DISCOVERY

Professor Bob McDonaldson stared in amazement at the sight his keen scientifically-trained eyes beheld before him now.  In all his years as a paleontologist for the city's Natural History museum, he had never seen such a magnificent specimen.

The professor's leather-like skin, gained from years in the field under hot, dry desert-like conditions, discovering and digging up relics from civilizations past, as well as fossilized remains of creatures who once roamed the earth but had met their extinction many millions of years ago, told the story of a man who had dedicated himself to preserving the past of our planet's many diversified cultures and wonders of nature for the world to see and experience.

Now past the age of actively exploring and the long, painstaking tasks of unearthing these historic finds, the professor served the museum in an administrative capacity, sharing his experience and expertise with a younger generation of scientific minds, eager to glean the depth of his knowledge and to develop their own reputations.

Such was the case of Doctor Thomas Hendricks, Professor McDonaldson's associate, who had worked with him on many of his excursions, digging up the past.  Only 34, Doctor Hendricks' youthful looks did not reflect the years of experience of his mentor.  After all, some might suggest Doctor Hendricks did not share the professor's total dedication to his work.  The younger man had married and had a family, with whom he shared many other diversified interests, from sports to politics.  Professor McDonaldson, on the other hand, had still not married even though he was now in his 70s.  His total involvement in his career had left him little time to pursue other activities.  He was, by his own admission, "a confirmed old batchelor and likely to remain so."

Professor McDonaldson was certainly well-respected in his field.  It was he who had unearthed a magnificent specimen of a Tyrannosaurus Rex locked in deadly combat with his well-armored adversary, the Triceratops (three-horned face) and mounted, just as they had been in this moment of battle when they both suddenly met their demise.  This was one of the most famous displays that never failed to bring out the "Ooohs!" and "Aaahs!" in the Great Hall of Dinosaurs at the museum.  What had killed them so instantaneously?  Was the area suddenly struck from a fallen meteor that had so destroyed everything within miles around from which there was no escape?  Was it a sudden climate change brought on by the approaching Ice Age that had frozen them in their tracks?  The speculations that were involved was a favorite topic of discussion at the professor's many lectures on prehistoric life and, particularly, what had indeed caused the extinction of these beasts which had ruled the world for so many millions of years.

Now, here they sat -- Professor McDonaldson and Doctor Hendricks -- on the edge of this vast excavation, staring at this marvelous sight -- just as one of the workmen had related it to them when he had arrived, all excited and out of breath at the museum a few days ago.  A very knowledgeable fellow, this man knew exactly what it was and that the museum staff might be interested in having a look.

There, still partially imbedded in the walls of this now abandoned pit, was the complete fossilized remains of the largest land animal that ever roamed the earth, the Diplodocus.  A member of the Sauropod family of vegetarian dinosaurs that lived during the latter stages of the Jurassic period of the planet's geological history, this creature with the long neck and tail could measure up to 90 feet from tip-to-tip and weighed close to 40 tons when fully grown.  Its bulky body could be a bit of a load to haul around, so the Diplodocus could best survive wading in swampy waters to buoy that weight while using its long neck to feast off the tops of the trees and other foliage that grew near its environs.  The swampland not only helped with the animal's mobility, it also provided a hedge of protection from the meat-eating predators who were constantly on the lookout for just such a tasty meal.

The problem was, with such a comparatively small head and mouth, the Diplodocus had to spend all of its time feeding to fill its bulky body.  It wasn't long before the animal completely exhausted its food supply and had to leave the safety of its habitat in search of another festive feeding ground.  At that time, the slow-moving, defenseless Diplodocus was very vulnerable indeed to his carnivorous cousins.

Another thing Professor McDonaldson marveled about was the completeness of the specimen.  That was rare indeed.  Typically, the bones of these prehistoric creatures were scattered over an area and had to be reassembled, often before you could even determine what species it was.  Some years back, the Brontosaurus (Thunder Lizard), also a Sauropod and similar in structure to the Diplodocus, had been declared never to have existed at all.  It seems when this new species was first discovered, the head was missing, but supposedly was found nearby.  After many years, scientists declared that the head did not belong with the rest of the skeleton at all and that the beast was actually that of an Apatosaurus (already named).

Not satisfied with this decision, Professor McDonaldson was one of many who fought to have the Brontosaurus restored to its rightful place in the Dinosaur family.  Later findings seemed to validate the Thunder Lizard did actually exist after all.  Thankfully, Bronto is back and the professor rejoiced over that finding.

Caught up in the moment, the professor and Doctor Hendricks were already making plans to excavate the creature, bone-by-bone and have it transported to the Natural History museum where it would then be reassembled, a magnificent display for all to see -- but they were aware there was a problem.

The entire excavated area covered about six city blocks and had been intended to be used to build the world's greatest shopping center.  Soon after the excavation began, however, the project had been abandoned.  What the city fathers had envisioned as a great source of revenue for the city was now an eyesore to the community -- and an embarrassment to the politicians of the entire state of Utah.

