Mid-Day Dream

It was a struggle, attempting to balance the wants of the three grandkids, the demanding schedule of a Doctor son, the absence of a wife who was with the daughter-in-law and our forth grandchild, and an everchanging balance of rental cars and return flight schedules.

Our son needed to be at a job interview early the next day so he had taken off the evening before, just after I had made arrangements to fly home from a nearby airport after dropping off the rental car.  The grandkids and I had just checked into a new hotel after deciding it was too far to drive to Greenville, North Carolina that afternoon and I would drop them off the next morning after their mother had arrived home.

As I asked them if they wanted to head down to the pool for a quick swim before we sorted out what to do for dinner, or if we should push on to Greenville that night and I would leave extra early the next day the door to our room suddenly burst open as John showed up with a shoulder covered in suits and his hands filled with suitcases.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I struggled to get into my swimsuit while the kids were in the other room.  In that effort, I fell backward onto one of the three beds in the room.  “The interview isn’t until later in the day and I figured we could drive over there together in the morning.  This way I could help with the kids.” 

As I wrestled with the thoughts of how I could adjust all the changing schedules.  Where would I turn in the rental car, how would I change the flight schedule, would I ever see my wife again, and who was feeding the cats?  The phone rang and I woke up.

Oh well, just another day of social distancing.

A Fable.

Once upon a time in a quiet kingdom located high in the mountains there lived a group of people who knew themselves to be peace-loving and generous.  Some would even say they were generous to a fault.  Each day they would greet each other and comment on how peaceful and friendly they were. 

The air and water in the kingdom were sparkling clean and the grass had no weeds to disturb the lush green of the open fields.  Even the animals were gentle.  The sheep were guarded by tame wolves (and only occasionally would one or two sheep wander off and be lost).  The cattle, who grazed on the lush green fields, gave the sweetest milk anyone had ever tasted.

The kingdom was so remote even its existence was virtually unknown to the rest of the kingdoms in the distant lands.  One day a stranger happened to wander into the valley and seeing the gleaming castle decided to stop and chat with the people.

The stranger, dirty and ragged from his journey, looked far different from the people of the kingdom.  He was rough-hewn and spoke with a strange accent.  In the course of meeting many people, he asked questions about how things were done, and why things were as they were.  He wondered aloud whether the kingdom was actually as wonderful as it seemed, or was it all an illusion that would come tumbling down at some point in the future?

Suddenly, the leaders of the peace-loving kingdom were afraid this stranger would destroy the harmony they had worked so hard achieve and feared the questions this stranger was asking would only lead to dissension and bitterness among the people they ruled.  So, they came up with a plan to destroy this stranger, but it had to be done in such a way that all the people would believe he had destroyed himself because they were, after all, a peace-loving and generous kingdom.

First with whispers, and then with an open disdain they set out to vilify the outsider.  Soon, there were rumors that if the stranger didn’t leave violence would surely occur.  Fearing these threats the stranger departed in the middle of the night to continue his wanderings, but he left behind a kingdom where more and more people began to question whether the kingdom was really as peace-loving and virtuous as the king had promised it would be.  Could the wolves really be trusted to guard the sheep?

A Winter's Tale

            It had been cold, but not freezing cold, when Randy had gone to bed.  The weather forecast had called for light snow during the night, which meant a good chance school would be canceled.  Randy lived for these winter mini-vacations, but today would not be one of them.  He grabbed his phone to check to see the notification of the school closing and was disappointed to find only a brief announcement there would be a one-hour delay in opening. 

            With a sigh, he rolled over to bury his head in the covers, but his Mom was yelling from the kitchen that it was time to get up and get moving.  With the slippery roads, she needed to hit the road early because there would be a traffic jam on Rt. 98.  Randy’s dad was already gone by the time he forced himself out of bed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

            As soon as he arrived his mom gave him a peck on the cheek and headed for the door to the garage.  As she went, she called over her shoulder and said, “Since school is delayed you need to shovel the drive before you go, okay?”  Randy shrugged, the okay really wasn’t a question seeking his opinion, he knew by now the decision was already made and he now had the snow-shovel duty. 

            He grabbed his phone to check for any messages as he sat down to the oatmeal his mom had made.  Of course, there were about 22 messages from his friends, all asking about his plans on this “snow day” that now wasn’t.  But there in the middle of all the notes of dreams that would go unfulfilled was a message from a number he didn’t recognize.

            Opening it, he read, “Today is an opportunity of a lifetime.  You can, of course, choose to ignore it or you can see what the future holds.  Meet me in Mrs. Gavin’s room at 12:30 sharp.  If you aren’t there, I’ll understand.”  That was it, no signature, nothing to clue Randy into which one of his friends was pranking him.

            Finishing his breakfast, he threw on some warm clothing and headed to the garage to start the snow blower and knock off the driveway before showering for school.  He figured it would take about 15 minutes and he would still have some time for a quick game on the PlayStation^® before the bus arrived.

Chapter 2

            As he climbed aboard the bus Randy headed to his usual seat.  He noticed about half the gang that was usually there had either decided to sleep in or had cajoled their parents into giving them a ride on this snowy morning.  If the latter were true, he would know soon enough when they arrived at school and faced the gauntlet of cars and their drivers unfamiliar with the process of dropping off kids.

            Sure enough, as they pulled in there was the parking lot full of cars, all trying to be next in line to deposit their cargo at the front door.  As the bus hit its spot the few kids who were aboard slid out and walked on the salt-covered sidewalk to the side entrance.  Randy’s locker was just down the hall about 100-feet and he headed straight for it to dump his backpack.  He checked the schedule for today, just to confirm lunch started at 12:15, but figured that might all change with the late start.  If it did they’d have an announcement during homeroom.

            Slipping into his seat, which was next to Todd, a friend from his elementary school days, and just behind Annie – a recent transfer he hadn’t bothered to get to know, he slipped on his Beats^® to kill some time before the morning announcements.  Randy wasn’t much as socializing and today didn’t seem like a good time to start.  The music seemed to do the trick and he closed his eyes to imagine he was somewhere warm and scenic, filled with semi or even completely naked women.  Just as he was getting into it, the bell rang and the homeroom teacher Mr. Livingston yelled for everyone to kill the phones, and the morning routine began.

