Chapter 12: Possibilities and Consequences

Big Jim docked the Alice Mae at the T-Head a full two hours before he normally came in. He couldn't afford to miss a whole day out on the water but, in the interest of confirming what that boy had told him last night, he could shave an hour or two off the day. He still wasn't certain how much of what he was told last night was to be believed. And he certainly didn't understand what that kid was talking about when he started explaining about parallel universes and different time lines. All he could really grasp of what was said is that this kid claimed to be from the future and that his body was modified somehow. Jim had seen the proof of that last claim.

Before he left that morning, Big Jim had phoned the local radio station that covered National League Baseball games. He was happy to learn that the game was to be broadcast live but was disappointed to hear that it started at 1:09 PM local time. The broadcast range wouldn't reach him out on the water and there was no way he could come in early enough to catch the whole game. But games usually last for three to three and a half hours so, if he got in by 3:30, he could be there in time to catch the last half of the game at least and verify what Robert had predicted the night before.

The catch that day had actually been pretty good so he didn't feel too bad about starting back to dock early. As the shrimp boat chugged in, Big Jim kept his transistor radio on and tuned to the station. He thought that the static was frustrating but, as he started to get within range of the station, the intermittent bits and pieces of broadcast was enough to drive him crazy. He was able to ascertain that they were in the bottom of the seventh inning. For ten minutes on the water, Big Jim had to endure broken and sporadic pieces of broadcast information until The Alice Mae finally pulled within range. He docked right at the top of the eighth inning and started to go through his daily routine while trying to pay attention to the radio. When the announcer affirmed that Jim Rooker only had one more inning to go to put a no-hitter into his stat column, Big Jim forgot putting away his equipment and sorting his catch and focused all of his attention on the sounds coming from that tiny transistor radio.

He didn't have to wait long. Horace Clarke was the lead hitter for the Yankees in the ninth inning. Kansas City's Jim Rooker had two balls and a strike against Clarke when he let let go with a fastball, low and inside. The radio announcer called that Rooker was going into his windup and that Clarke was swinging on the pitch. Big Jim heard the crack of the bat coming over the radio. His heart went to his throat for a split second of anguished anticipation until he heard the announcer, "Clarke swings and hits a line drive between first and second! He'll hold up at first but that puts an end to Rooker's no-hitter. Rooker can't be happy about that one, folks!"

The flood of thoughts that came to Big Jim about all the possibilities arising from what he'd heard in the last fifteen seconds almost made him pass out. As it was, he hurried through the rest of his routine when coming in at the end of the day in an uncharacteristically haphazard manner. All he could think of was getting to the Koch's house and talking to that kid.

At the hospital, Dr. Koch went into his office at 2:00 PM, left instructions that he was only to be disturbed under the most dire of circumstances, closed the door, and tuned his radio from the FM station that normally played soft classical music in the background to the AM station that broadcast the national sports. Like Big Jim, Dr. Koch had also called the station earlier that morning and confirmed that the game was to be broadcast and at what time. When the early morning program manager hung up the phone after Dr. Koch's call, he thought to himself how unusual it was to get two such calls within such a short time period. "I wonder what's so special about the Royals/Yankees game." he thought to himself.

Dr. Koch wasn't well-versed in baseball terminology and lingo and so a great deal of what was said was a mystery to him. Nevertheless, he stayed glued to the sounds coming from his radio until he heard enough to be certain that the announcer had just confirmed what Robert Teal had predicted only eighteen hours before. Horace Clarke of The Yankees had broken up a no-hitter pitched by Jim Rooker of The Royals in the ninth inning. Like Big Jim, Dr. Koch finished the rest of his day's tasks with uncharacteristic speed and distraction. He also, couldn't wait to get home and speak to Robert.

Dr. Koch pulled his Coupe DeVille into the driveway just in time to see Big Jim getting out of his truck. Hurriedly, he parked and got out. "Did you hear?" He asked excitedly.

"I heard.", the big man answered. "I still don't know what it all means. Tell the truth, I ain't sure whether to be excited or scared. This here sure changes things. A lot of what I thought was so yesterday, don't seem like its possible that its so today."

Dr. Koch put a reassuring hand on Big Jim's massive bicep. "I agree. But, instead of being afraid of what this changes, let us resolve to look at the positive aspects of this."

"Like what? If what that boy says is true, they ain't no God ... leastways not like I was taught."

"But there is a supreme being ... or beings ... life continues after this earthly existence, Jim!"

Big Jim thought for a moment and seemed to relax a bit. "Guess that's so. Doc. Guess that's so."

"Not only that! These beings take an active interest in what we do here. They call themselves guardians! They've actually taken the trouble to send someone to intervene in areas where they see a need! ... and that person is, currently, sitting in my house!"

Big Jim smiled. "I ain't thought of it like that. Say, you don't think he's like another Jesus or anything? Are you and me apostles or somethin'?"

Dr. Koch sputtered, uncertain of how to respond to that question. "I don't ... it isn't ... I don't think it's quite the same thing, Jim."

"Guess not. One thing for sure. What that boy knows can sure help us out!"

"But we do have a solemn duty to help this young man and protect his secret as much as we can. It can't be our first impulse to use his knowledge of the future to enrich ourselves."

"That's easy for you to say, Doc. You already richer'n God hisself"

That last statement caused Dr. Koch to go quiet for a minute. "Jim," the doctor said, "I'm willing to buy your silence if it's necessary."

"It ain't like that, Doc!" Big Jim flared. "I don't got no need to be as rich as you, but I don't see no harm in me placin' a bet every now and then!"

"There could actually be a great deal of harm in that", said the doctor steadily. "Consider the fact that, even if you only bet once in a while, all of your bets win. How soon do you think it would be before the people who take those bets are knocking on your door and demanding to know how you are so consistent in your winnings?"

"I won't tell 'em nuthin', Doc! You know that."

"Those types of people can be very persuasive, Jim."

"Let 'em come!"

"Jim. You swore to that boy last night that you would do nothing to expose his secret. I intend to hold you to that promise even if I have to pay you off to do it."

Big Jim felt ashamed. Dr. Koch had been very good to he and Mae through the years. Shrimping his hard on a body and, for four months three years ago, he was laid up with a bad back that hurt the big man so badly he could barely get out of bed to make to the bathroom. Dr. Koch never offered any charity. Big Jim would have refused it if he had. But, every Friday, when the mail came through the slot in his front door, there was a plain white envelope addressed to him and that envelope contained seven one hundred dollar bills. It was more than enough to pay their living expenses and, more importantly, keep up payments on his boat. The bank that held the note had made it abundantly clear to Big Jim that they would foreclose on the black man's loan the second a payment was late. Big Jim tried several times to thank the Koch's for their kindness and offer his assurances to pay them back but, each time, was met with a surprised affirmation that they had no idea what he was talking about.