It seems the area in question had been the farm of the late Herbert R. Wheeler.  His widow, Mattie Wheeler still lived on the property in a little shack on the far end of the excavated area.  Old Mattie was, by definition, a reclusive old hag who never ventured out into the real world -- except to challenge all those men who were suddenly invading the premises.  The feisty Ms. Wheeler proved to be a formidable foe to any and all who challenged her privacy.  An expert shot with her 40-gauge shotgun, she successfully ran off all those who tried to reason with her.

Money couldn't buy her off.  She just wanted to be left alone.  Meanwhile, the courts had ruled in her favor that the property was indeed hers.  Lawsuits and counter-lawsuits had held up the case in litigation while the city officials and civil engineers had decided to move on and plan their money-making venture in another area, just outside of town.

Now had come another reason to raise the ire of Ms. Wheeler -- the dinosaur.

II. THE CONFRONTATION

Back at the museum, Professor McDonaldson and Doctor Hendricks presented their plans to museum administrator Donald Ferguson.  When he saw the pictures the professor had taken of the Diplodocus, embedded in the walls of the now-abandoned shopping center, Ferguson exclaimed, "We've got to get that specimen mounted in our Great Dinosaur Hall at any cost."

"It shouldn't be a problem," stated McDonaldson.  "There's nothing standing in the way except maybe this nutty old lady who still lives on the property.  She ran off the city planners who were trying to buy her out, but we're not trying to get her to move, just to take the dinosaur and go.  Still, I understand she is a little paranoid about intruders coming on to her property."

"You and Doctor Hendricks should go and talk to her," Ferguson replied.  "You could probably reason with her on a one-on-one basis.  She'd probably be glad to get rid of the damn thing.  Why don't you take that book you wrote on prehistoric animals?  Most likely, she can't read, but there are plenty of pictures.  You could explain to her she would be doing a great service, contributing to the education of our youth about the origins of our planet."

With that, the professor and his assistant made plans to return to the site and pay a little social call on Ms. Mattie Wheeler.

When they arrived, the first thing they realized was that they would have to leave their car, climb down a steep embankment and walk nearly a half-mile to approach the little shack, which was now the only building on the entire property, which probably covered about 50 acres.  It must have been a thriving farmland in its day.  Remnants of a barn still remained, possibly destroyed by a tornado years ago.  In back of the house, a vegetable garden was still obviously productive, with tomatoes, corn, squash, green beans and the like -- probably the old lady's only source of nourishment and about all one widow living alone could handle.  However, it was what was on the front porch which caused Professor McDonaldson and Doctor Hendricks some concern.  There was a rather large dog -- whether or not he was vicious was not immediately apparent.  He seemed to be sleeping rather soundly as the pair approached the dwelling.

"Hold it right there, mister!" a shrill female voice called out.  "I don't 'low no strangers on my proppity!"  The professor and the doctor turned their attention from the sleeping dog to come face-to-face for the first time with Ms. Mattie Wheeler -- and she was well-armed with that 40-gauge shotgun they had heard so much about.  The pair froze in their tracks.  They awaited the next move from this old widow who was clearly in charge of the situation.

Professor McDonaldson tried to keep his composure, though he wasn't sure if Ms. Wheeler was a "shoot first and ask questions later" type.  Doctor Hendricks marveled at how calm the professor remained in this situation.  His own inclination was to turn and hightail it out of there.  The dog, meanwhile, continued to sleep, undisturbed by all this commotion.

The professor's keen observation served him well in many situations.  He noted, though direct, Ms. Wheeler did not act like a "wild woman."  She was very much in control herself.  He also had noted the care of the property itself -- the little shack was obviously well-kept, clean and neat.  It looked as though the exterior had been given a recent fresh coat of paint.  The garden was well maintained, free of any overgrown weeds, and it looked as though it produced a substantial crop.  Ms. Wheeler's sun-darkened features indicated that, like the professor, she enjoyed working with her hands in the outdoors.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," Professor McDonaldson began his very congenial introductions.  "My name is Professor Bob McDonaldson from the Natural History museum and this is my associate, Doctor Thomas Hendricks.  Do I have the pleasure of addressing Ms. Mattie Wheeler?"

"State yer business and then be on yer way," the old woman responded harshly.  "Whatever yer sellin', I ain't buyin'.  Its like I told them other fellers -- I ain't movin'!"

"Oh, no, no, no," the professor carefully tried to allay her fears.  "We're not here to sell you anything, and we certainly have no desire to ask you to move.  This is your property and you have the right to live here as long as you please.  May we come in for just a few minutes?  This sun is certainly hot today out here."  The dog continued to snooze away.

"Make it quick.  I got a lot of chores to take care of today.  This place don't take care of itself."  Ms. Wheeler led the way to the front door.  The professor and the doctor followed, careful to step over the dog and not to disturb him.  "Nice watchdog," Professor McDonaldson remarked, wondering if Ms. Wheeler would pick up on the sarcasm.

