Status: Updates may not be as frequent as they used to, but this story will continue.
Facing The Future
-2-
Almost five minutes had passed and the old lady had still not taken her eyes off me. I knew it was round about that as I just about managed to pry my eyes away from her long enough to glance at the clock on the illuminated computer monitor on the desk in front of me. When I looked back up, she was still staring at me, only this time a small smirk was playing across her lips. I was finding it increasingly difficult to tear my gaze away. Then a peculiar feeling came over me, a feeling of familiarity. Why did I feel so?
Amelia must have seen the cogs going round in my brain and asked, “Molly honey, what’s the matter?”
“Amelia, I honestly don’t know.” I replied, bemused, “I just feel that I’ve seen her before or even know her somehow, but I just can’t put my finger on it.” I wrestled internally, trying to rack my brains. Was the old lady a friend of my parents? Was she an old school teacher? Did she used to live in my street? Each time I asked myself, I bought up blank after blank. Maybe I just had to bite the bullet and speak to her.
Amelia must have read my mind, “Why don’t you speak to her to settle your mind?” I nodded over at Amelia knowing I would do just that. I don’t know whether Amelia noticed, but I drew in a deep breath as I lifted the hatch at the end of the reception desk and slowly made my way over to the poetry section. I looked back at Amelia before taking the final steps to the middle aisle. All the while, I could feel the old lady’s eyes boring into me.
“Excuse me,” I said, slightly shakily, “Can I help you with anything?” The old lady didn’t utter a word, she just sighed and smile at me. It was as if she was frustrated with the fact that I didn’t know what she wanted.
“I said,” I said louder than before, thinking the lady may have been hard of hearing, “CAN I HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING AT ALL?”
“There really is no need to shout young lady,” she shot back, “I merely cam here to see how you are. I’ve been a bit worried about you and just wanted to check you were ok. Where’s the harm in that now?”
“Well, there’s nothing at all wrong with that,” I replied, “but I do find it a little distressing when I haven’t got a clue who you are! I’ve wracked my brains trying to pick out who you are, and nothing. What’s even more distressing than that is I feel that I do know you; that I should know you?”
“Ah, you see now, you do know me.” She said, almost relieved that I’d finally got it, “You’ve known me for all your life so far, you just won’t see me very often, that’s all?”
That’s all? That’s all? So, I’ve apparently always known this woman; a woman who I think I’m familiar with even though I have no recollection of ever meeting her. Either I was going insane or she was.
“Right, ok then.” I accepted, “I know you so why don’t I take your name and maybe that will refresh my memory?”
“You honestly need to ask my name dear?” she shook her head a little sadly, “After all the years I’ve been around for you and you need to ask my name? Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I shall leave you in peace to carry on with your work. I’m sorry for any upset I’ve caused.”
Now, I’m not the kind of person who would hurt anyone, especially not an old lady, but I grabbed her by the arm as she shuffled away from me and I pulled her to face me.
“Um, hang on just one minute!” I demanded, “You can’t just come in here and act like you’re a long lost relative who wants to get something out of me. You just tell me your name and why you’re here or I SHALL call the police, ok?” Hopefully, this scared her enough to give me the information I so needed.
“Right Molly,” she name dropped and watched my face turn to shock, “If you really must ask these silly, unnecessary questions, I suppose the very least I could do is give you answers.” Finally, the penny dropped.
“My name is also Molly,” she divulged, “and I’ve known you forever. You see Molly, I am you and you are me. You are talking to your 72 year old self.”
I don’t remember hitting the floor as I blacked out; that’s something a worried Amelia told me on that same evening. Had I imagined meeting my future self or did it really happen?
Amelia must have seen the cogs going round in my brain and asked, “Molly honey, what’s the matter?”
“Amelia, I honestly don’t know.” I replied, bemused, “I just feel that I’ve seen her before or even know her somehow, but I just can’t put my finger on it.” I wrestled internally, trying to rack my brains. Was the old lady a friend of my parents? Was she an old school teacher? Did she used to live in my street? Each time I asked myself, I bought up blank after blank. Maybe I just had to bite the bullet and speak to her.
Amelia must have read my mind, “Why don’t you speak to her to settle your mind?” I nodded over at Amelia knowing I would do just that. I don’t know whether Amelia noticed, but I drew in a deep breath as I lifted the hatch at the end of the reception desk and slowly made my way over to the poetry section. I looked back at Amelia before taking the final steps to the middle aisle. All the while, I could feel the old lady’s eyes boring into me.
“Excuse me,” I said, slightly shakily, “Can I help you with anything?” The old lady didn’t utter a word, she just sighed and smile at me. It was as if she was frustrated with the fact that I didn’t know what she wanted.
“I said,” I said louder than before, thinking the lady may have been hard of hearing, “CAN I HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING AT ALL?”
“There really is no need to shout young lady,” she shot back, “I merely cam here to see how you are. I’ve been a bit worried about you and just wanted to check you were ok. Where’s the harm in that now?”
“Well, there’s nothing at all wrong with that,” I replied, “but I do find it a little distressing when I haven’t got a clue who you are! I’ve wracked my brains trying to pick out who you are, and nothing. What’s even more distressing than that is I feel that I do know you; that I should know you?”
“Ah, you see now, you do know me.” She said, almost relieved that I’d finally got it, “You’ve known me for all your life so far, you just won’t see me very often, that’s all?”
That’s all? That’s all? So, I’ve apparently always known this woman; a woman who I think I’m familiar with even though I have no recollection of ever meeting her. Either I was going insane or she was.
“Right, ok then.” I accepted, “I know you so why don’t I take your name and maybe that will refresh my memory?”
“You honestly need to ask my name dear?” she shook her head a little sadly, “After all the years I’ve been around for you and you need to ask my name? Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I shall leave you in peace to carry on with your work. I’m sorry for any upset I’ve caused.”
Now, I’m not the kind of person who would hurt anyone, especially not an old lady, but I grabbed her by the arm as she shuffled away from me and I pulled her to face me.
“Um, hang on just one minute!” I demanded, “You can’t just come in here and act like you’re a long lost relative who wants to get something out of me. You just tell me your name and why you’re here or I SHALL call the police, ok?” Hopefully, this scared her enough to give me the information I so needed.
“Right Molly,” she name dropped and watched my face turn to shock, “If you really must ask these silly, unnecessary questions, I suppose the very least I could do is give you answers.” Finally, the penny dropped.
“My name is also Molly,” she divulged, “and I’ve known you forever. You see Molly, I am you and you are me. You are talking to your 72 year old self.”
I don’t remember hitting the floor as I blacked out; that’s something a worried Amelia told me on that same evening. Had I imagined meeting my future self or did it really happen?
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