Fumbling Toward Ecstasy

Chapter 14 - The Bigger They Are, the Harder They Fall

The moment Jeremy had set foot outside Brynne's apartment with Cal, he'd regretted it. They didn't know what they were walking into. Both of them had been to Washington, D.C. before, yes – but that was the D.C. of 1912, which was now history, over 90 years having passed. Jeremy had an uneasy feeling about it, but he didn't voice any concerns to Cal until they were out on the street and caught a glimpse of what they were getting themselves into. The sheer noise of unfamiliar 21st-century street sounds assailed them first, but the sight of all the cars startled them the most.

Jeremy watched a blue automobile unlike any he'd ever seen zoom past the on the street. "I think that things may have changed a bit more than we suspected," he said.

People hurried along the sidewalk exhibiting the most curious behavior and clothing. Jeremy and Cal's first instinct was that they must be in a poor section of the city, for no one was dressed as a proper lady or gentleman. Some men wore suits. Some wore hats, but they were significantly different from what a 1912 gentleman would sport. And the women were completely inappropriate. Not even the boldest prostitutes of 1912 would wear what these 21st-century women wore. Many of them wore pants. Those who wore dresses wore them so short that at least half the leg, if not more, showed. None of them wore coverings for their heads, and many traveled unaccompanied by male escorts.

"Perhaps," Cal said, responding to Jeremy's stated observation. Hockley looked around at their environment, momentarily unsure of everything. But he tried to convince Jeremy (and himself) that they were taking the right course of action. "But we shouldn't let ourselves get too caught up in the details of our situation. We must keep the facts of the situation in mind, and the fact is that it is possible for us to exist and even thrive in this new time period in which we find ourselves."

Cal's words did nothing but confuse Jeremy. "Thrive? What are you talking about? We're not staying here. The words you heard Ms. Larence speak are the very same that I heard. We are going back to 1912. It's just a question of when."

"Exactly. We have no idea how long we'll be here, but while we are, we are going to make the best of it." Cal raised a perfect brow. "At least I am, anyway. Whether or not you are is up to you. Are you? Are you going to take advantage of a golden opportunity of a lifetime? Or will you turn on your heels and run back up to that apartment to await your return to the same old life that you know is waiting for you?"

"We don't know anything about this time," Jeremy said.

"Details, Mr. Bratt. Those are mere details that I'm sure we could easily resolve. Let us look at it this way: if Ms. Larence could so easily infiltrate our own period and live for a lengthy period, surely, we should be capable of accomplishing a similar feat."

"Your logic is flawed, Mr. Hockley. It's true that Ms. Larence traveled to our time and lived among us undetected for so long, however she also had the advantage of knowing what she was getting herself into. Our time was history to her. We don't have that advantage. We don't know what we'll find in this time, in this city, or even around this street corner here."

Hockley brushed aside Bratt's concerns. "Relax, Mr. Bratt. I think you're overreacting. If Ms. Larence was able to come to our time, things could not have changed all that much. Yes, the automobiles are faster, apparently, and there are more of them, but that's one, relatively minor detail in the grand scheme of things. Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime, Mr. Bratt. Don't miss the chance to change your life."

To Jeremy, Cal was on the verge of sounding like a madman who was about to start raving about destiny. But his words were tempting, and they had Jeremy's attention. "Judging from your words, I presume that you have a plan?" Jeremy said.

Cal and Jeremy began to stroll the sidewalk, witnessing more odd behavior. People walked around with strings sticking out of their ears. While passing these people, Jeremy discovered that the strings were attached to earplugs that fit into the ear. He surmised that the plugs must be for the purpose of drowning out all the noise, and the strings must keep the owner from losing the plugs. Interesting innovation, Jeremy thought.