"He's a lot like me," Ms. Wheeler responded.  "When he rests, he rests.  When he's up, he takes care of business.  We make quite a pair, him and I."  Professor McDonaldson remembered the phrase -- it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

They entered the little shack and again, the professor noted how neat and clean it was, everything in place.  It couldn't have been more than a little 2-or-3-room dwelling.  There was a vase of wild flowers on the table and even a candle.  He thought there probably wasn't even any electrical wiring of any kind.  And that even smaller establishment out in the back was obviously an out-house -- no indoor plumbing either.  "How long have you lived here?" he asked, curiously.

"I was born right here in this house," Ms. Wheeler replied.  "My mama and daddy had the largest farm right here in this whole area.  I helped them plant and grow enough produce to feed the whole town until they died back in the '40s.  Then, my husband and I took over the whole operation until he passed away just 15 years ago.  Then, it just got to be too much fer me to handle by myself.  Folks don't 'preciate fresh vegetables no more anyway.  They'd rather buy that stuff in cans from the so-called supermarket.  No wonder everybody's dyin' from stuff nobody ain't never heard of before."

"Did you also raise farm animals?" Professor McDonaldson asked.

"We had some pigs -- and a slew of chickens.  We always had fresh eggs too." Ms. Wheeler was obviously very proud of her heritage.  "We had an ol' mule, but when he died, we had to push that ol' plow by hand.  You talk about some hard work.  Young 'uns today don't know nothin' 'bout that.  You ain't said what you're here for yet."

Though somewhat socially inept, Professor McDonaldson knew how to conduct himself like a gentleman.  It wasn't that he didn't like women, he just didn't like all the "games" people play in the dating scene.  He always spoke his mind -- he said what he meant and he meant what he said.  He had a couple of serious love interests in his younger days, but they wound up breaking his heart.  Always a sensitive soul, the professor then threw himself into his work and enjoyed the rewards of his profession.  Now an old, balding, not-so-dashing senior in his 70s, he figured his chances were behind him.

"We're interested in an animal on your property that will be an exciting addition to our museum displays," the professor began stating his case, hoping to keep his remarks on a level she could understand.

"You mean ol' Charlie out there?  Shucks, we've been together for so long.  I raised him from a little pet until he got too big to stay in the house."

The eyebrows of both the professor and the doctor shot upward as they said, simultaneously, "You -- you mean the Diplodocus?"

"The dip - what?  I'm talkin' 'bout that ol' hound dog out there, sleepin' on the front porch."  A sigh of relief went up from the scientists.

At this point, Doctor Hendricks entered the conversation as he withdrew a pair of high-powered binoculars from his shoulder-pack.  "Could we step out on the porch?" he asked Ms. Wheeler.  "We'd like to show you something."

From their vantage point, the fossilized skeleton of the Diplodocus was a good mile-and-a-half away, so there was no concept of the colossal size of the creature.  Still, Ms. Wheeler seemed impressed.  "How did that thing get there?  Looks like he ain't had a good meal in awhile."

"Not in about 60 million years," the doctor replied.  "You see, this is the remains of an animal that lived a long time ago, but died right here in this region.  Over millions of years, his bones turned to stone and were what we call 'fossilized.'  Professor McDonaldson and I dig up these remains and mount them in the museum so that people can learn about the history of our planet."

"These animals are called dinosaurs," the professor chimed in.  "I have a book here which has some pictures of what these creatures looked like when they were alive."  Most of the pictures in Professor McDonaldson's book were from the Charles R. Knight restorations that he grew up admiring.  They were so realistic-looking, they were almost like photographs.  Today, most scientists debunk those depictions of prehistoric life and even consider today's birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.  The professor, an old-school student of paleontology, did not subscribe to these theories.

Back inside, they sat and leafed through the professor's book while sipping tea a much-more congenial Ms. Wheeler had prepared for them.  "This animal is known as a Stegosaurus -- I'm sure you'll agree it is one of the strangest-looking creatures you ever saw.  In fact, this dinosaur had TWO brains.  The one in his head was only about the size of a walnut, but he had a bigger brain in his tail."

"That must have been one smart-a*s dinosaur," Ms. Wheeler remarked.  Even the professor and the doctor found some humor in that observation.

"And this is the one that is embedded in the wall on the other side of your property," Professor McDonaldson continued.  "It is called a Diplodocus.  Most of the names of these creatures come from the Greek language.  Diplodocus means double-beam.  That is in reference to the double-beamed chevron bones located in the underside of his tail."  The professor wondered if he was getting too technical with ol' Mattie.  He wanted to keep his explanations simple and not confuse her with a lot of scientific facts.  "Do you remember studying about these things in school?" he asked.

"Didn't have time for no schoolin'," Ms. Wheeler replied.  "We had to work the farm from before sunup to sundown.  We got all the eddy-cation we needed right here, tendin' the land and plantin' crops.  I might not be so smart as you fellers, but I was still able to work hard all my life."

"Anyway, the bottom line is this," the professor continued.  "We would like to take the dinosaur to the museum so that thousands would be able to see it and learn about the earth's natural history."