            Mr. Livingston, now there was an imposing teacher.  He looked like he could play linebacker for the Patriots.  At 6’6” he stood well above almost everyone, except maybe the basketball team.  His hair was short and he was clean shaven, in contrast to the look most of the male teachers seemed to be going for.  You know, the slightly unkempt look with a three-day growth, or real beard.  He taught in the social sciences department and Randy had heard he was pretty good explaining why people acted like they did.  Someone, Randy couldn’t remember who exactly, said they had heard people talking about how good a cook he was and his classes would benefit from some of his experiments.

            Attendance was light today, so Randy figured it would be an easy day in class.  No great struggle to learn since everyone, including the teachers, would be wishing they were at home sluffing off.  After the attendance was taken the morning announcements came over the television.  The two A/V club geeks who were practicing there best evening news routines when going through the normal list of stuff that no one ever pays attention to.  Then it came to the lunch schedule, the only part Randy was interested in.  To his amazement, the lunch schedule was unchanged, minus the 1st-period classes that were canceled due to the late start.

            With that tidbit tucked away Randy went back into the autopilot mode that carried him along each day, at least until Annie turned around and asked him if he had gotten a strange text message about showing up in Ms. Gavin’s room at 12:30?  When Todd overheard her, he jumped in and said he had gotten the same message.  What did Annie think it meant?  Randy said he had, but didn’t have a clue.  Secretly he was glad to hear that others had gotten the message.  It was a lot less scary to head somewhere if you knew it wasn’t just you heading into the unknown.

            The three agreed to meet outside Gavin’s room before they pulled the door open.  That way if there was something to run from they figured having three to catch would be harder than just one.  With that, homeroom was over and they headed their separate ways.  Randy to Calculus I, Todd to Biology II, and Annie to Social Studies.

Chapter 3

            Time seemed to stand still as Randy listened to the teacher drone on about the formulas she had covered earlier in the week, and assigned about 30 minutes of work in the class and another hour for home.  All Randy could really think about was what was going to happen when they got to Ms. Gavin’s room.  It was on the third floor in the southeast wing of the building.  About as far away from the central hub as you could get.  Randy figured it was about the perfect place for an ax murderer to hang out, but Ms. Gavin was as far from an ax murderer as you could get, at least Randy thought so.  Not that he had a lot of experience with ax murderers, except what he’d seen in the movies. 

            Ms. Gavin barely reached Randy’s chin, and he was only 5’9”.  He thought maybe she probably topped the scales at about 100 pounds.  But she was one heck of a Physics teacher and as the science club sponsor.  Randy had gotten to know her when he needed help building his fighting robot for the annual science club robot wars.  He’d lost, but as a freshman, he had learned a lot about how to balance the demands of space, weight, and strength against the limits of his battery life.  Now, as a sophomore, he was sure he knew how to make the winning “bot.”

            With the bell ending class, the entire school seemed to rise as one and fill the halls with the noise and life of a heard of Wildebeests headed to the nearest watering hole.  Randy made his way through the crowds, sticking close to the lockers, so as not to be swept by the current into some vast whirlpool of humanity that would take him somewhere he didn’t want to go.  His freshman year he had seen this happen to a friend, who had had to swim upstream, like a salmon, to get to his second-period class before the door closed.

            The next two classes were pretty much a repeat of the first.  Taught by teachers who had hoped to be at home with their soap operas and coffee (or maybe wine) and not having to face a crowd of kids who also wanted to be somewhere else.  Again, Randy spent most of the time discreetly checking his phone for any new messages from that unknown phone number and watching time slowly pass.  In his fourth class was a study hall and he had almost drifted off to sleep when the bell shattered his reverie.  It was now 12:15 and time to head to lunch.  Normally, lunch was something Randy considered the highlight of the academic day.  A time when he could sit with friends and talk about the great inequities of life, or maybe sports, or even who had summoned up the courage to ask a girl out and how the date had worked out, but today was different.  A quick jog to his locker to dump off his books, and then a beeline to Ms. Gavin’s room – 318S.

            He arrived just as Todd came huffing up the stairs.  His last class was German and the teacher had kept them an extra 10-minutes to complete some sort of review of tense.  It was about as far away from 318S as you could get and still be on campus.  Waiting impatiently was Annie, who was tapping her foot with a stern look.  Randy suppressed a smile as he could imagine Annie as a future librarian -- schussing people.

            With a minute to spare the three pulled open the door to what seemed to be an empty room.  They slowly entered.  Todd hit the light switch and as the lights came on their initial impressions were confirmed.  The room was indeed empty.  The only thing that seemed out of place was on the whiteboard in the front of the room.  It said, “Welcome you three, please take a seat and we will be with you momentarily.”

Chapter 4

            They looked at each other, debating whether to sit or go, while the going was good.  “My Mom always says, ‘In for a penny, in for a pound’” Annie said.  “What the hell does that mean,” Todd asked.  “I’m pretty sure it means either go all in or don’t play at all” Annie answered.  So, the three would-be adventurers headed towards the whiteboard and chose their seats.

            As they sat down there was a faint, almost imperceptible, whirring sound coming from the hallway.  The lights flickered briefly and the next thing they knew, they heard the door opening.  As they turned they saw first Ms. Gavin and then Mr. Livingston enter, and quietly close the door behind themselves.  They were about as stark a contrast in a couple as anyone could imagine.  In her heels Ms. Elaine Gavin maybe reached 5’3” and in his bare feet Mr. Samuel Livingston was an easy 6’6”.

            They walked directly to the front of the room and looked at the three young people and without a hesitation together made the rather obvious observation.  “I bet you’re wondering what this is all about, aren’t you?”

            Randy, conditioned by years of public school raised his hand.  Ms. Gavin chuckled and said, “Yes?  By the way, hand raising is not required in this group.”

