Chapter 1

The alarm stirred me from sleep, 4:00 AM!! Why on earth had I set the alarm for 4:00 AM? Then I realized I was looking at something I hadn't seen in almost 50 years, The BigBen alarm clock that sat on my nightstand when I lived at home. Scrubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands I looked around, I appeared to be in that room from so long ago, But how, why.

A voice sounding strangely like a bell said "Go wash your Face, All will be explained."

Ok, weird dream but I'll play along for now, the cold water felt good as I splashed my face.

The voice returned " Alright, ready for that explanation?"

Well I had settled on dream but go right ahead.

"If this is a dream why did the water feel cold??"

Uuuuhhh, OK not a dream, Stroke in my sleep?

"No, This is exactly what your senses are telling you it is. Now be quiet and listen questions will be answered at the end. Remember what you wished before falling asleep? This is your answer. It is 4:03AM on Tuesday April 19th, 1978 you are 16 and a half and there are a few changes you will notice shortly. First some fresh memories"

I felt a flash of Pain in my skull, okay now I understand the 4:00AM thing, A Paper Route? I must be the oldest kid in history with a paper route. Hmmm, got some different neighbors.

"Second, A physical change or two to match the memories. Finally, there is this. Oh yes, as is customary in these things you have two wishes left."

Two wishes? Oohh, got it, waking up here was wish one of three. Questions? I guess everything I thought I knew about God and morality was wrong huh?

"No, not exactly, just very simplified you might say."

Okay, so in this life I get the girl?

"Yes, you get the girl. Happily ever after is most definitely NOT promised."

I see, can that be one of the wishes?

"No, that would be a bit too ... broad for one wish or even two. Wishes must be finite and specific."

I stopped and thought for a minute. Okay, let me run a possible wish by you, it is within the parameters you laid out, finite and specific. What happens if I wish that Mary and I were able to join Raquel in giving Piggyback rides to her Grandchildren. I heard a silvery laugh from this entity I had dubbed "The Voice".

"You have an inventive and slightly devious mind, I like that in a human. Even though that comes to a minimum of four distinct wish items it is indeed finite and specific. So yes that is a valid wish."

Please make it so then as phrased.

"Done."

How would this work as my final wish? I wish to retain you as an advisor when faced with decisions that affect Mary and my happiness?

"Hmmmm, I don't think that will work not finite and specific enough, you could keep me at your Beck and Call for what to order for lunch."

Okay, let me see if this narrows it enough. Lets say only key decisions affecting long-term happiness, if I ask and it doesn't fit you just ignore it.

"That sounds doable. You know Micah Kilpatrick Campbell, I haven't enjoyed a negotiation this much since Abraham of the Chaldeans and I negotiated the Test of Sodom and Gomorra. You just managed another compound wish. If you ask and I don't answer you know it isn't that important."

I smiled, thank you Oh Great One. Please make it so as amended. How should I address you for questions?

"Mike is an appropriate nickname for both Michael and Micah. Mike will be fine. It also has the advantage that you merely sound as though you are consulting yourself if someone overhears."

Mike it will be then. Well those papers won't deliver themselves now will they?

Back in my room I pulled on shorts, a Boston T-shirt. Socks and my well broken in army surplus boots, Old Mike had never been a runner but the new me could hold his on pretty well. I was no threat to crack the top 10 in any race, just to much of me, but I was able to average 44 minutes running my six plus mile paper route and thought I could cut another six to eight off that with work. As loaded up my bag and started for the first half of the route I took a quick inventory, six foot five inches and 235 lb. same as before but the new me was little harder, a little stronger and I knew the allergies that had frustrated me so much were no more. My hair was the most visible change, where I had always worn it up off my collar and just touching my ears before, it now bounced of the top of my shoulder blades black as coal and as curly as a pig's tail. I couldn't believe how good it felt to stretch my legs in a ground eating pace breathing easily as I delivered the first 80 papers of my 150-house route.

"Mike, I thought of another question or two if you don't mind."

The Voice chuckled in my ear "Go ahead."

I know my first wish forces Mary to face some hard times or at least I think it does. Can I reduce that at all?

"Yes, you can reduce it a good bit, it wont be easy but you have the capacity to make a big difference in her life, Just as she has already made a huge difference in this lifeline for you."

Ok, that actually answers both questions-- wait I thought of one other. Are there good car seats for infants and toddlers in this lifeline yet?

"When you need it will be ready."

Great! I thought about what he said about her effect on me in this life. It was obvious to me what he meant now that I thought about it. The new me had a focus, a sense of purpose and the will to make it happen that was sadly lacking from my other teen years. While I knew I was still pretty much an outsider in school, that pathetic need for external validation was gone as was the almost pathological depression that had haunted the old me for most of the first 40 years of my life.

Realizing I was almost back to the house I checked my watch, on pace for a new record I quickly swapped bags and took off for part two of the route. Deep in thought again, my arms and legs performing their jobs with no input from me, I thought about school once more. My grades were much better than before mainly because I wasn't fighting the depression on a daily basis. I was ranked 6th in my class of 495 with a GPA of 3.89, I had a fighting shot at the Nation Merit scholarship that had eluded the other me, I knew I had hit the same 99.5 percentile on the PSAT that had earned me semi-finalist status before. Now that I had developed the body to make A's in Phys Ed instead of the C's that had killed my 4.0 GPA my 9th and 10th grade years I had a fighting chance to break 3.9 maybe even 3.95 if the AP classes worked out this term.