"Do you really think thousands of people would come to see it?" Ms. Wheeler queried.

"No doubt about it," the professor stated emphatically, confident he had made the sale.

"Then why don't I keep it right here?  Let thousands of people come to see it right where it is now.  I could charge them 5 bucks a head -- maybe even sell them some of my fresh vegetables I grow in my garden."  Professor McDonaldson sat stunned as he realized he had been outsmarted by this little, uneducated lady.  She was not the recluse people claimed she was.  She may actually be the greatest entrepreneur he had ever seen.  She lived alone in this little shack, not for any isolation purposes, but out of necessity she had become self-sufficient.  People outside of her little world had only sought to rip her off and take away her independent spirit.

As the professor and Doctor Hendricks headed back to the museum, they knew they had to somehow rethink this whole situation and drastically change their strategy.

III. A NEW DIRECTION

Professor McDonaldson sat alone in the bar as he reflected on the events of the past three weeks.  First of all, when he and Doctor Hendricks returned to the museum following their unsuccessful attempt at wresting the Diplodocus from Mattie Wheeler's property, museum administrator Donald Ferguson flew into a rage, telling the professor that he'd lost it -- not only that, but he'd been losing it for a long time.

Lost it?  An entire city had failed to convince that old widow to give up her property.  Losing it for a long time?  For 45 years, Professor McDonaldson had been a loyal and dedicated employee and was responsible for some of the museum's most popular exhibits.

Now came the biggest insult of all.  The professor had been called into Ferguson's office and told the directors had suggested he take early retirement, even though he was now 76 years old.  He was to be replaced by a younger man -- and guess who that was?  McDonaldson's assistant, Doctor Hendricks.  He had spent the last three years training him to, in essence, take his own job.

Down deep, Professor McDonaldson knew the real reason for this decision.  For some time now, the professor and the other scientists in his field had been at odds over differences of opinion concerning theories of the earth's history.  Somewhat more of a religious man than most other scientists, Professor McDonaldson snubbed evolution in favor of creationism.  He believed in some evolving within a species, but not in changing from one species to another -- reptiles into birds, for instance.  He staunchly defended his beliefs with just as much conviction as his peers.

He also defended the six-day creation story as outlined in Genesis, though he was willing to admit it may have taken longer than a literal Sunday-through-Friday work week.  After all, the Bible states that "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."  He believed God is not restricted to a calendar as we are -- he has all of eternity to plan and bring about His will for the people of Earth.

Still, there are those who believe science is the answer to everything.  Nothing else is to ever be considered.  But, has science really solved every problem?  There is still much poverty in the world.  In spite of many years of research, many still die from cancer.  Most of all, there is probably more violence in the world than there has ever been in all of human history.  Sure, there has been some progress, particularly in the field of medical care, but many other problems still remain.  Professor McDonaldson believed the ultimate answer lies with a higher power more so than with mere scientific achievement.

But right now, Professor McDonaldson sat, pretty miserable in his own thoughts.  Though in his mid-70s, he had never even thought of retirement.  He had always lived an active life.  He couldn't stand this idea of sitting here, feeling sorry for himself.

Not having a family exacerbated his feelings of loneliness, and more importantly, uselessness.  Somehow, his thoughts drifted back to that old widow, Ms. Mattie Wheeler.  She was not that unattractive a lady -- rather diminutive, in fact, though she loomed rather large with that 40-gauge shotgun.  Otherwise, she was quite personable and, he must admit, he rather admired her feisty spirit.  She sure could use some help running that farm all by herself, or at least what was left of what was once a dynamic family enterprise.  Like Ms. Wheeler, the professor had spent his whole life digging in the dirt.  He mused, what would be wrong with paying the old lady another visit?  This time, he would be alone and his motives would be entirely different.

The hour was quite late.  Time to go home and sleep on it.

IV. THE PROFESSOR AND THE LADY

After a few days, Professor McDonaldson still wasn't sure revisiting Ms. Mattie Wheeler was such a good idea.  Their first meeting was quite awkward.  The professor's lack of social graces and Ms. Wheeler's natural defensive mechanisms against someone else who might be trying to deprive her of her independent lifestyle in the only home she had ever known were certainly major factors in that earlier confrontation.

The professor missed his active lifestyle he had enjoyed for so many years, first as a paleontologist, discovering and digging up old fossils of prehistoric animals, more recently in an administrative capacity with the Museum of Natural History and the many lecture opportunities he had around the country, educating curious minds about a subject so near and dear to his heart.

Forced into retirement, at least the professor did not immediately feel the economic pinch one might anticipate.  He had received a rather substantial severance pay, and the museum did have a good retirement package.  He had always lived rather modestly -- why have such elaborate living quarters when he was generally away from home 9-10 months of the year?  He had invested wisely and was able to benefit from capital gains.  Besides, now not working full-time, he would be paying less taxes as the taxable portion of his income was greatly reduced and even most of his investment and retirement allotments would be offset by his standard deduction and exemption status.

