Clockworks of the Heart

Rewriting History

 I stare at my past self with a straight face to give him a message that I mean business. My younger self just stares at me with a face like a five-year-old child being told that Santa does not exist. I brace myself for what is to come. May it be anger or denial, I am prepared for what he will throw at me. I notice that his face looked more relaxed than before. Here, I must expect the most likely reaction that I will face --- Disbelief.

My younger self chuckled vehemently... as I thought. Well, what did I expect? This is myself fourteen years ago. He finally calms down a bit and tries to control his laughter. He says,"Can't you come up with a more realistic explanation? There's no way in hell I'm going to believe this crackpot of a story."

I raised my eyebrow of doom on him, something that I would never imagine to use onto myself. "Then, why would I go all the way to the past just to tell a silly joke? I'll tell you in all honesty; I'm doing this for your sake," I said.

"My sake?"

Oh? Did that finally caught his attention? I thought.

"Is there something that I should know about the future?" he continued.

I frowned. "Yes, but I can't tell you anything about it. I only came here to give you a warning."

"A warning?" he said with great interest.

"Yes..." I answered him curtly to raise more interest.

"Hold on! Before I listen to anything you have to say, how can I make sure that you are who you claim to be?"

Damn. He finally noticed, I told myself. "Test me, then. I could answer anything you'll throw at me because I'm you're future," I try to provoke him.

"Okay, then. What're my parents' names?" he asked.

"David Lee Sanders, a cowboy born and raised in Texas, and Madison Dame Denters, a champion game-bird shooter from Alberta. You also have a 4-year-old little brother named Aaron, a miracle baby, and an annoying family friend, named Dr. Jacob Stan Reeves, who used to conduct experiments on you during your childhood," I answered with a hint of confidence.

"That was too easy... but how did you know that Dr. Reeves used to conduct experiments on me? Those were supposed to be a family matter," he said with worry.

"That's because I am you... in the future." I tried to give emphasis on the word future.

"Ok, fine. Here's another question: What is the most regrettable thing that I did during my last year in high school? I bet if you weren't one of my friends, then you wouldn't be able to answer this," he said with a mischievous grin.

Looked away, thinking whether I should tell him or not. It might be okay because he is me after all, but deciding whether to say it to him or not feels weird. Well, since I don't have a choice, I guess I should just say it.

"Ha! I knew you wouldn't be able to answer this one." He makes a victory laugh so loud that I could hear the librarian saying to be quiet in the building.

I gesture to make him come closer. He had a questionable look on his face, but complies to my request. I whisper in his ear, "You went over the fence at your house in the US to come to a party that your father clearly told you not to go. As a result, you went off balance and fell into the neighbor's pool. Not only that, you ripped your pants in the process. A classic, but still embarrassing on the receiving end."

He suddenly overs my mouth. "Don't say it too loud! Someone might hear you," he whispers back to me.

The side of my mouth starts to twitch. I was whispering it to you, so the probability of someone hearing us was very low, I thought. "I'm as embarrassed to admit it to anyone, including my younger self," I said.