But, after a couple decades of this, Indy was starting to be overwhelmed with discontent. Would he live out his days sleeping with random girls from the college and only remembering adventures, instead of discovering new ones? At one point in time it didn't seem worth the risk, but now that he was getting closer to his end, he couldn't remember what seemed so appealing about living a long and boring life. Maybe if he had been able to keep a relationship and start a family, this lifestyle of safety and comfort and utter boredom would suit him better, but he had no one. He had tried to start a family a couple times, but could never stay in a relationship. The women he found himself with were great and he appreciated their company, but the connection was never strong enough to last beyond the adventures.
So here was Indy in his late 60s, itching to head out on a new adventure, but struggling internally because he knew whatever he was going to head out to accomplish needed to be worth his attention and his effort and his investment, and the bar was set so high that most requests that came in (many still did, despite years of Indy turning down everything) seemed less worthwhile than sitting at home. if he was going to lend the great presence and name of Indiana Jones to a new adventure, it must be an adventure worthy of such a name. He was invited to search for the Bamborugh Sword, a seventh century Anglo-Saxon sword believed to have mystical powers, but an adventure to England to find some medieval weaponry hardly interested the man who had found items that predated Jesus Christ himself. He was also invited to search out the Derveni Papyrus, but ancient philosophical writings were enough to put the great adventurer to sleep.
So, as Indy sat fading into old age, he waited for an opportunity that would somehow outshine fighting Nazis for the Ark of the Covenant and saving his father's life with the Holy Grail, but as the years passed, he grew more and more doubtful that this would ever come about.
One Saturday afternoon as Indy was sitting on his porch, considering what he might make himself for lunch, suddenly the sky grew dark and lightning began to flash. Indy was confused, he didn't remember hearing of any weather this afternoon, and even if it was forecasted, it seemed extremely unusual for it to roll in at such a quick pace. As he was trying to wrap his mind around what meteorological events could explain what he was seeing, a bolt of light shot from the sky to the walkway leading up to his porch. The shock and the force were enough to throw Indy back off his feet, and he fell through his screen door into the entry way to his home. After regaining his composure a bit, he stood up, dusted himself off, and proceeded toward the door to see what the damage was from the lightning. But, just as he was walking out, he saw his old fedora hanging on a hook by the door, and for reasons he did not quite think about at the moment, he grabbed it and stuck it on his balding grey head. This was the first time he had dawned the notorious hat in over a decade, but it just felt right in the moment.
As Indy pushed the broken screen door open and stepped through, he couldn't see anything for the smoke that filled the air. As the smoke began to dissipate, Indy looked hard to try and see through it, and he was confused because it seemed like hidden in the smoke was some kind of large sparking box, but he assumed it was his ancient eyes playing tricks on him. He grabbed his spectacles out of his pocket and looked down to put them on. When he looked back up, the smoke had considerably cleared and he realized that he had not been mistaken, there was definitely a sparking box there that had not been there before. He knew what it was immediately although he had never seen one quite like it, the word across the top, and the general shape and size made it clear, this was a telephone booth, but unlike the one's he had seen around town, this one was mostly metal and silver in color. Indy was again thrown back when the doors unfolded and a man stepped out! As Indy sat, perplexed, on the ground, he got a good look at the man. He was wearing strange clothes, a dark trenchcoat, and some very strange looking sunglasses. The man was balding, but had what remained of his hair slicked back. He walked over to Indy and extended his hand. Sensing no malitious intent from the stranger, and honestly quite flabbergasted still, Indy took his hand and the man lifted him.
"Good afternoon Mr Jones, my name is Rufus, and I am here to present you with an opportunity to assist in a very important mission."
"Uh, yeah, I don't usually take jobs from weirdos that fall out of the sky in a phone booth, but thanks."
"I can appreciate that you're feeling a little confused by the circumstances of my arrival, but this is an urgent matter, and I could not take the time necessary to arrive in a less conspicuous manner. I know it will take you a great deal of convincing, with evidence of course, to not only believe my proposal but accept it, but I am confident that you will."
"Oh yeah, why is that?"
"Why, simple, it's because you already have."
"I'm retired, so thanks, but no thanks. Why don't you get back into your weird little phone booth and go find someone else to talk nonsense with."
At this, Indy turned to walk inside and pour himself a stiff drink and forget all this nonsense. Maybe he was going senile, or his longing for adventure had finally broken his brain. Whatever it was, a drink, or maybe two, should clear his head. Just as he began to take the first step up the stairs, he heard another crack of lightning, and he knew before he turned around that it wasn't Rufus leaving, but another phone booth arriving. He should just keep walking inside, shut the door and wait for his visitor(s) to give up and leave. He knew this but he wanted something new so badly that he had to turn around and see what this potential adventure could possibly be. As the smoke cleared from the second box, that looked exactly like the first box, the doors opened, and a man stepped out, the man was wearing a fedora, he had his head down to block the smoke, as he lifted his head, Indy could hardly believe it, he was looking at himself!
"Hey Rufus, have you convinced me yet?" Indy's replica asked.
"Not yet."
"Oh crap."
At that moment Indy lunged toward himself and swung a fist and connected with the stranger square in the jaw.
"Man, that really hurt! Why the hell are you hitting yourself?!"
"You're not me, I'm me. The way I see it, either Rufus here has drugged me, or you're just some weirdo with an Indiana Jones obsession and too much time."
At this Indy went to swing again, but the other Indy moved in just the knick of time.
"Listen," he said, "I know this is confusing, but we don't have much time. I know you've been longing for some adventure for a few years now, and this is it, this is what you've been, I've been, we've been, waiting for. Plus, you know that other thing you've been confused about? That'll get answered too."
"Have you been spying on me?"
"How would I know this stuff by spying on you, I can't spy on your thoughts, and you've never said any of this out loud."
"Fine, tell me something that only I know about myself."
"Well, I can tell you about that thing you're confused about, but Rufus here might find out-"
"Nope, that won't be necessary. So, how are you me and what are you, what mission am I about to tie myself up in?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Rufus intervened, "I'll tell you all about it."
"Ok, well maybe I'm going batty, but I figure either way, this'll be the greatest adventure I've ever embarked on, even if it is all in my senile old head. Come on in, we can have a drink and you can give me your pitch."
"I gotta get back to work, but just remember Indy, be open to stuff you may not understand. If there is one thing old age has taught me, or you, or us, it's that we know much less than we think we do." He began to step away, but looked over his shoulder and added, "Oh, also, very important, choose the second door" (future Indy shivers) "trust me, the SECOND door," he said as he stepped into the phone booth. He shut the door, the antenna on top of the box started sparking and in a flash he was gone.