No, Professor McDonaldson's major problem was sheer boredom.  He was still in excellent health.  He could have continued to work at least another 10-12 years.  He was definitely not one to just sit around with nothing to do.  With this in mind, he jumped into his car and headed toward what was once the Wheeler farm, now nothing more than an abandoned gravel pit, except for one reclusive old lady who, like the professor, did not give up so easily.

When he arrived, Professor McDonaldson stopped at the edge of the excavation for a moment and stared across the vast expanse before him.  There it was, that old Diplodocus, still embedded in the walls.  For a moment, he was overcome with surprise.  That old thing seemed to be grinning at him.  "Figure you got the last laugh, eh?" he mused.  "We'll see about that."

Once again, he climbed down the embankment and headed towards Ms. Wheeler's shack, fully expecting to be greeted once again, looking down the barrels of that 40-gauge shotgun.

As he approached the shack, Professor McDonaldson noticed there was something different about the place.  First of all, where was the dog?  That had been his and Doctor Hendricks' first major concern on their first visit.  Also, where was Ms. Wheeler?  Walking around to the back, there she was, hard at work in her garden.  "Hi, Ms. Wheeler," he called out, hoping not to startle her.

"Oh, hello, perfesser," the old lady responded.  "Still comin' fer yer dinosaur?"

"No, no," he tried to reassure her.  "Actually, I'm not working for the museum any more.  They decided to retire me -- said I was getting too old.  The Diplodocus is no longer my concern.  I just decided to come by and see how you were getting along.  Where's your dog?"

"He died -- it was the day after you and that other feller left.  I guess he was gettin' old too.  I had him fer about 19 years.  Left me all alone now."  There was a hint of sadness in Ms. Wheeler's voice.  It wasn't the first time she had been left alone.

"Did you and Mr. Wheeler have any children?" the professor asked, genuinely concerned.

"We had two strappin' boys.  They was a big help to us here on the farm, 'specially when my ol' man got so he couldn't get around much any more.  See that ol' wreckage of a barn over there?  They were killed tryin' to save the animals when that tornado came through here some years back.  The barn just collapsed on 'em.  They're buried right over there under that big oak tree."  The professor was stunned.  This lady has known nothing but loss and grief her entire life.  Yet she has not complained nor asked anything of anyone.  She just does what she knows best -- works hard trying to make it.

"Maybe I could give you a hand in your garden." the professor offered.

"You takin' up gard'nin', perfesser?" Mattie asked.

"I've been digging in the dirt all my life, Ms. Wheeler.  Old habits die hard.  I might as well put it to good use.  You know, I've got a truck and there's a farmers market in town where the farmers bring their produce for sale.  I'll bet you could make a pretty good living just from marketing what you grow right here in your own back yard."

"If yer lookin' fer a job, perfesser, I can't afford to pay you.  I ain't got no money, I just live off the land."  Ol' Mattie sure stood on her principles of self-sufficiency.

"Don't you worry none about that," the professor replied.  "I've made enough money in my life.  Now it's time to do something for somebody else."

The professor made good on his word.  The first time ol' Mattie went with him to the farmers market, she was scared to death.  It was the first time she had left her little shack to enter into the modern world in nearly 30 years.  She was surprised, though, at how well she made out, selling her produce.  Some of the older customers who came by remembered her husband and told her how they had missed his service to the community when the Wheeler farm was probably the biggest supplier of fresh vegetables to the area.  "He was always a fair and honest man" became the normal assessment that was passed along to his widow.  It was the first time she had heard such testimonials and it made her proud of what her family had accomplished.

When they returned after a day at the farmers market, ol' Mattie was delirious.  She had never seen so much money.  "How much do I owe you fer yer share?" she asked.

The professor smiled.  "You keep that for yourself, Mattie.  You did all the hard work raising those vegetables.  I'm just along for the ride."

"But this was all your idea," Mattie objected.  "You supplied the truck and the gas -- and you worked with me in the garden just as hard as I did."

"Then we'll just call it even."  Professor McDonaldson found himself rather astonished at how his relationship with Ms. Mattie Wheeler had changed since that first meeting.  He had to admit he was pleased with the way things were going.  It had been a long time since he had a relationship with any woman and it kind of made him forget the hurt he had felt over his termination at the museum.  He now had a new motivation that gave him a self-satisfaction he had not felt in a long time.

V. HOME SWEET HOME

As the weeks went by, Professor McDonaldson found himself spending more time visiting Ms. Mattie Wheeler at the farm on the edge of town.  He looked forward to working in the garden, helping to harvest the crops Ms. Wheeler had grown.  Every Saturday, they made trips to the farmers market to sell her many varieties of fresh vegetables to the city folks who still would rather buy their produce from local farmers rather than at the big supermarket stores where they were shipped in from God knows where.

