Across Time

Professor William Stillwater 

I met Professor William Stillwater, first, at a library. Sharing a common interest in music (Led Zeppelin Band), we immediately became friends. 

The professor talked about his work. He works in the Speculative Science Division, in Grimlake University. His work is to sit on a cushion beside the window and imagine how things happen. He should log his speculation and provide it to the review committee. He has liberty to submit theories with loopholes greater than the biggest crater in Moon (In my humble opinion, the universities need to reconsider their divisions). He is not sure what becomes of his research after the review. But, he is well paid. 

One day, he mentioned his extensive research on marriage and his thoughts about it. They were interesting. So, I thought I should publish it. He had a good mind to give his logs and research papers. I have reproduced his first log (as it is), which explains the scenario and an abridged version of the final research paper which he submitted to the review committee and had forgotten about.

After reading these, you may assume, like I assumed, that, Professor is very much fond of wedding feasts. You can see him, still, attending marriages uninvited (not according to him) and very much enjoying the food.

Another theory I formed is, Grimlake University is selling Professor’s imagined ideas to famous authors who hit the writer’s block. Writer’s block happens when the writer is out of new ideas. That is the phase when sequels with similar story beats come out (another theory!). Writers may pay a good price for any new ideas.

Professor’s research 

The case logs of Professor William Stillwater (Speculative Science Division, Grimlake University)

Case: Is Marriage beyond time and space? 

Log 1, 14th December, 1995 

Three days ago, my good friend, Mr. Pearlskin’s daughter and another good friend, Mrs. Coralbone’s son got married. By their family names, "Coral"bone and "Pearl"skin, I guess their ancestors were more of a sea-faring people. My family name (I know I am going a bit out of topic!), "Still"water, suggests that my ancestors were more of a people who preferred stability of land. My ancestors might have been nicknamed by Mr. Pearlskin’s or Mrs. Coralbone’s ancestor, because we were more of land-people and have seen only lakes (lakes have still water) all their lives. Just a thought! Speculation is what I do (read the title on my office door, please).

About the Subjects: Carol Pearlskin is 29 and she’s a Landscape Architect. Presley Coralbone is 32 and he’s editor of Our Lives magazine (Monthly). No previous incidents of ‘have-the-feeling-of-done-this-before’ or Déjà vu.

Yesterday, while talking to Carol, she mentioned about experiencing the marriage before, with Presley. She mentioned Presley also had the same feeling. I am quoting her words- “I felt like I have experienced all this before. Seeing him (Presley) smile before me, as the priest chanted by the side, the happy family with tears of joy and smiles of happiness, a feeling of let-this-moment-last-forever”.

And, as far as I know Carol, she never made fun of anything. She is a very serious lady. They (Carol and Presley) were also not under the influence of any kind of drugs or alcohol, during the marriage. So more likely, she is not speculating.

This seems like a good topic to speculate about.

The research paper of Professor Stillwater (Speculative Science Division, Grimlake University) titled "Marriage, Across Time"

Based on research I have conducted, by attending various marriages, I have formed a theory (or theories). 

The temples, churches and various other religious places, where marriages are usually conducted, are constructed at places where a high amount of some kind of divine energy exists. I call these spots energy-spots. These spots are closer to God. So, people also go to these spots to pray. 

These spots can also be a kind of communication portal with other dimensions, a portal to different times. An alternate reality. Another life. A time machine or time train (using which, people can travel across time), if constructed, will have stations at these spots. 

If all this turns out right, then the concept of the bride and the bride-groom being together across lives is true. Irrespective of decisions they take in alternate reality, they will always be married to each other. During my research, I have interviewed brides and bride-grooms about the feeling of Déjà vu. Many of them suggested they had the feeling of experiencing marriage before with the same person.  So, marriage can be considered bonding across time and dimensions. 

And, because the marriage happens across various lives with the same person, the memories regarding the same, travels across time at these spots (also, can be across the spots) and creates a sense of Déjà vu.

I also have some interesting observations about marriages. We see many people during marriages whom we don’t recognize. You may also see them dressed a bit out of fashion (across time, different way of dressing). Not interacting with other people much. And suddenly, they disappear. I have observed these kinds of people in many weddings. If you are the bride they can be people from the groom's side or vice versa. They can also be wedding-crashers. I won’t rule out the above mentioned possibilities. But, they can also be images from another time or dimension, a memory to put it bluntly. These people go unrecognized, just like wedding crashers. 

I would also like to mention, for the above research, I have not gate crashed any of the weddings. I had prior approvals from the parents of the bride and bridegroom to attend the marriage. I am thankful to them.

Carol & Presley

The radio is playing Barry Manilow’s version of ‘Can’t smile without you’. Fancy, people still use radios. The song is still beautiful, at this fast-paced age. Presley looks at the calendar. The date is 11th December, 2045, it is his and Carol’s anniversary. He looks at the picture in the calendar. The picture is of a beach. Like the waves on the beach, many things had come and gone in his life. His both daughters, mother and father, friends, job as editor, his interest for poetry, his addiction to Cigarettes and many things, are uncountable, just like waves. But, the best thing that came was, Carol. 

He turns towards her. Carol is sitting on the sofa with a cushion. She is happy and content. She has aged beautifully. 

Outside the weather is cool. Before her, the fire is crackling. The fire brightened her already glowing face. She is reading ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’, written by Douglas Adams. A funny book, which is a good thing, as it is making her laugh. He remembers she used to sing for pleasure. He remembers the moment he first saw her.

She was designing a garden and he was to interview her, for his magazine, about her work. That moment, she was touching the flower, smiling and humming, her face brightened by the sun, just like the fire did now. She was happy then, as she is now. It was a perfect moment and he fell in love with her. 

He goes and sits beside her on the sofa. After a few moments, she says, “Happy Anniversary”. It is their first anniversary alone. All previous 49 anniversaries, there were kids or there were other people celebrating and partying in their house. 

To acknowledge her wish, he gives her a rose and wishes “Happy Anniversary” and holds her hand. She blushes, brightening her face more. He says, “I shall love you across time”. Then suddenly, they both feel an odd feeling of having experienced this moment before. 

~END~

(Author Notes: This is the first story I wrote electronically. In the book, "Smoke and Mirrors", Neil Gaiman mentions about a story he had written as a gift for a wedding. I thought I would do the same for my friend's wedding. The version I gifted has been edited and presented here. There I had tried a few rule-breaking shenanigans, which don't seem that big of rule-breakers in retrospect, so I removed them. I restructured the story a bit as well to make it more fluid. Also, here I tried to match the tone of the book "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" (which makes a cameo in this story). That didn't work, I guess.)