            Sheepishly putting his hand down, Randy looked at his classmates and then the teachers and speaking for the three of them, said: “yes, we were, but I hope this isn’t about the assignment I owed you after the last science club, is it?”  Ms. Gavin smiled and shook her head no, but did say “although that has some relativity to what we are about to say.  The assignment Randy was talking about dealt with how to deal with Newton’s third “law, which simply stated is “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

With that, Mr. Livingston went to the whiteboard, passed his hand in front and the writing disappeared.  He then said to the three curious adventurers, “We’ve been waiting some time for you three to arrive here.”  Todd jumped in and said, “we only got an invitation this morning?”  Sam Livingston smiled as he said, “yes, but that isn’t really what I was talking about.  You see Elaine and I are kind of a team of explorers ourselves and we’ve been looking for just the right combination of young minds who can help us complete our own quest.”  Annie, then spoke up, “Quest?  Like in Dungeons and Dragons or King Arthur’s search for the holy grail?”

Chapter 5

“No, not like that!  Well maybe a little like that, but it is really not too dangerous,” said Ms. Gavin.  “Now; why not let Mr. Livingston finish.”

“Gentle people” he began.  “Today the three of you were invited to look into one of the great mysteries of life.  Is it possible for us to actually progress beyond what we see and hear to understand what is truth or what is fiction?”

“We, Elaine and I, are actually from another place, and maybe from another time.  A time when people listen, a time when we consider, and when we debate the issues and reach a consensus on what we should do before we run off willy-nilly pointing fingers and claiming credit.  It is a time and a place where we respect the rights of all but realize we each have a right to an opinion, but just having an opinion doesn’t mean everyone has to listen to it.”

“We have a machine that will transport you through time and space to an event, your job will be to observe the event and report back what you saw.  You will be together as a team and will work to get the details as accurate as you can.  You will then return to us with your report, and we can compare that report to what you actually observed.”

“Wait a minute!  Are you saying you have a time machine and you want us to use it?” Annie asked.  Chuckling, Samuel Livingston shook his head and said, “No not an actual time machine, but a simulator that will take all we know about an event and condense it into a virtual reality.  You three will have VR headsets and full VR suits that will help you enter into that reality.  Each trip will take about an hour?  Your report will be due the next day.  The entire purpose is to open your minds to show you how history is actually shaped so you might be prepared to shape it yourselves one day.  Now, what do you say?”

Chapter 6

The three looked at each other, seeking some clue as to what the others were thinking.  It was Todd who spoke first, and it was a question, not an answer.  “Who gets to decide what reality we explore?  Are there an infinite number of choices?”  Ms. Gavin answered, “No there are not an infinite number of choices, but I’m guessing we have any journey you can imagine, or that you are familiar with, so why don’t we let you all decide where and when you want to back to, okay?”

With that the three huddled and came to an agreement that this seemed more interesting than their usual homework assignments so why not give it a shot?

Together they all said okay and then asked where the first trip was going.

Mr. Livingston held up his hand, “Before we get started on this, there are two ground rules.  The first is you are sworn to secrecy and the second is the trips will have to be during the last period or after school, can you guys live with that?”

As he said that the bell ending the period rang.

“Okay, before you all leave we can work out the schedule for the first experiment tomorrow.  Talk about where and when you want to explore and let me know in homeroom.  I’ll work some magic to get your schedules rearranged so you all can slip away for the last period.  See you tomorrow.

Chapter 7

That night, at home, the three spent almost four hours texting, talking, and video chatting back and forth over what they should do.  So many options, but how was this whole thing going to work?  Wasn’t history already fixed and what they showed in the history books? 

Finally, they had a plan.  They were agreed on where they would go and what they would seek to discover as they sought the facts of history.  Maybe we start with something were everyone agrees with what happened, and see if this program Mr. Livingston and Ms. Gavin has is accurate.  Their only remaining question was how were the two teachers going to get them all into last period study hall without missing their normal classes?

That settled, the three closed it down for the night and agreed to get together at homeroom to pass their request to Mr. Livingston.

When the alarm went off, Randy rolled out of bed much quicker and more alert than he normal.  Maybe it was the anticipation of the unknown before him but his interest in the day was much greater than usual.  He chalked it up to the same emotions he felt when his folks told him they were going to Disney World and Universal in Orlando.

Todd, on the other hand, buried his head just a bit deeper in the covers as he debated whether or not he really wanted to go through with this whole thing.  Annie was somewhere between the two boys.  She was filled with anticipation of some cool new video game but worried about being the only girl.  What would it be like to go somewhere strange with two guys she hardly knew?  What happens if something goes wrong?  The doubts and excitement mixed to form a strange emotion she wasn’t quite sure how to handle.

She hurried through her morning routine as her Dad called her to get a move on so he could drop her off on his way to work.  Normally, the routine was automatic and required little thought.  Today was different, it was almost like the first day of school, or even a date.  What to wear?  How should she fix her hair?  What were the right shoes?  She had it much tougher than the boys.  They would never know the struggle.

Finally, the choices made, she bounded down the stairs, gulped a glass of juice, and grabbed a banana and made a beeline to the car, until her Mom yelled, “What no goodbye kiss?”  Sheepishly, Annie headed back, gave Mom a peck on the cheek and headed back to the car where her Dad was impatiently waiting.

Arriving at school the three huddled in a corner in the hallway making sure they were still all in agreement before they headed into homeroom.  Once inside Randy casually dropped a note on the desk as he headed to his seat.  Mr. Livingston gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before he casually took the note and tucked it into his pocket.  The morning bell rang and the daily routine began.  This time with one exception.  As the announcements were read by the A/V team, one tidbit caught the three would-be adventurers’ attention.  Last period was being changed into a General Assembly where someone from the State Department of Education was going to talk about the proposed changes to the curriculum.  

So that’s how we get out of the last period!  Randy could only smile at the thought.  He glanced at Todd, who was looking at Annie.  They now had a plan.  Ditching an assembly was a piece of cake.

Chapter 8

Randy, Annie, and Todd met outside the school’s auditorium after their last class and headed upstairs to the third floor.  From the stairwell, they made a beeline to 318 arriving just as the bell to start the third period sounded. 

Once inside the room, Ms. Gavin asked if they had reached an agreement on what they would go back in time to see?  They nodded in the affirmative and gave her the event.  She headed into what looked like a broom closet.  As she entered Samuel Livingston emerged with three boxes, each box had a name on it.  As he approached they could see one box was for each of them. 