He also helped Ms. Wheeler around the house with handyman chores and even discovered he had a talent for carpentry, making several upgrades to her somewhat modest little shack.  Soon, the kitchen had some handsome new cabinets to store some of Mattie's cookware and dishes that had been handed down from generations -- her grandmother and great grandmother before that.  He even convinced her to have electric power added to her residence.  Using his digging expertise, he even helped lay the underground cable to supply this new marvel -- at least in Mattie's eyes.  Next on the agenda, he swore, was indoor plumbing.

Perhaps the nicest thing the professor did for her was to bring her a new dog for companionship, a Cocker Spaniel he had rescued from the animal shelter.  The dog's ears hung down so low, they almost dragged the ground.  He looked so funny running around the yard, Mattie called him Flop Ears.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Mattie asked the professor.

"I just think you deserve for someone to treat you nice for a change," Professor McDonaldson replied.  "You've had a hard life, but survived.  I've got nothing but time on my hands now.  I figured you could use the help."

On a typical day of gardening and other activities, Mattie invited the professor to stay over for dinner and it turned out, she was a pretty good cook, although primarily a vegetarian, out of necessity.  It wasn't often Professor McDonaldson enjoyed a home-cooked meal.  "I ain't had nobody to cook fer since my husband died," she said.

Though he told himself he dared not think of it, the professor wondered it this was turning into a romantic relationship.  As he had already noticed earlier, ol' Mattie was not that unattractive a woman.  She was 68, but had always taken good care of herself.  Her active lifestyle on the farm had certainly kept her in good shape -- yet, she knew how to be feminine too.  He mused, isn't this something -- an educated science professor, so articulate in the English language, yet so tongue-tied, and this old-fashioned, backwards country woman, uneducated yet outspoken on many subjects.  She could run circles around him.  Who was it that said "Opposites attract?"

They discovered they both had a devotion to God and sought to live out their Christian faith in everyday life.  Mattie's father had taught her the Bible from her youth, and she believed it from cover to cover.  She may have lacked schooling, but he felt an education in the things of God were the most important principals anyone could learn.  The professor was still seeking answers to some questions that perplexed him, but he had a stern faith that never wavered.

Not much was ever said about the Diplodocus, although it was still there.  Professor McDonaldson saw it almost every day during his visits to the farm.  "Whatever happened to your plans to put it on exhibit and charge admission?" he asked.

"I was jest pullin' yer leg 'bout that, perfesser." Mattie chuckled at the thought.  "You and that other feller were so serious 'bout that thing.  I don't think I want a crowd of people comin' in here and tramplin' up my garden.  If you still want it, you can have the gol-derned thing.  Ain't doin' me no good."

Now that Professor McDonaldson had been officially retired by the museum, it no longer mattered to him, especially in a professional capacity.  It might still be a worthwhile project for the educational opportunities it would instill in the youth of the area and for others who might come from all over the country to see this magnificent specimen.

It dawned on Professor McDonaldson the influence 'ol Mattie was having on him.  He not longer thought only of himself, but on what he could do for the benefit of others.

"Don't you have a family, Perfesser?"  Mattie stunned him with a sudden change of subject.  They had talked a lot about her family and how they built the farm into such a thriving enterprise, then one-by-one how they had all died and left her all alone -- but she suddenly realized how little she knew about this man who had become her benefactor these last few weeks.

"Naw, I never did settle down."  The professor was obviously uncomfortable talking about himself.  "I've been on the move for so long, traveling all over the world, hunting dinosaurs.  It's been a long time since I've been in one spot.  Guess I wasn't good at putting down roots."  He thought she might get the gardening analogy.

"But surely, there must be somebody," Mattie persisted.  The room suddenly fell very quiet.  Professor McDonaldson just looked down to hide the sadness in his eyes.

Finally, he spoke.  "I guess I just considered I got too old.  Those opportunities sort of passed me by.  It's too late now."  Suddenly, the professor jumped up and his normal enthusiasm returned to his manner.  "Wow!  Talk about too late.  Look at the time.  I'd better head on home before I keep you up all night."  Darkness had already fallen.  What had been a long day was at an end.

Mattie had sensed the hurt in his voice.  She hoped she hadn't said the wrong thing.  As they said their good nights at the door, she wondered if she would ever see the professor again.

VI. LOVE BLOOMS

It had been a couple of days since Mattie had seen the professor.  Of course, there had been some heavy rain in the area -- too wet to get out and work in the garden.  She wondered, though, if she had hurt his feelings by asking too many personal questions, especially about his family.  Professor McDonaldson seemed like a very private person, but she just wanted to get to know him better.  He had seemed a bit crestfallen, though, at their last parting.

Mattie still didn't even own a telephone, though.  There was no way she could get in touch with him.  About mid-afternoon of the third day, as the weather had finally cleared up, she heard Flop Ears outside begin barking to let her know company was coming.  Looking out the window, her heart leapt as she saw the professor approaching, or was it the professor?  She had never seen him so spruced up -- wearing a suit and tie.

As soon as he came in the door, Professor McDonaldson blurted out, "Come on, Mattie.  Get yourself ready.  I'm taking you out on the town tonight.  It's about time you got away from farm life for a little while and just enjoyed yourself."

