Cleopatra Flores

The list of possibilities are endless for this adventure, but of all of them on my list, the top would be to visit the library of Alexandria before Caesar accidentally burned it down during the time of Cleopatra. Think of all the books that are now lost that I could read and learn from! Think of the historical perspective I would gain! What knowledge would be gleaned from the lost library of so many geniuses? I would like to arrive there at least 15 or 20 years before the burning so that I could drink in everything contained there.

Naturally, this teleportation would have to include some type of translator of languages, else my journey would be for nothing. Perhaps it could be implanted in my brain, along with pertinent historical information of the time? It would be quite a feat to pass myself off as a journeying scholar and befriend some local librarian to teach me the ropes, to show me the layout, to give me the full tour.

Who knows? Perhaps I would be around to see Caesar or Cleopatra walk past me, just a face in the crowds of Alexandria...

Confederate Cavalry

The snow crunched under the boots of CSA Captain Silas Major Howell as he walked across the yard to the hanging tree. There on the wagon stood Mitchell Green, noose around his neck. This was the devil that had burned the house down over the heads of his wife and son, shooting them and leaving them for dead in the yard. After weeks of searching in the mountains, finally Silas had trapped his long-time enemy.

Their eyes met and Mitchell spat at Silas,"This ain't no justice, and you know it." Silas stood up straight, feeling the anger and horror in his gut, and barked out, "You are hereby condemned to hang by your neck until dead for the crimes of attempted murder and arson. God have mercy on your soul - you damn Yankee."

The sentries hit the horse on the hind quarters and he bolted, leaving Mitchell Green hanging, squirming, swinging. Silas did not look away, but with no little satisfaction, stayed until all movement stopped and the sentries cut Mitchell Green down from the tree. He then strode to his horse, mounted it and rode home, home to America’s arms and the hope of starting life over again.

Let's get this timeline straight:

First, I used a manual typewriter in high school.

Second, I used an electric typewriter with carbon paper when I was in college.

Third, my second job had a typewriter with a one-line screen that showed me what I was typing as I typed it - then printed it on the paper when I hit the return button! It had a memory! Magical!

Fourth, my third job had a computer with the Internet on it, with access by dialing in to a "video" game. Let's clarify that a little. By "video", I mean it was a green screen, in which I typed commands like "Go left" or "Go right", and the program would say "You are in a large room with a treasure chest." All words, no pictures. You had to draw the layout on a freakin' piece of paper and keep it by your computer, for Pete's sake!

Fifth, when I worked as a temp at a large oil company in Houston, I got an assignment in a department that had started using "Windows"...it had color!...after locking up the computer four times in a row, they moved me back to a green screen computer at another desk.

As for Usenet, around 1996 or 1997, we had dial-up Internet through AOHell at home. My favorite TV show at the time was The X-Files. Quite by accident, I found a Usenet group of fellow weirdos, and joined the happy party. We all stayed together, through all the iterations of Usenet and newsgroups and boards and flame wars and fanfic, until the show died. RIP, alt.tv.xfiles.