“Okay guys, these are your AI suits.  I’ll help you get them on while Elaine programs the computer.  First, remove all your jewelry, rings, necklaces, and watches.  You can put them in the little lock box in the bottom of each box.  Next, remove your shoes and put on the pair that you find in the box, then the gloves, next to the bodysuit and finally the helmet.  You will find the sounds are muffled once the helmet goes on so I will be talking with you through this small laser transmitter.  We will have 2-way communication at all time. 

Once you’re all rigged up we will clip you into a chair that will serve as your transport vehicle.  Now let’s get moving.”

With some trepidation, the three began the process of taking off and putting on.  It took them about 5-minutes to get ready.  As they were doing that, Samuel rolled out the chairs they would ride.  As he was strapping them in he offered the following directions.

“As you journey, it will be as if you are in a balloon, over the area you have chosen.  You will be able to see, smell and hear what is going on.  You will be able to talk to each other, but no one on the ground will know you are there.  If you want to listen to a specific conversation all you need to say is ‘listen to X’ where X is the individual.  Also, time will be greatly accelerated.  While you will be gone for 50 or so minutes in our time, it will seem like you are wherever you are for up to three days”

As he finished, Elaine came back into the room and indicated she was ready.  Samuel hooked up the final connections and suddenly the three adventurers were standing in a balloon.  A voice without form asked “Are you ready?  If so just give me a thumbs up.  Oh, by the way, if you are scared or feel threatened just say the word HOME and the adventure will end.”  With three thumbs up they trio set off.

Chapter 9

In a blink of the eye, they were slowly floating over a scarred land.  Trees were torn up, branches piled high, and a dreary, thin-fog covered the land.  A land scarred by holes, almost as if it had the worst case of acne ever. 

Randy checked the clock on the control panel of the balloon.  Sure enough, it read 8 am November 19, 1863.  They had plenty of time to explore the area before the ceremony they had come to watch was really going to start.

The remarkable thing they learned about their balloon was they could actually steer it, it wasn’t just something that hung in the sky, but a means to go from place to place with pretty straightforward controls.  It was almost as if they were playing a video game, although the images before them seemed completely real.

Todd was the first to speak.  “Let’s head south of town, that is where most of the action took place.”  Todd was the real history buff and it was really his recommendation that the group settled on for this first trip.  “I’ll point out the significant landmarks, we just need to be back to the town by noon.  I think that is probably when the ceremony will start.”

As they drifted south they could see an old railroad train coming into town from the southeast.  “I wonder if that is the President’s train?” Annie asked.  “It might be.” Said Todd.

Once past the outskirts of the small village or town, Todd began a running narrative.  “See those stone walls?  That’s Seminary Ridge, it was a strong point established by General Buford of the US Calvary when he figured out where the Confederates were headed.  It was the high ground, and in those days holding the high ground was a most important fact since it forced the other side to fight uphill.  See how the Confederate cannons tore up the walls and helped give them hope they could overwhelm the Union like they had done so many times before.”

“Look further south and you can where the Union had established it left most positions and where on the second day of the battle General Lee sent most of his troops to try and get around the union so they could force them out of their positions.  Little Round Top must be that hill, right there.”  Todd extended his arm, pointing to a small set of hills, hardly remarkable except for their cluster by open fields.  “That is where Col Chamberlin and the 20^th Maine fought and defeated the Confederate’s attempt to get around the Union line,” he concluded.

As they slowly traveled towards Little Round Top they saw what must have been a couple of thousand mounds of dirt scattered all over the landscape.  “What are those?” Annie asked.  “Hmmm, I’m not sure,” said Todd “but if I had to guess I would think they may be the graves of dead Confederates.  As General Lee’s army retreated they did not have time to recover the thousands of soldiers who died in this battle.  The Union Army just kind buried them where they lay without too much concern for identification or letting the families know what happened to their men.  I think there were over 7,000 people killed in the battle, more than half of them were from the Confederate Army.”

The trees that had covered the Little Round Top were now without their leaves, which lay the ground below, but you could still make out the scars of all the shot and shells that had been lobbed into that hill as the Confederates attempted to rout the Union.

Checking the time, Randy suggested they head back to where the new cemetery was and get ready to watch the dedication.  He took control and started guiding the balloon back along what must be the Taneytown Road.

Annie pulled out her maps and confirmed it was a good choice.  They could see the town in the distance and saw the crowds gathering at what must be the dedication ceremony.

They arrived over the ceremony just as the music started.

Chapter 10

As the music faded, a lone figure rose and climbed to the stage.  He was introduced as Reverend Stockton and offered the invocation.  After that another band played some solemn music while the stage was set for what the three assumed would be Abraham Lincoln, but they were surprised that it was not Lincoln, but a rather large white-haired man, introduced as the Honorable Edward Everett, the former Secretary of State a former President of Harvard, former Governor of Massachusetts, former Senator, and now famous orator.

Randy looked at his friends, “I thought Lincoln gave the famous Gettysburg address?”  Annie nodded, “so did I.”  Todd looked a little confused but checked the notes he had made last night.  “From what I read inviting President Lincoln was an afterthought for the people who organized this.  My notes tell me he will follow this guy, so it shouldn’t be too long now.

As the speaker began they could hardly hear what he was saying, and it was then Randy remembered Mr. Livingston’s direction.  “Listen to, what’s his name?”  Nothing happened until Todd, checking his notes again said: “Listen to Edward Everett.”  Suddenly his voice boomed out of nowhere as he said: “It was appointed by law in Athens…”   Annie and Randy both reached for what they saw as a volume knob and quickly turned it down to a better level.  They could also hear his speaking through the megaphones in front of him as he went on, and on, and on.

They listened as he recounted all the events of the three-day battle, from the views of the winning side.  They heard as he condemned the rebels of the “cotton growing states” and how just was the cause of those who fought to maintain the union and how great most of the northern generals were in winning this great victory.  Randy looked at Todd and asked, “Is he ever going to stop?”

Two-hours later he had his answer.  After listening for those two hours the three doubted they could remember anything of earth-shattering importance this man had said.  In fact, Todd admitted to dozing off once or twice.