Mattie had never been "out on the town" and wasn't sure what he was raving on about.  "We're going out to the finest restaurant in Salt Lake City," he said.  "No cooking tonight.  We'll let somebody else serve us for a change.  Then, there's a stage presentation of Meredith Willson's The Music Man at the local theatre.  It's time for you to experience how the other half lives."

Mattie had no idea "how the other half lives."  She didn't own a television, not even a radio.  Her whole life had been working the family farm, raising her two boys, and dealing with all the problems of a somewhat primitive existence, including poverty and death.  The words "entertainment" and "recreation" were not even in her vocabulary.

After she got herself all "gussied up," the professor, like the true gentleman he had suddenly become, helped her up the embankment to his vehicle and off they went on their first real "date."  The professor enjoyed observing Mattie's reaction to all the proceedings of the evening and, though the experience was entirely new to her, he thought it went well.  "So this is how rich folks live," was her own observation as they headed back to the farm.

"Sort of," the professor laughed.  "We've been working so hard, I thought we needed a break.  The weather is clearing up beautifully now.  We should be able to get back out in the garden soon."  They were greeted by Flop Ears, eagerly glad to see them as they approached the farmhouse.  Professor McDonaldson said his good-nights at the door and headed home.  He didn't want to admit it, but it had been over 30 years since he had taken a lady out for the evening.  He wondered if this would take his relationship with Mattie to another level.

Over the next few months, the professor and Mattie enjoyed many other evenings out "on the town."  Though he had not been dancing since his high school prom, he took her out dancing under the stars.  "Just like riding a bicycle," he joked.  "It's something you never forget."

Mattie remembered in her childhood watching her mom and dad dancing to some old Glenn Miller records they had.  They used to own an old wind-up Victrola.  You had to change the needle after every record and be sure the machine was wound up enough to finish playing the record or the turntable would slowly grind to a halt.  The records were old 78 r.p.m. and easily breakable discs.  Unfortunately, these were among the many items that were destroyed by the tornado.

Though they both were not going to win any contests, they seemed to enjoy the evening.  At least nobody stepped on the others' feet.  For the slow numbers, it was the first time in many years Professor McDonaldson actually held a woman in his arms.  He liked the way the bright moon shone on her silver hair.  He wondered if his bald head reflected as brightly.  He began to feel like it was no longer the professor and the old farm lady, it was Bob and Mattie.  He seemed to be travelling back to another time, when he fell in love, though that had not ended well.  For now, though, he was just enjoying the moment, still not daring to believe he might have another chance at happiness.

Here they were, both alone with no one else in the world.  He began practicing how he would propose to her without sounding so awkward.  He would rehearse each night until he finally thought it sounded great and he couldn't wait until the next day when he would actually use it.  He went to bed so enthused, anxious to get back out to Mattie's farm.  When he got up the next morning, he was suddenly filled with a great dread.  What had sounded so great the night before sounded so stupid now, he knew he could never go through with it.  Why was he acting like a teenager?

Professor McDonaldson wished he had someone he could talk to -- someone who could give him some sound advice.  Then he remembered his associate at the museum, Doctor Hendricks.  Here was a family man who was obviously successful in a relationship.  Even though he had replaced the professor in his position at the museum, he didn't hold that against him.  That was management's decision and the board that wanted to phase him out because he so stubbornly held on to his "old-fashioned" beliefs, not only concerning Paleontology, but the Bible.  He invited Doctor Hendricks out to dinner at the same restaurant he and Mattie had their first "date."

Immediately upon their reunion, Doctor Hendricks was so apologetic to Professor McDonaldson.  The museum's decision to replace him came as a complete shock to him.  The professor assured him he was not to blame -- this had been brewing for a long time.  They were just looking for the right excuse.  "By the way," the professor continued, "I think I finally softened ol' Mattie down to the point she is willing to let you take the Diplodocus to the museum."

"Only if you get the credit for it," Doctor Hendricks replied.  "You did all the work and made it happen.  Together, we can make this a great thing for the museum's reputation of outstanding displays, particularly in the Great Hall of Dinosaurs."

The doctor was surprised Professor McDonaldson had continued to see Ms. Wheeler at the farm and he soon found out it was due to personal reasons rather than professional.  If there was ever a pair he thought would never "hit it off," the professor and ol' Mattie were the perfect example of non-compatibility.  "Just goes to show," the professor remarked, "you can't judge a book by its cover."

Doctor Hendricks didn't seem to have any real advice for the professor.  "Just be yourself" didn't seem to cut it.  Perhaps because Professor McDonaldson had never been accepted by anyone else, he had a hard time accepting himself as well.  Yet, he had seen over these last few weeks Mattie had brought out some things in his life he never knew were there -- he had begun to like those changes.  Perhaps that was what had lit the spark in the first place.

The next time Professor McDonaldson visited Mattie, they spent most of the day, as usual, working in the garden.  Mattie noticed the professor was unusually quiet.  He didn't seem to have a whole lot to say.

