They reappeared one day on the street outside No. 2 Ordnance Terrace in Chatham, Kent. They reappeared at just the right moment that the six-year-old Charlie Dickens was playing with a doll by the road.
Jules stepped out from the time machine and grinned.
“Hey there, Charlie.” He waved, and when the boy shied back, he waved again. “Don’t worry. I’m a big fan of yours. You could say I’ve got some great expectations for you.”
They boy said little, watching him. He didn’t seem to mind.
“Is that your home?” he asked, pointing to No. 2.
“Yes, sir.”
“So austere. That sure is a bleak house.”
“Jules, come on!” his partner called from the time machine. “You’re wasting time.”
“Who’s that?” asked the boy.
“Him?” Jules grinned. “Oh, you could call him our mutual friend.”
“Jules, seriously! We are not wasting time fuel so you can drop puns.”
Jules straightened and looked at the once and future literary magnate. “Alright, Charlie. You play nice now. Maybe I’ll come back some December and we’ll sing a Christmas carol.”
“Jules, get the fuck back in the time machine!”
Jules climbed back in laughing to himself. His partner pulled a lever and the carriage disappeared - like David Copperfield.
This seriously has to be one of my favs of yours. Probably because I'm a lover of Dickens work.
ReplyDeleteLoved it.
Thank you, Jodi! I have no clue exactly where this idea came from, but once I started composing it out loud, it wouldn't stop. Maybe I need to read more Dickens soon.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably do the same thing.
ReplyDelete