As the crowd stood and applauded the speaker soaked in their adoration before being given some kind of keepsake and being escorted off the stage.  At that point, some of the audience began moving away, as if the ceremony was concluding.

It was then Lincoln, in his famous tall hat, climbed up the stairs and the man who seemed to be in charge called for the audience to pay attention to what the speaker had to say.

Randy said, “Listen to Abraham Lincoln” and a rather scratchy voice came through the speaker.  They needed to turn the volume up to hear him clearly.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate we cannot consecrate we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Two minutes after he started he was done.  There was polite applause and he walked off the stage, where the trio heard him tell his assistant, John Hay, “John, we have a train to catch, show the way.”  With that, the audio stopped and the three saw Lincoln moving among well-wishers towards a carriage that would take him and his party to the train station a few blocks away.

“Well what should we do now, Randy asked.”  Todd and Annie answered in unison, “Let’s go home” and suddenly they found themselves back in room 318.

“So, what did you think of your first journey?” Ms. Gavin asked.  The three looked first at each other and then at both Livingston and Gavin… “it seemed so real, but surely it was just an illusion.”  “No, it’s as real as it can be.  We have a rather unique database to draw from.  You now have twenty-four hours to work together and draft a report on your trip, tell us what you learned and what seemed the most important thing that shaped how the record of history remembers the event and why?”

Christmas, 2018 "On the Road to Bethlehem"

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The snow fell silently as traffic moved slowly along the darkened road.  Wally stared at the tail lights ahead of him as he let his mind wander.  The evening commute had become so routine and common he rarely spent the time concentrating on the traffic as he should.  Suddenly the brake lights of the car ahead jarred him from his stupor and he slammed on the brakes to avoid rear-ending the fancy Cadillac ahead of him.

There, on the side of the road, he saw the reason for the sudden stop.  An old Chevy Nova was pulled over, its lights flashing as a couple stood by the open hood.  Wally never stopped for these small calamities, after all the police would be along shortly and they would take care of everything.  But something was different this evening.  He couldn’t exactly say what it was.  Maybe it was that he had a Nova when he was younger and knew a thing or two about how to fix it, or maybe it was just the snow and the cold.  For whatever reason Wally decided to pull over and see if he could be of some help.  As he passed the car he pulled slowly onto the shoulder and turned on his flashers.  Leaving the engine running he got out and walked back to the couple.

“Good evening folks, is there anything I can do to help?” Wally asked as he got close enough to recognize two very young faces huddled together for warmth.  The young man turned towards him, held out his hand and said, “it just died.”  Wally’s first thought was it was probably the electrical system and the alternator.  Looking under the hood he could see very little in the dark, so he excused himself and went back to his car to get his flashlight and a small tool bag. 

As he was walking he called his wife and explained what was going on, telling her he would be late but would let her know how things were going.  She, of course, chided him for stopping for strangers and cautioned him about how so many were robbed in these types of situations.  He assured her he would be careful, and that everything was okay.  It seemed a sad testament to the times we lived in.

When he got back to the Nova he saw the two were still huddled together.  On closer examination, he also saw they were lightly dressed and seemed ill-prepared for this cold weather.  As he turned on the flashlight he chatted with them.  “Hi, my name is Wally, what’s yours?”  The man said his name was Jules, and his wife was Martine.  “Seems like a cold night and your coats are hardly keeping you warm, do you have anything else to put on?  By the way, where are you headed to?” 

Jules answered and said they were headed to his parent’s home in eastern Pennsylvania.  They had eloped and gotten married in Ohio and were returning home to tell his father.  Wally did a quick calculation, it was at least another three-hour drive in this storm and he doubted the Nova would get them there, assuming he could get it started at all.  As he bent over the engine he started troubleshooting the most obvious areas.  Were the battery cables secure?  The terminals were covered in corrosion – so he loosened them and scraped them clean.  He ran back to his car for the coke he had been sipping.  While he was there he grabbed the emergency blanket he kept with his tools.

As he got back to the Nova he handed the blanket to Jules and Martine, who quickly wrapped it around themselves.  He then poured the coke on the terminals to help clean off the corrosion.  He reattached the cables.

Next, he looked for loose fittings on the alternator.  They seemed okay.  Getting to the spark plug cables was pretty much out of the question, at least here, with these tools and this weather.  Finally, he checked the fuse box.  He had never really seen a fuse blow on his old Nova, but it was a place to check.  There it was the engine fuse had in fact blown.  “Oh great,” he thought.  This could be a result of the age of the car, or it could be something else.  “Well we’ll never know unless we replace it and try and start the car,” he said mostly to himself.

He pulled the old fuse out, stuck it in his pocket, and slipped a new one into its place.  He turned to Jules and said, “I’m not sure if this will work but get in and try starting it up.” 

Jules moved quickly and after a few cranks, the car did, in fact, fire up.  “Is the heater working?” Wally asked?  Jules shook his head no, it didn’t seem to be getting warm.  “Well, the engine may still be cold.  Martine, why don’t you jump in there and get out of this snow,” Wally said.

As they waited, Wally called his wife and explained the situation.  He said he would be bringing the couple home since it didn’t seem like they would be safe on the road this evening and he could troubleshoot the car much better in the garage.  His wife agreed that this was not a good night for a young couple to be on the road.  She would add a couple of plates to the dinner table and make up the spare room.

When he hung up he closed the hood and went to the driver’s door.  Jules said it still didn’t look like the heater was working, and Wally could see from their breath he was right.  So, he told them he lived about 10-minutes away and said they should stay with him tonight.  He asked if they had cell phones, and of course, they did, so he gave them his number and address and suggested they call their parents and let them know what was happening. 

He then suggested Martine ride with him since his car was warm and Jules could follow in the Nova. He would go slow to make sure they were together, and if Jules had a problem he should flash his lights or honk.  The horn did work, didn’t it?  With a press, Jules confirmed it did.

Getting back to his car, he saw a break in the traffic and signaled to come out.  Jules did the same and they were back on the road.  Wally drove carefully, making sure the Nova was behind him.  As promised they pulled into the lane his home was on about 10 minutes after starting.  As they pulled into the driveway the Nova gave up the ghost again and couldn’t make it past the mailbox.