Later that evening, after a quiet dinner, as they sat sipping tea in the parlor, the professor suddenly asked, "Mattie, do you think I ought to get a toupee?"

"A two-what?  What do you mean, perfesser?" she responded.

"A wig!  A hairpiece!"  He seemed irritated Mattie didn't understand what he was talking about, though he had always been tolerant of her lack of knowledge about things outside her little world of the farm and her prize garden.  "By the way, call me Bob.  I'm not a 'per-fess-er' anymore."

"You better stand up and let me check that cheer yer settin' in, BOB," she answered curtly.  "You must be settin' on a pine cone."

"I'm -- I'm sorry," he caught himself.  "it's just that I thought I might look better if I had a full head of hair -- you know, when we go out in public."

"Yeah, you might look like an old sheepdog.  They are right handsome animals."  They both had a good laugh about that.  "You look fine just like you are -- a right good-lookin' feller.  Why would you want to have phony hair?  One thing I've always liked about you is yer a truthful, honest person.  That's what's important.  My land!  Here we are fussin' 'bout somethin' like that, jest like an ol' married couple."

"Well, maybe we ought to be an old married couple," Professor McDonaldson blurted out.  Oops!  That's not exactly like he planned it -- but there it was -- out there.  He couldn't take it back now.  He rushed over to her, held her in his arms and kissed her.  In all their time together, this was the first truly romantic moment they had shared.  "Mattie, darling," he said, "Will you marry me?"

Mattie seemed to be in a state of shock.  For the first time since he'd known her, she had absolutely nothing to say.  The professor continued, "Look.  Neither of us has any family anymore.  For the last few months, all we've had is each other.  Why spend the rest of our lives alone?  We can continue to work the farm -- make a good living at it.  I think we make a good team, you and I."

Mattie finally regained her composure long enough to respond.  "Well, gee, Bob.  I thought you'd never ask."  Mattie, too, had been wondering if this relationship was going anywhere, though she doubted it would -- a highly educated professor and an uneducated, ignorant farm girl.  She had loved her husband until he died, but he was a hard-working farmer just like everyone else in her family.  She had never had anyone who had shown her as much attention as the professor had -- and he was such a gentleman.

After all these years, love had finally found Bob McDonaldson AND Mattie Wheeler.  The professor and the country girl were ready to start a new life together.  Maybe it wasn't too late after all.

VII. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

It was a simple wedding.  Bob and Mattie were married in a small non-denominational chapel they had been attending for the last few weeks, since they began sharing their Christian faith.  Not too many people attended.  Doctor Hendricks was Professor McDonaldson's best man and his oldest daughter agreed to serve as flower girl.  A few of the church's congregation attended, plus some of Mattie's regular customers at the farmers market who had been dealing with the Wheeler family for years, buying vegetables fresh out of the garden at the family farm.  Some of the older residents even remembered Mattie as a young girl, helping her dad sell his produce.

However, the couple threw simplicity out the window after the wedding, as they went to Paris on their honeymoon.  Mattie had never flown before.  About the closest she had come to flying machines was the old bi-wing crop dusters that used to spray insecticides at the farm.  She was scared to death, but found it to be a fascinating experience.  "I felt I was soaring with the eagles" was her comment.

During their trip, Bob took Mattie on a gondola ride in the canals of Venice, and they also spent a lot of time in the Swiss Alps.  Neither had experienced such a variety of cultures and stunning vistas.  It was a time both would remember as the grandest time of their lives.  In his many travels previously, Bob had never taken the time to enjoy the sights, it was all business.  Mattie never even knew such places existed, due to her limited mobility and educational opportunities.

Returning home after a 2-week jaunt through Europe, Mattie and Bob set up housekeeping at the old farmhouse.  Bob continued to do improvements on the home, hoping to bring his new bride up to the 21st century.

It wasn't long before the crew from the museum showed up to begin the painstaking task of removing the fossilized bones of the Diplodocus from the far side wall of the pit.  The professor helped to supervise the dig, along with Doctor Hendricks.  It would eventually wind up in the Great Hall of Dinosaurs at the Natural History museum.  A plaque was designed, naming Professor McDonaldson and the doctor as the paleontologists who had discovered this wonderful find.  "I'm gonna miss that ol' critter," Mattie said as she watched the proceedings from the front porch of the farmhouse.

"We'll go to see him many times," Bob assured her, "and so will many others."  Every time they did, Bob could have sworn that old thing was still grinning down at them, only now he understood why.

Bob became a proficient farmer, though he finally had to hire some help with the growing responsibilities of keeping up the garden and getting the produce to the farmers market for sale.  This freed up the couple to experience more traveling.  They bought an RV and practically lived in it as they took in the wonders right here in America -- especially the Southwest.  They explored the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.  They even took an adventurous white water rafting trip, riding the rapids on the Colorado River through the canyon.  Bob and Mattie certainly were not going to be an old married couple just whiling away the time in their rocking chairs, waiting to die.  They were living life to the fullest.

And the Diplodocus had a new home.