Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 1

Mary had walked John back to his mother’s house and had told Margaret about the old watch that John had found.

Margaret had offered Mary a cup of tea, and Mary sat down next to John on their small two-seater sofa to drink it. John sat quietly holding Mary’s hand.

“I haven’t seen John do that before,” Margaret said, looking at their hands.

“He just started today,” Mary replied. “Also, it was John who saw the old watch. Has he done that sort of thing before?”

Margaret looked puzzled. She sat on the arm of the sofa, leaning over to look at the old watch on John’s wrist.

“It doesn’t look like it was out in the weather for very long,” Margaret observed.

Margaret took hold of John’s wrist and pulled it towards her, looking more closely at the watch.

“Does it have any markings on it? Maybe there’s a name on the back.”

Margaret tried to unfasten the watch from John’s wrist, but John pulled his arm back.

“It’s OK, John,” Mary said quietly to John. “Your mum just wants to see if the watch belongs to anyone. Just let her take it off and check on the back. Maybe somebody lost it, and they might be looking for it.”

Margaret un-hooked the watch-strap, but John was still looking very suspiciously at her. He clearly wanted to keep wearing the watch.

Margaret scrutinised the back of the watch.

“It says ‘STU’ which looks like the make of the watch, but there is no name or anything to suggest who might own it,” said Margaret. “Well, I suppose whoever lost it, if they live round-about, will ask around. If they do, then John will have to give it back.”

Margaret fastened the watch back on John’s wrist.

“Margaret ...?” Mary said, putting her teacup down. “Have you thought of what is to happen to John ... I mean ... in the future?”

Margaret looked at Mary, unsure of where this conversation was going.

“He needs a lot of care, and one day ... well, I worry for him,” Mary continued.

Margaret leaned over and filled a glass with cold water from a jug. She gave it to John to sip from.

John held the glass in both hands.

“Take a sip, John,” Margaret said, and John obediently sipped the water.

After he took each sip, Margaret looked over at John and said quietly “now swallow” whilst stroking her thumb and forefinger downwards over her throat. Without this prompt, John would simply sit with the liquid in his mouth, but on seeing and hearing Margaret’s prompt he swallowed the water. So it was with every physical action John undertook. Unless prompted, he would remain inert. If you lifted his arm, and then let it go, John would keep it raised. He would keep it raised until you lowered it for him, no matter how long you left it there. Every time Margaret thought of this, she knew that if she was unable to provide the care for John, well ... she could not imagine what would become of him.

Margaret leaned over and picked up her teacup, but when she looked into it, she found that it was empty.

“I have been thinking,” Margaret said, “maybe, well, maybe, if there was somewhere ... but I don’t know how John would get on. I mean, he is used to living at home with me, and my friends call round and help, but, when his father was alive, I used to think ... but now ... well ...”

“It’s terrible,” Mary said, “that there is no help ... no help for people like us. We have no support ... no-where to turn to.”

Margaret was touched when Mary had said ‘people like us’. Mary obviously felt strongly involved. She clearly very much cared for John, and also for Margaret herself.

Margaret took out her handkerchief and, turning away, she wiped her eyes. Mary looked down at her knees, not wanting to pry into Margaret’s anguish.

John gazed distantly at the fireplace, on which were two old family photographs, and a small plaque, a remembrance for his lost brother.

“If I can help in any way, I would be more than happy to do so,” said Mary. “You know John is fine with me, and, well, anytime that ...”

Margaret stood up and leaned over towards Mary. They put their arms around each other, as Margaret sobbed quietly on Mary’s shoulder. John’s gaze remained on the fireplace. He seemed unaware of the emotions around him.

. . . . . . .

After Mary had gone, Margaret got John ready for bed. She took him to his room and started to get him undressed. She made a note to herself to take the watch off John’s wrist after he had gone to sleep. He might be uncomfortable wearing it in bed. Also, she was a little wary of John wearing something that had been lying out in the grass and dirt.