Wally stopped, got out and helped Jules hook up the tow strap Wally kept in the trunk, and they pulled car the last 100 yards up to the house. 

There on the porch was Wally’s wife, Maureen, waiting for them.

Wally told them to grab whatever they needed from the Nova and they would sort out the cars in the morning.  Once they had their small backpacks, they headed up the steps and into a warm house that was all ready for Christmas which was only a couple of days away.

As they entered the house Wally could smell the soup steeping on the stove, and the air had a hint of cinnamon and apple.  That could only mean an apple pie was cooking in the oven, or cooling on the counter. 

Wally introduced Jules and Martine, and Maureen went into full “Mother Hen” mode.  “Okay now, let’s get those wet coats off of you.  My gracious you are soaked to the bone and chilled to your core. Wally, this will never do.  Go up to Tom’s room and look in his dresser, I know there are clean sweats up there just waiting to use.  Jules, you follow Wally and let’s get you into some warm clothes before we do one thing more.  I’ll take care of Martine, now get moving you two!”

With those commands, Wally, followed by a sheepish Jules, headed upstairs to the bedrooms.  At the top of the steps, Wally pointed out the bath and the bedroom he and Martine could use.  Jules tossed their backpacks into the corner as Wally turned on the lights and headed to the dresser to find the fresh clothing.  “Won’t your son mind me taking his room?” Jules asked.  Wally turned with clean sweatshirt and pants and said only, “No Tom won’t mind.  He hasn’t been here for quite a while.”  “You can change and freshen up in the bathroom.  I’ll meet you downstairs when you are done.”  With that Wally left the room, closing the door softly behind him as he went.

Jules was left to look around as he changed.  The sweats were a size or two too big but they would serve their purpose.  He was glad to get out of the wet cloths.  It looked like Tom was away in college from the appearance of the room, and Jules wondered if he would be home soon.  Taking his small toilet kit, he headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth, wash his face and comb his hair.

Meanwhile, Maureen and Martine had hung up the coats and headed off to the Master bedroom to find some warm clothing and to freshen up.  As petite as Martine was, Maureen just knew none of the things she had would fit her, but she did have an ace up her sleeve.  The last time Tom had visited his girlfriend had left some clothing behind and she had carefully washed them and tucked them away for when she returned.  Maureen thought they should be a reasonable fit, even with Martine’s unexpected condition.  Wally hadn’t mentioned she was pregnant, but then again men, being men, rarely notice the important facts.

As Martine shrugged off her wet clothing, Maureen ran the shower to get it warm.  “Dear, just jump in and wash off all that road grime.  You can hand me your clothing and I’ll toss it in the washer.  It won’t take but a few minutes to get them clean, fresh and dry.  We can have dinner while they are washing.  You just take your time and join me in the kitchen when you’re ready.”  With that, Maureen gathered up the clothing, left the room, and headed to the laundry.  Along the way she ran into Wally who was fixing himself a drink and asked if he had Jules all squared away.  Wally said he did, and Maureen said, “well, where are his dirty clothes?”  “Oh, right,” Wally replied.  I’ll be right back.

As soon as the laundry was in the wash, Maureen and Wally were joined in the kitchen by the two wayfarers, looking remarkably more comfortable than when they first arrived at the home.  Maureen took charge and directed Wally and Jules to set the table while she and Martine gathered up the food for supper.  In two shakes of a dog’s tail, they were sitting around the table and the conversation turned to what brought Jules and Martine out on the road during this storm.

Jules cleared his throat as he began to explain how he and Martine had become friends and now husband and wife.  Jules said his father ran a wood factory in eastern PA and had invited Jules to join him.  Jules had been living in western Ohio where he had met Martine, who lived with her parents.  They had known each other for only a few months, and Martine was already pregnant when they met.  Her old boyfriend had bailed when she found she had a child growing in her.

Martine’s Mom and Dad weren’t all that thrilled with the relationship and refused to give their blessings for marriage, believing both were ill-prepared to handle the responsibilities.  So, despite their objections, they decided it was best to make a fresh start by moving back to eastern Pennsylvania.  Unfortunately, the car didn’t seem to think a long trip was all that great an idea. 

“Well, we’ll just see about that old car in the morning!” Maureen exclaimed, as she looked over to Wally, who nodded in agreement.  “For now - it is supper time, Wally please say the blessing.”  Giving thanks for their safety, and the food before them, he asked for the safe journeys for all those traveling this holiday season, ending in an Amen from all at the table.

Before them, the table was set with rich pumpkin soup, a fresh kale salad, a plate of ham slices, carrots, peas, and of course a bowl of mashed potatoes, along with rolls and butter.  “It isn’t fancy,” Maureen offered “but it will sustain us and the new friendships will more than make up for any shortcomings in its elegance.”  Of course, Jules and Martine loudly objected to this disclaimer but agreed wholeheartedly that Wally and Maureen were the answer to their prayer as they stood along that dark road just an hour or so earlier.

As they ate - the conversation turned to families.  First, they began with what Jules’ father did with his woodworking business, and then what was Jules background and what he hoped to accomplish.  Jules, it turned out, was actually a carpenter and had been working in an Amish plant building furniture.  During the past couple of years, he had become quite good and thought he was now ready to return home to help his father and perhaps take over the business.  The fact he had worked with the Amish was one of the concerns Martine’s parents had raised in the objections.

Eventually, the conversation came around to some family history on Wally and Maureen.  Martine asked, “How long have you been married?”  Maureen told them the story of how Jules and she had met in college and after dating for several years had married.  Wally had served in the Air Force for a few years and was now a manager at a local plant that builds electronic components for the auto industry. 

Jules asked if Tom was going to make it home for Christmas, and the table grew silent.  Wally looked at Maureen, who with a slight nod indicated he should tell the story.  “No Jules,” Wally said.  “We lost Tom a year ago.  He was on his way home from college when he and his girlfriend were struck by a tractor-trailer on the interstate.  The weather was worse than it is right now, the roads were icy and a car ahead of them spun out.  Tom hit the brakes, almost came to a stop without hitting the car in front, but the 18-wheeler jackknifed as it slid into to them.  It was a horrible crash and neither survived.”

