Adobe Walls

I am 31 working
For the Texas Historical
Commission as an
Archeological cartographer,
I locate archeological sites
On USGS 7.5 minute maps with
A Transverse Mercator grid.
I am sitting around a break room
Table in the the museum, I’m in
Canyon south of Amarillo in a
Snowy icy December sipping
Hot tea and talking to staff.
An employee comes in having
Driven up from the Palo Duro
Canyon and relates a summer
Story about a visiting PhD who
Was a bit too arrogant and
Whose adobe structure had
A problem falling apart despite
The drought and lack of nearby
Water to cause the problem.
The wind outside the museum
Roars and whistles as he
Relates the departure of the
Unhappy PhD still unable to
Account for his adobe walls
Falling down despite no rain.
Everybody at the table laughs
And I ask what happened to
Collapse the professor’s pet
Project? They all smile and one
Researcher tells me that all
Crews returning from Palo Duro
Canyon to the museum passing
By the adobe walls project stopped
And pee’d on them at every chance.
They all burst into laughter again.
Then they ask me to look through
Their fake telescope pointed out the
Window northwards. If I refuse their
Offer I may have soggy maps so
I look and see two strands of
Barbed wire and a red and white
Striped North Pole beyond them to
Emphasize the reason for the bitter
Cold outside the museum break
Room where we all sit and drink
Hot tea eating bagels n’ butter
Swapping stories as the blizzard
Has left the museum closed.