Route finished and cool down walk behind me I headed to the big garage/shop behind the house. Grabbing the weights I started my morning work out. I knew the Marine ROTC scholarship I was going to try for this fall was going to be tough, I had good enough times in the three mile run even with out the improvement I knew I could make over the next few months, the sit-ups were a little harder but I was still over what I needed to qualify. No, the problem was going to be the pull-ups, my almost ape length arms were a serious disadvantage when it came to pulling my mass up over the bar. 73 in three minutes was the best I could do, I needed to increase that by over a third to be confident of making the grade. The National Merit would pay my way through college no question but knowing how attractive Mary thought soldiers were I really wanted those Dress Blues, Mike said I got the girl but I was determined to make every dream she had come true. Wow, 78 this morning in 2:50 by my watch, this thinking while working out might get me there yet.

Carrying our paper, I walked in to the kitchen at 5:48, Dad was just pouring coffee for he and Mom, I dropped the paper on the table, opened the fridge and grabbed the orange juice, popped two slices of whole grain into the toaster and sat down.

"Morning Mom, Dad, Is the queen in the shower?"

Mom laughed, "Yes, Bear your sister is in the shower she should be done by the time you finish eating."

Dad gave me that vaguely exasperated look he had long ago mastered. "Boy, when are you going to visit the Barbershop?" This was a question new dad had ask new me twice a week at least for the last 6 months.

"Not till I'm sitting on it Dad", also the standard reply, coupled with a smile to show I wasn't a smart-ass.

Breakfast done I rinsed my things wiped down my spot at the table and around the toaster and headed for my room. The door opened as I passed the bathroom and out came Stacey naked as a Blue jay. "EEEPP", she took three steps and slammed her door.

I stepped over to her door and yelled "Nice Butt."

I heard something soft hit the other side with considerable force. Laughing I spoke more softly, "don't forget you have to take the bus today Queenie, I'm chauffeuring Sunny for her birthday."

"Ok", came the reply then after a pause, "Do I really have a nice butt?"

"I didn't get that good a look but I would say it was very nice for 13 going on 14, sis."

Stacey was never insecure, which is how she ended up with a nickname like Queenie, but I guess everybody that age has some concerns about how they look.

I ducked into my room, pulled off the boots and socks grabbed a fresh pair of tighty whiteys and jeans and headed for the bathroom. Standing under the shower washing my hair I almost didn't hear the door open, pausing a second and turning my back toward the curtain I said " Not a smart move sis."

"Darn it, why not, you saw me. Fair is fair."

"Mom might not think me ACCIDENTLY seeing you when you left your robe in your room and you sneaking in here to INTENTIONALLY peek at me was a "fair is fair"."

She said nothing but opened the door to leave, I heard the toilet start to flush and slapped the showerhead toward the wall before the water could burn me. Peeking around the curtain I saw the door to Queenie's room close. Shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around myself I quickly closed the door. 20 minutes later, hair mostly dry and dressed for the day I made my way back to the kitchen. Dad was gone and Mom was in her scrubs ready to leave for the OB/GYN office where she worked.

"Love you mom have a good day."

"Love you too poohbear. Lunch is in the fridge."

I flipped through the paper and was about to head out to the garage when I saw the item in the local news section. The School Board had approved a plan to relieve over crowding by moving the 8th graders to the high school this fall. Interesting, so Sunny and I would spend a semester at the same school, would have been a year but I planned to graduate early.

Walking into the garage, I hoped into the Peaquod backed out and closed the door. Peaquod was what dad and I privately called the '66 candy apple red Vette I had bought from Granddad on my 16th birthday. A convertible with a 327, dual four-barrel carbs, a four-speed tranny and dual exhaust, Dad said this car would get more tail than a fishing ship. So far that was just a private joke, unlike many guys, still having My V card at 16+ was not something I worried about.

I pulled into the Evert's drive and went to the door and rang the bell. I heard the sound of feet in the hall and Sean and Megan opened the door. Sean age 7 and Megan 9 looked at me as I knelt and intoned "Good morning Master Sean and Mistress Megan, would you please inform Miss Mary that her carriage awaits?"

Sean turned around and hollered at the top of his lungs, "Sunny, it's Bear and he said something about waiting on your cartridge."

I heard Peg laugh from the kitchen, "Come on in Bear, she will be down in a minute."

Walking in I saw Peg feeding Molly rice cereal. Molly had been a surprise a year ago, Peg and Big Tim had thought they were through with diapers and formula. Taking the bowl and spoon from Peg I began feeding Molly. A round little thing, Molly 's wiggling toes testified to the enjoyment she was feeling. Poking cereal in as fast as I could move spoon from bowl to mouth I ask Peg how she was.

"I'm fine boyo." she replied with that hint of Irish lilt 30 years in America had not erased. " You will make a fine husband and father one day Bear she said", watching me slide the last spoonful into Molly smiling mouth.

Grabbing a diaper and then Molly I set her to my shoulder gently patting her back. A satisfied burp told me Molly was ready to move on with her day. I laughed and told Peg there was no rush on that for me.

About that time Sunny walked into the room. Even though I had seen her only yesterday in my new memories, she still stole my breath. 5'9" she probably weighted 140 lb. I could see she was starting to lose that chubby little girl look as she moved into the woman she was to be. Like me she wore Jeans and a polo shirt with loafers and her beautiful red hair in a single plait down her back. "Good Morning Sunny and Happy Birthday" I said.

"Hey Bear, thank you."

Handing Molly over to Peg I said "be a sweet girl today, and you too Molly."

Peg laughed and told us to "shooo" we headed out to the Vette where I opened Sunny's door and ushered her in. A moment later we were off, running through the gears I glanced over, "look in the glove box"