“This is our first year without him, and we weren’t sure we would celebrate Christmas at all, but there is something important about keeping our traditions alive, so we are going through the steps if only to help keep Tom alive for us.”

“Your arrival, as unfortunate as it may seem to you, is really a blessing for us.  It gives us a moment to share the blessings we have with someone who could use a few blessings as they start their own journey.”

The table grew silent again as each considered the story.  But within a moment or two, Maureen said, “Who’s ready for some coffee and Apple pie and maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream?”

After dessert and some light conversation to lift the mood, it was time for Jules and Martine to head upstairs to get some sleep after a stress filled day.  Maureen and Wally settled into their easy chairs and put on a classic movie as they chatted about how remarkable the world was.  Maureen asked if Wally could fix the car, and he said he really didn’t know, but tomorrow was Saturday and if he needed some parts the auto parts stores would be open.  He’d worry about that tomorrow, but in the back of his mind, he knew even if the Nova couldn’t be brought back to life he had a plan to get the two home without too much of a delay.

Wally cherished the idea of sleeping in on Saturdays when there was no demand to face the morning commute to arrive at the plant at a certain time.  But today was different, without disturbing Maureen he rolled out of bed when the sun was still an hour away from rising.  He dressed quietly and headed to the kitchen to start the coffee maker.  While it was brewing he grabbed his jacket and headed out to the driveway to push the old Nova into the garage where he could put some lights on and work in some relative comfort.

Once he got the car up on some jack stands he headed back in to get some coffee.  He met Jules who was looking for a cup at the coffee maker.  Together they poured their coffee and headed back to the garage.  Jules was anxious to do what he could to help and get on the road again as quickly as possible.  Before anything else, Wally talked to Jules about exactly how the car had died the first time.  Once he was satisfied it was a rather sudden thing and realizing he’d been able to start it once he’d replaced a fuse he pulled out a cheap diagnostic checker to see if there were any codes that would help isolate the problem.

Unfortunately, there was nothing substantial other than a series of electrical failures, but not what was a likely common cause.  He checked the fuse box and the engine fuse was again burned out.  That could only mean there was a short somewhere.  But where?

Time moved slowly as he and Jules went through all the possible causes for this short.  Each time they thought they’d narrowed it down to a likely culprit they found their guess had been wrong.  Right in the middle of their fourth or was it their fifth effort at troubleshooting Maureen stuck her head in the garage and told them both to clean up for breakfast. 

As they entered the house they were surprised by the bright, almost blinding, sunlight streaming in the windows.  It was a cold and clear beautiful winter morning.  Maureen and Martine had the table set with an egg and sausage casserole, corn muffins, orange juice, and hot coffee.   “You two wash up and we can eat, then you can get back to fixing that car, but we have a young lady who has been working her tail off to make you breakfast, now get your hands clean so we can eat.”

As they sat at the morning table, Wally again gave thanks and asked both Jules and Martine if they had anything they would like to offer.  Martine went first and offered her thanks for people who would open their homes to strangers and provide shelter when the problems of the world seemed too overwhelming to fix.  Jules echoed Martine’s thoughts and hoped they would soon find the problems with their car.

Wally assured them both they would be on the road today but didn’t tell them how he knew that. 

With those thoughts, they dug into breakfast and enjoyed the conversation of new acquaintances who seemed like old friends, despite the differences in their ages.

As they finished Wally suggested that perhaps Jules and Martine should take a walk to enjoy the fresh morning and the snow-covered landscape.  They would get back to work on the car once the morning dishes were done.

As they put on their jackets and set out on the back porch, Wally and Maureen began to clear the plates.  Once they were alone Wally looked at Maureen and said.  “Honey, I would like to loan them the ‘68 GTO to get home with, and give me some time to fix this old Nova so it is a safe car for their family.”  Maureen stared at Wally as if he had lost his mind.  “Hear me out on this.  I know it was the car Tom and I had been working on and was going to be his Graduation present, but Tom is gone and I know he would want more than it to sit gathering dust in the shed.  I finished the restoration last August, it’s been registered and insured, and I’ve run the engine every week to keep it serviceable.  I can think of no better use than to loan it to these two, with their promise to bring it back in a couple of weeks to get their car.”

Maureen considered this, as well as the possibility they would never see these two again but in her heart, she knew these two were a couple who needed a break and would be back to get their car.  She said, “Let me think about this for a bit.  I don’t know what I would do if something was to happen to that car.  You and Tom spent so much time working on it, he’s gone and this is about all that’s left.”

Wally nodded but said.  “Tom will be in our hearts forever.  The car, as important as it was to him is still just a thing.  We have an opportunity to use that thing to make someone’s life just a little bit better.  Please consider that as you think about it.”

With that, Wally headed back into the garage to keep working on the Nova.  A few minutes later Jules came in and began asking how he could help.

Time passed far too quickly and the next thing Wally and Jules knew Martine was next to them telling them it was time for lunch.  As they put down their tools and went to clean up Maureen followed Wally into the bath and closed the door.

“Wally, I’ve given this whole give them the car idea and I think after talking with Martine about what they want to do when they get to their new home I am good with letting them go in Tom’s car.  Why don’t we talk about it at lunch and set up an agreement?”

“Okay” was Wally’s reply.

As they sat eating their lunch they watched the snow melting in the mid-day sun.  Although it was still cold, the roads were quickly clearing, but Jules and Martine worried about how they would make to Jules’ home.  That served as the perfect opportunity to bring up the idea of loaning them the ’68 GTO.

“Jules,” Wally “began can you drive a car with a manual transmission?”  Everything he had planned hinged on this answer and it was only now that he realized that.  Fortunately, Jules said he could, so that hurdle was crossed.

“I am not sure we can get that Nova sorted out today.  It is going to take more troubleshooting than we have time for if you are to make it home before Christmas.  Maureen and I have been talking and we would like to offer you and Martine an option.”

