Chapter 3: The New Exhibit

Laura Dell woke up before the sun and walked to work in Chicago’s early morning haze. She tried to focus on the new exhibit she’d been preparing for and working on since her first day a week ago: The Cenozoic Time Machine. The day before she’d started the internship, in the midst of arranging her new apartment, the museum director called and informed Laura Dell that she would be taking a leading role in the new exhibit because her major was Geology. The exhibition essentially offers a trip through the geological history of the Cenozoic period on earth. It was almost ready when its success was placed in Laura Dell’s hands. Make sure the setup is logical and be able to answer our guests and visitors questions by opening day, the director had said. The words burned in Laura Dell’s mind and caused her insides perform terrific acrobatic feats. One week to review everything she knew about the animals of the time period and the fossils that were on display—and she had thought she’d finally taken her last test seven months ago. She did well in school and actually preferred the classes that dealt with the Cenozoic Era because it was the one she lived in, though it stretched back millions of years. The problem was that Laura Dell had suffered a severe loss of confidence after the third “sorry we don’t need you” letter. She was thrilled for opportunity but did not expect her knowledge to be put to the test so quickly. To top it off, Mr. Feinman could not seem to forget the sparrow incident, so Laura Dell would be under particular scrutiny during the opening.

As she neared the museum, she tried to turn her thoughts toward her to do list for the morning, but Laura Dell could not help but to look up at the trees that were strategically aligned all the way down the street. The Chicago Public Works Department was doing their best to include nature in the city’s infrastructure. Laura Dell was in awe of the height of the trees on South Lake Shore Drive. She never imagined something could grow to be so great when it was trapped in a square of concrete and wrapped in a blanket of wrought iron.

When she arrived at work, she noticed Mr. Feinman approaching from the opposite direction. “Good morning, sir,” she said, forcing the corners of her mouth upward.

“Good morning, Ms. Dell,” he replied. “I hope you are adequately prepared for today. I would hate for the museum to be embarrassed on the opening day of such a brilliant exhibit.”

Laura Dell knew the look on Mr. Feinman’s face. Her mother had given her the same look every time she’d applied for schools, scholarships, or internships. It was the look that promised there was someone out there who was better. For the last few years, Laura Dell had been learning to live in the absence of the encouraging face that used to peek out from behind her mom. Her father would have noticed that Laura Dell graduated cum laude, not that she didn’t have a job lined up. John William did tell her the exhibit would be a hit and that she would know the answer to any questions “that old boss” of hers could throw out when she talked to him the night before.

She walked into the geology exhibit and paused to examine what lay before her. The time machine had received final touches during the night and was ready for final inspection. All of the boxes and packaging materials of yesterday had vanished and the floors had been toned down to create the atmosphere the exhibit designers hoped to evoke. Visitors should feel as though they’ve stepped back in time. They planned to make exhibits more of an experience and decided the floor was just too shiny.

Laura Dell’s heels echoed in the hall as she walked over to examine the diatryma and several other fossils from the era. She hoped she would live up to whatever Dr. Walters saw in her if he came through the exhibit under her watch. As she knelt down to examine the description of the diatryma, loud steps came from the hallway just outside the exhibit. Laura Dell took off to her office to grab her opening day checklist she needed to complete before nine.

* * *

“Ms. Dell, shouldn’t you have taken a lunch by now?” Eddie asked Laura Dell as she raced by.

She glanced down at her watch, “Oh Eddie, is it really almost three? I did think I was hungry a while ago, but I just don’t have time to eat. Mr. Feinman keeps finding things for me to do. Everything’s been good so far. I just need to run and grab a paper towel with some Windex on it. A kid already pressed his nose into the fossilized rock display case.” She gave him a smile and shrugged her shoulders.

“You got to take care of yourself, Ms. Dell.” Eddie let her continue through the museum.

Laura Dell walked quickly into Sue’s hall and almost knocked Dr. Walters over. “I am so sorry, Mr. Wal—I mean Dr. Walters. I did not see you getting up from the bench.”

“It’s okay, Ms. Dell. I’ve seen that look on interns before—that tunnel vision. Some snot nose kid got to close to a case.” Herbert Walters was not asking a question and Laura Dell thought his voice sounded rough, as if his throat was sore.

“Yes, sir. I’ve got to get a paper towel. Have you come to the exhibit yet?”

“No. I’ve just been sitting with Sue for a while.” Dr. Walters explained. “Where are you from, Ms. Dell?”

Laura Dell told Dr. Walters about the small town of Siloam, Alabama. “It’s not really close to anything, sir. It’s a good drive north of Mobile, and southwest of Birmingham.” She felt her heart rate quicken at the thought of home. If she was there right now, she could sit on the porch and read a good book and feel at ease. Laura Dell pushed the thought out of her mind. She liked her new job and knew her thoughts only stemmed from the particular stress that came with opening day. “Why do you ask, Dr. Walters?”

“You call me ‘sir.’ I’ve always heard that was popular in the south, but even in Texas, I didn’t hear it as much as I expected. Why don’t you run along and grab that paper towel and then I will let you give me a tour of the new exhibition. Isn’t that what you’ve been working on all week?”

“Yes, Dr. Walters.” Laura Dell sped off and returned with a couple of minutes. Dr. Walters had barely had time to put on his coat over his arm and pick up his cane, which still looked as unscathed as it had on day one of Laura Dell’s internship.

Laura Dell smiled and held up the paper towel with the faint blue circle. “I am ready if you are, sir.” She glanced down at the tweed coat draped of Dr. Walters arm and was disappointed that the crest was not facing out when she was finally close enough to decipher the details. The two walked around the corner and down the hall to the sound of Laura Dell’s heels and nothing else.

Dr. Walters allowed Laura Dell to lead the way. He listened to her introduction to the exhibit and did not say a word as they walked through the Holocene, Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene, and Oligocene Epochs. Laura Dell was in the midst of describing the birds of the Eocene Epoch when Dr. Walters leaned over to examine the nameplates of the goose and duck fossils that were on display.

“Ms. Dell. These are mislabeled.”

With furrowed eyebrows, Laura Dell leaned over to read and then looked up to examine the fossils. “Dr. Walters, I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Ms. Dell it should be quite obvious. Geese have less dominate wing structures. These tags must be switched. What did you say your degree was in?” Mr. Walters asked.

“Geology, sir.” Laura Dell responded as she stepped back and looked at the fossils next to each other. Dr. Walters was right. “Dr. Walters, I am so sorry. I will get this mistake resolved immediately.”

Mr. Feinman turned around from two feet away. “Excuse me, Dr. Walters. I must speak with my intern for a moment.”

Dr. Walters said of course and returned his attention to the collection birds.

“Ms. Dell. Did you or did you not verify the nameplates yesterday and this morning?” Dr. Feinman asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“And these two are incorrect?”

“Yes, sir. I am so—”

“I don’t want to hear it. First the sparrow and now this.” He rolled his eyes and shot off toward the offices, no doubt in search of the small screwdriver Laura Dell needed to exchange the nameplates. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she turned to face Dr. Walters again. He had stepped back from the displays, but was concentrated on something. Laura Dell followed his gaze. A small boy wearing a red Sue baseball cap was staring up at the diatryma. His mouth was open and his arms hung limp at his sides. Dr. Walters shifted his coat to his other arm and lifted up his cane. He didn’t seem to know what to do with it and settled for picking it up. He took a step forward and for a moment, Laura Dell thought Dr. Walters would approach the little boy and drop some knowledge to deepen the boy’s awe. He must have changed his mind though and stopped. The boy turned around and Dr. Walters was the first person he saw. “Now that is cool, huh, Mister!”