Chapter 6

“You actually graduated from a college?” Linda said raising her eyebrows. Doc snickered.

“As a matter of fact, I did - in five years. I spent every summer but my freshman year, training or playing tennis. I turned professional and won the same tournament, two consecutive years – something a US Tennis player from Wisconsin hadn’t done in a number of years,” I responded getting a bit riled up.

I saw my sisters’ face turn into a great big smile. She grabbed my face and gave me a kiss, turning to Doc, and saying, “Don’t you just love him?”

“Yes, but not as much as you do, apparently?” Doc replied.

I grabbed my phone and dialed my wife.

“Hey Honey,” she answered.

“Hey Jennifer – sorry to bother you, but Linda and I were discussing our Aunt Susan, and we couldn’t remember the name of the jerk wad she married – do you remember his name?” I asked.

“Sure, it was Darren Robbins. They married on her birthday, the year she turned 19, after knowing each other only a month, which really pissed off your Mom and Dad. Gotta go, love you!”

“She turned 19 on May 1, 1959, and they were divorced by my birthday June 9^th, the following year,” Linda said.

“Thanks Jenn, you’re the best!” I said, and I hung up.

“You want to crash a wedding, my dear?” I asked.

“Certainly, my good man?” Linda said. “I’m certainly dressed for it, aren’t I?”

“You look fabulous, my dear – where was the wedding, I wasn’t born yet!”

“I remember that dad told me that Susan got married in our own back yard,” Linda said. “That was the thing to do, in 1959!”

1959
Average Cost of a New Home - $12,400
Fidel Castro arrives in Havana Cuba.
Four people, including Buddy Holley, died on the day remembered as ‘The Day the Music Died.”
NASA selects the Mercury Seven
The 49-star flag debuts, Alaska becomes a State.
The first picture of the Earth came from Explorer 6.
The novel ‘In Cold Blood’ came out in print.
Antarctica becomes a scientific preserve.

We arrived May 1, 1959 at 8:30am, the farthest back I have yet to travel. There were no roads near us, the area was barely developed this far north. I helped my sister out of the cart, and we walked to our house, holding hands.

Mom would be 24, Dad 23, Susan was 19 – Darren was 25, another reason not to like the jerk. I turned to see Linda at 18; she was so lovely as we entered our old sub-division. We decided we would be Daniel and Linda Hilts. I remember some movie or maybe a TV show that said, ‘The simpler the lie, the easier it is to remember.’

Linda reminded me that I had met them before, however I pointed out to her that this was 16 years earlier, so it shouldn’t matter. She giggled and told me that I was getting smarter already.

We walked into the backyard, where a flood of memories came back to me. I remembered the tree I had the fort in, the sprinkler I stubbed my toe on ... so many wonderful moments. I felt a tug on my arm bringing me back.

“Are we married, or just a couple - and how do we know anybody here?” my beautiful and lovely sister asked.

“We are married for two years, and friends of the groom, on his mother’s side,” I said.

“Boy, you sure are good at lying, like all of the stuff you told me when we were sitting on the sofa?” she said. “Are we old enough to drink here?”

I calmly took out my wallet and looked at my Wisconsin Driver’s License. It had the appropriate younger picture of me, but the year listed was 1941. Wow Doc, nice detail!

“If they ask for ID, we’ll just get soda’s OK, sweetheart?”

She giggled, “Getting into the part I see?”

“What do they call it – method acting?” I replied.

We walked up to our Mom and Dad, after getting us each a beer.

I put out my hand and said, “Hello Mr. and Mrs. McTavish, my goodness you have such a nice back yard. Reminds me of when I was a youngster myself.”

“Hello,” my dad responded, “And you are?”

“Oh, we’re the Hilts, I’m Linda and this is my husband Daniel!” Linda said getting into the game a little.

“Oh, we have a little one running around named Linda, she’s two years old and quite precocious. Nice to meet you two! The festivities start in about fifteen minutes, you might want to get yourselves a seat?” our beautiful mother said.

We nodded and walked around just looking at all the people, talking to one another. I saw a little boy about five, fidgeting with his tie. We walked over and I bent down to help him, asking, “What’s your name little fellow. Let me help you with that tie.”

“My name is Martin, but you can call me Marty. Gee, your girl sure is pretty. I have a little sister that I have to keep an eye on. Her name is Linda,” he said sounding proud.

I had a horrible time as a kid - my dad would never get me a clip-on tie for things like this. I had to learn the hard way, how to tie a Windsor knot. I helped little Martin with his tie.

“Gee, thanks mister?” he said putting his hand out to shake mine. I grabbed it and we shook.

“Would everyone please sit, we’re ready to begin?” a voice said.

We sat in the very back, watching and listening to everything around us. The music started, and the groomsmen walked up to the right of Darren the groom, who appeared. Next the Bridesmaid’s came down the aisle to the strands of The Mills Brothers song ‘I Love You So Much It Hurts Me.’

After the ceremony, we separated and milled with the crowd, listening to everyone’s stories of Darren and/or Susan. I walked up to Darren talking to his Groomsmen.

“Yep, she said we had to get married before she would let me fuck her, so now we’re married. Can you guys imagine me married? I give it a year at the most. Oh, did you see the wa-wa’s on that blonde bridesmaid? I may have to do my duty as a Kappa-Sigma and boink her – somebody get her number for me, so when I get back from my honeymoon.”

“My new wife wants kids – ain’t gonna happen! I’m gonna tell her that I have to wear a rubber for medical purposes,” Darren said as his buddies all laughed.

I walked away looking for my wife of three years, or was it two? I saw her walking away from a group that had included Susan. As casually as possible, we left the party and headed back to the Time Machine.

I don’t want to interrupt the flow of the story, but I do want to tell you that we’re now back to where I first was when this story began, but before I had known about the Time Machine!