“We have a restored 1968 Pontiac GTO that is sitting gathering dust in our shed and are willing to loan it to you to make the trip home.  The only thing we ask is you be gentle with it and come back to visit when you can, or when I get the problems with the Nova sorted out.  The car is registered and insured so it is street legal, and I will write a contract authorizing you as a driver in case you are stopped, but I don’t think that will be a problem.  What do you say?”

Jules and Martine said nothing, they could only stare at the other couple while they considered the magnitude of what they were offering almost perfect strangers.

Finally, Jules stood and said thank you as he embraced first Maureen and then Wally.  With that Wally said they would need to get going now if they were to make it home before dark.

He and Jules headed to the shed to unwrap the Pontiac and get it fired up.  It had almost a full tank, and Wally handed Jules a fifty for gas and snacks.   As the engine warmed up Martine and Maureen joined them with the young couple’s backpacks. 

With hugs all around the two kids said their goodbyes and got in the car.  They slowly drove down the driveway with only a minor amount of jerking as Jules shifted from neutral to first and then second.

Wally and Maureen waved and called after them, “Safe journey and good luck in Bethlehem, call us when you get in.”

Postscript:  It took Wally a solid day of troubleshooting but he eventually found the problem and got the Nova back into a running condition.  Along the way. he took the opportunity to fix a few other things, and make sure the car was safe to drive for the young couple.  A month after leaving three young faces appeared at Wally and Maureen’s door.  There stood Jules, Martine and their new son Tom.  

A Short Story (part 9 - post script)

Home Again

He felt the hot breath of the bison, heard the beating of its hooves, tasted the dust it kicked before it and closed his eyes as he pushed the return on his machine.  His heart was racing at almost 200 beats a minute as he stood in the middle of his living room.  It was quiet, but it took his brain some moments to register the fact he was not dead.  He had not been trampled by the herd.

Tom slowly came back to the present, the world, his world of 2222, and worked to calm his breathing and his heart.  He knew his grand adventure was over, for although he could start over with the preparation and planning he had learned an important lesson.

While he had wide-open space before him, he was never truly alone.  The beauty of nature, with its vast expanse, crystal clear nights, and distant sounds filled the space with a peace and majesty unmatched by any human construction.  But even in the quietest of solitude there was something that provided the comfort of companionship.  He couldn’t quite put his finger on what that was, he had never been a religious man, but there in the open space of the plains, with only his horse and the two mules to keep him company he found companionship that silenced the fears and troubles of his soul.

Tom sat for a long time considering this revelation and tried to decide his next move.  Would he choose a new time and place to explore, or would he begin to explore himself, to see if he could understand that companion he found in the plains of the mid-west?

A Short Story (part 8).

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The Night of the Buffalo

Tom had been on the prairie for almost two weeks.  He had become comfortable with the routine and the animals.  He found starting out at daybreak and then taking a rest during the heat of the day worked best for all concerned.  After the mid-day rest, they would travel another four hours or so before setting up a night camp. He found he was able to walk more, and ride less each day, as his body was conditioned by the exercise.

In those two weeks, he had not seen another human, although he could not shake the feeling that someone, or something, had been watching him almost the whole time.  He had purposely chosen not to follow the river, and this would have been a problem if he had not brought along the solar still.  It was the first thing he set up during his mid-day rests and it provided just enough water for him and the animals during those times he was not able to find a stream or other water source.

With his routine, he was able to cover about 20 miles a day without too much difficulty.  He worried about the loads on the animals, but was amazed they seemed to carry on without much effort.  Of course, any chance they had they would stop to graze on the now brown grasses.

As he crossed the rise of a low hill, Tom, Chester, and the mules came to a standstill.  There in the wide valley below was something Tom had never imagined possible.  Before him, as far as he could see were American Bison, or Buffalo as they were called in the history text.  They seemed to cover the earth for miles in every direction.  He decided, then and there, that this would be his campsite for the night.  He wanted to watch the herd until the night came.  He checked his micro weather station and although the pressure was dropping there was no indication of storms, so he figured a night on the top of this hill wouldn’t be too much of a risk.

As luck would have it, there was a small artesian spring that bubbled out of a crevice in some rocks.  Tom chose those rocks as his campsite, and quickly erected the tents, the electronic corral, and the shelter for the animals.  These days he wasn’t hobbling Chester or the mules for he felt with a halter and a long lead tied to a stake they would be more comfortable as they moved around to graze.  Once everything was set up, and he had grabbed a bite to eat he headed over to watch the vast herd below.  As he settled in he felt the wind pick up. 

With that subtle shift, the mood of the herd seemed to change as well.  He noticed the bulls begin to sniff the air and scuff the earth with their hooves.  The cows seemed to shift toward the center with their calves.  With his concentration on the herd, Tom hadn’t noticed the sky darkening.  He had expected it to do so, but as he looked to the Western horizon he was shocked to see not the warm glow of a summer sunset, but the angry dark of thunderstorms building to the stratosphere.  Although he could not hear anything he saw the flashes as the symphony of lightening danced from cloud to cloud and cloud to earth.

He was astonished at how quickly these storms were building and how intense they were becoming.  As they built and moved ever closer the buffalo bunched tighter together, but still they stretched for as far as Tom could see.  Concentrating now on the growing storms Tom could see the bottoms of the clouds as they appeared to become soft and round.  Then, quicker than you could say “get me out of here,” a funnel emerged from the closest clouds and reached for the earth.  Now Tom could hear the thunder, and as he watched in fascination the Tornado began moving directly towards the herd.

As if by some silent signal the entire herd, maybe 10,000 head turned and started running.  Running directly at Tom, his camp, his horse, and the mules.  Tom had moments to decide what to do.  They would be up the hill and on him in less than two minutes.  He had only one thought, the same as the buffalo, survival.  He sprinted to the camp, released Chester and the mules, hit the disable switch on the corral, and kicked the takedown switch on the tent. 

By this time, the first of the herd was reaching the crest of the hill, the very spot Tom had been just a minute earlier.  As they bore down on him the horse and mules took off running.  Tom was about to be trampled.  This would be the end of the grand adventure and perhaps his life.  Just then he remembered his return home mode on his time machine.  Reaching into his pocket, he hit home just as the lead bull arrived.