You Belong to Me Forever
Comments: Yes please
Archive: Sure, but let me know
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything you all know. I'm making no money, fame, or power from this story. It's purely for enjoyment. I'm a poor college student, so don't file any lawsuits, because you won't be getting a dime from me.
"Alright guys, first one to get this right gets a hundred thousand dollars. Who wants to take a stab on how long it took to build the pyramids?" Alex Lachaise asked her almost-class. "Anyone?"
"Work still in progress," a girl said looking over her shoulder at the objects, then back at Alex. "They need a face-lift."
"Write a letter to the Egyptian government," another responded. "Does that mean we get to share the money?"
"Well it's not quite what I was looking for..." Alex started, breaking into a small grin, "but I suppose it's close enough." She pulled a rectangular piece of paper from her back pocket and scribbled on it. Handing it over to the two girls she bit back a smile.
"Alex wait a sec, this seems to be made out to 'Thick headed know it alls.'
"I know it. Go ahead, cash it.. They'll know it's you."
"What you put us through."
Alex smirked at her 'class' of ten. She was a graduate student at Arizona State University, on her first expedition ever. Don't ask her how she ended up leading a team; it was beyond her. She had studied archeology and history, finding the latter to be one epic, adventurous story. People cared about each other, men were gentlemen, and honor was strictly observed. "Not like now," she'd preach to anyone who stayed around long enough to listen. "The past is where it's at."
Her mother had tried desperately to encourage her daughter to observe other professions. Teaching, Nursing, anything that didn't involve spending time in the middle of no where in a country where women were objects. At the age of 20, after another argument between the women, her mother finally gave a nod of giving in. "If you want to spend the years living in a tent, you go right ahead.. I'll take the Ritz."
Didn't bother Alex. You don't have to tip anyone in a tent. She checked her watch and noticing it was near lunch, excused the group a few minutes early. "I only advise you to stay away from me" she'd warned them. "I don't get a lunch break and I'm starving. If I see your food, I may eat it. Go on, get out of here."
She walked over to a nearby table and picked up a water bottle. Taking a swig and pouring the rest on her sweat-bathed back felt wonderful.
"Rough day?" a soft voice reached her ears and she turned, wiping her mouth with her hand. It was her mentor, and in this case her boss, Dr. Schaffer.
Alex shrugged, not trusting her voice.
"Now Alex, come on now. We don't like 'maybe's' and 'possiblies.' Now you are a living and breathing lady so we want facts."
"It could have been better."
"How so? I didn't see anyone stomp away. That's the first step right there, keep them in a close group." Dr. Schaffer laughed. It was the first thing that struck an 18 year old Alex in the past. A teacher with a sense of humor. She never saw it coming.
Now at 24, she had racked up a longer list of humorous teachers, but not many.
"I'm not much older than they are, Dr. S. What can I possibly teach in the end?"
"Alex, it's not all about the rocks and the rubble and the hieroglyphics. Yes that's important, but what's more valuable is passion. I could teach you about rocks and Gods, but you can't teach passion. It's giving these people who the world forgot about centuries ago a name. It's learning their stories and if we're lucky, they'll teach us how to make the world better. You-"
"Have no future without the past." Alex finished. It was her teacher's favorite saying.
"See? If you learned nothing else from me, you learned that phrase. Then you can impress your dates with a deep, through-provoking topic."
Not unless the boys grew some manners. She'd rather die than be forced to spend the night watching whoever scratch himself and have a smelly fart contest with his buddies.
"Go on, go explore for a bit. You can't learn Egypt in one day but it you snoop around long enough, the magic will reveal itself. Trust your wise, old professor. Go."
Alex held up a finger and opened her mouth to say something. She wasn't sure what caused her to pause, but nevertheless she turned and marched off in the other direction. That was another lesson she had to learn in college. Never argue with a professor; you give them a grade book and they think they're God.
In other words, you'll never win.
