The desert have not spoiled us this time. It treated us with flat tires, garage repairing trips, deceptive shoals of sand and made us to use shovels very often. The desert was beautiful like from a fairy tale but with almost no meteorites we could find. As usual, we were dreaming about carbonaceous chondrite, ureilite and certainly something much bigger, and with an interesting shape as well. The desert was not bothered with our wish list and from time to time it let us to find a single stone. We were searching vast areas in numerous ways. Consciously concentrated since early dusk, with short lunch break only (canned food, bread, olives). With no pressure, chatting and looking around from the car, we were leaving miles and miles behind us. We were driving, trying to ‘cover’ as much area as we could. But it was the desert which set us conditions. We did not want to show and admit that we care. Instead, we were taking care of a nature – crows, lizards, snakes… We have even escaped to the seaside for a few days. We thought that if we return we will be welcomed with opened hands. No way! We had only a few interesting findings. We used to have more luck than that. It was not easy but we learnt what humility is. We decided we have to show the desert more respect.

Ritual

  ‘Let’s make a flag’ – decided Woreczko, when he saw a derelict stick. ‘But what kind of a flag?’ – We asked ourselves. Various pieces of our clothing were taken into consideration and finally we chose a black bandana, sewn with skulls and inscription: ‘The Pirate Bay’. A gas station service men were very amazed with it. At the same time the desert seemed to be more merciful. Moreover, we established the ‘Hoist the colours’ ceremony twice a day. (In the morning and before the sunset). It was even the music played then… tam-ta-ram tam-tam-tam :)

The sun was shining perfectly. We were a little bit nostalgic and silent. In fact, in our minds we were somewhere else. We had very rigorous plan of sightseeing before us – one mountain, one fort, one city. We wanted to see other people and eat something different, something fresh. We were driving and enjoying last minutes of freedom offered by the desert. I contemplated myself for a while and asked: ‘Maybe we should stay, go further and explore it better, in a different way?’ Suddenly, something flashed attractively on the right side! Woreczko turned over faithlessly. Just a glance look and I saw flow lines . ‘It’s exactly the same like ours at home, on the chest of drawers! You have never seen something like that!’ – I said hiding my face in my hands. Woreczko went out of the car and said: ‘No, it is a fake, an imitation’ on the desert everything can be seen as real. Many times we have seen galleons buried in the sand or dreamlike cities mirages. Meteorite hunters sometimes make jokes and place fakes (ordinary black stones) in the real finding spots.

  A few seconds later I kneeled on the sand and carefully surveyed for minor crust and surface fractures and cracks. ‘It’s not a fake’ – I said. We started taking pictures. ‘Don’t touch it! Not yet. I will grab it…’ – I noticed. I’ve already known that it will not be deep in the sand and it will be flat underneath. Woreczko went to replace the battery in our camera. (It always dies when you need it the most). I picked it up. It was interesting it was lying upside – down. Apparently, the desert turned it down. When I touched the underside I felt something like a piece of a chewing gum under my finger. ‘What the hell! A chewing gum? What an absurd!’ It went off. It turned out it was a small empty caterpillar cocoon.

  We started to take pictures again and we were congratulating each other.

‘How much does it weigh?’ – I asked.

‘Maybe 230 g’ – said Woreczko.

‘You must be joking! Don’t understate my find. In my view it’s about 310’ – I weigh it in my hand. It turned out I was close. It was 391 g.

‘How shall we name it?’ – asked Woreczko.

‘It’s the Miss of the Desert’ – I replied.

We were searching the area till dusk. Honestly, with no hope – this kind of find is usually ‘the only child’. After the sunset we went to the nearest gas station and had ‘sumptuous’ dinner – a chicken with rice and cold Sprite. At night, we were lying on foam pads and were looking at stars. We discussed about a chance, a fortune, luck and unexpected farewell concocted by the desert. We furled the flag. Forever.

Wadi & Jan Woreczko

Jan Woreczko

Wadi