Travels Through Time: Short Stories and Essays

By Bob Kelley

Bob Kelley has lived through interesting times. Born in the north and moved to the south as a young person in 1955, he experienced two different societies. The Civil Rights movement, the Beat Generation, and the beginning of the Vietnam War occurred while he attended college and served in the military. His career allowed him to participate in the spread of computer technology which ushered in modern conveniences like cell phones, the Internet, and robots. This array of experiences has influenced his writing, and in Travels through Time, he presents a collection of short stories and essays. The narratives cover everything from an alien who visits Earth thousands of years from now and discovers humanity’s legacy to a slave on a southern plantation in the 1700s who wakes from a nap and discovers a different world. Kelley offers a variety of tales. Some present a distilled philosophy or moral lesson, while others examine things occurring in our world today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Mar 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781483481333

Book preview

2017

PART 1

IMAGINE

A LESSON FROM BREISACH

The sun shone brightly, and the weather was perfect for an afternoon stroll. After a long ride into the Black Forest and back on a tour bus and a wonderful lunch on the boat, he felt a need for some exercise. The cruise ship had stopped at Breisach, Germany, a small city with a population of around 17,000 people located between Germany and France on the Rhine River. With its cobblestone streets and pastel painted houses, each with bright flower baskets adorning its windows, it looked like a wonderful place to explore.

Breisach’s history dated all the way back to Roman times, and over the centuries the city had passed back and forth between the Holy Roman Empire, France, and Germany many times. Its most dominant landmark, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, began construction in the thirteenth century and sat on the highest point in the city. A narrow street wound its way up the side of the hill and lured people to make the climb. There were even places to look out over the river and the city and photograph the beautiful scenery which included miles of neat vineyards. Half way to the top was a restaurant with a dining area that provided a wonderful view.

The distance to the cathedral at the top was about a mile, and probably because the street was so narrow it seemed that most people preferred to walk up. When they reached the top, they discovered a large area surrounded by a stone wall about three feet high with the cathedral located in the middle. The view in every direction was incredible.

The man had taken his time getting to the top, and now he entered the cathedral eager to explore its interior. There were many statues and paintings as well as other religious artifacts dating back hundreds of years, and the stained glass windows were beautiful. Since it was late afternoon, there were not many people there, and it was very quiet and peaceful.

After he finished his tour of the cathedral, he slowly strolled around the outer perimeter of the area, following the stone wall and enjoying the scenery. He knew that Breisach had experienced a lot of conflict in ancient times, but that was a long time ago. Now the little city looked so peaceful with its neat streets and pretty buildings. The river below looked so tranquil.

Then he noticed a display with pictures on it. The pictures had been taken in 1945 at the end of World War II from this same spot above the city. He was shocked by the total devastation! He stared at them, and suddenly he heard a drone which became louder and louder. It grew darker, and sirens began to wail. People down in the streets were running in every direction. He heard the ack, ack of anti-aircraft guns and saw small explosions in the night sky, scattering flack in every direction.

As he watched, B-17 bombers flew overhead. It seemed like there were hundreds, and in addition to the loud droning of the engines he could now detect a whistling sound. Then came the explosions, and the shock was terrific. The city was enveloped in flame. The noise was deafening, and it seemed as if the earth was in the grip of a giant earthquake. He felt like a little boy, helpless and afraid. He found himself on the ground behind the stone wall, trying to find shelter. It seemed it would go on forever. He wanted to scream.

It finally ended. He opened his eyes and discovered that he was still standing by the wall and the picture display. It told him that 85% of the city had been destroyed. Somehow, however, although the cathedral had been damaged, it had survived and was still standing in its position overlooking the ruins of the city. He stood there and remembered the helpless feeling and the absolute terror he felt during the air raid. He imagined how the inhabitants must have felt. They had lost everything. Soon Germany would be defeated, and they didn’t know what the future would bring. He shook his head and glanced one last time at the pictures. It no longer felt as serene and peaceful as it had just moments before.

The walk back down the hill was easier, and it was even more beautiful with the sun beginning to set over the river. The people he saw in the streets and restaurants were happily enjoying the evening. The cruise ship sat serenely at the dock, and the river seemed to suggest that it had always been like this.

He stopped and looked back at the city and the cathedral above. He thought about all the history and change this place had experienced. It wasn’t all ancient history; some of the worse times had been fairly recent. However, there was a lesson here, and it was that no matter how bad things get, we must never give up hope.

Upon investigating, he discovered that Breisach had not suffered the extreme destruction from air raids but from Allied artillery. He also learned that the Allies often avoided destroying the cathedrals and many other beautiful sites in Germany during the war. Maybe these are symbols of the hope we have for the future, even when everything else is wrong - even when we don’t understand and feel helpless.

As he ended his walk, he concluded that Breisach, like so many other places with similar histories, is evidence that even though we are not able to predict the future, we must never give up hope. With that, he turned and went on board, eager to try some Black Forest cake and sample some of the wines that are produced in Breisach.

FIRST LIGHT

It was a shock! He awoke to sensations he had never before experienced. They were overwhelming. The first was pain. He had never felt pain before. Next were the sounds, some of which were familiar, but now they were much louder. There was also another new sensation, light. Light was completely new to him.

In addition, he felt a desperate need for something that he didn’t understand. He squirmed and then heard a new sound, that of his own voice as he cried out. His reaction was to gasp and suck in air, to begin breathing. The baby boy was alive.

His existence until now had been in a womb, where he was surrounded by liquid and had little awareness of his surroundings. Occasionally, he had kicked and moved his arms, but for the most part he had been asleep. He had heard some sounds but didn’t know they were voices belonging to his parents. Now, they were the only thing familiar to him. Everything else was new.

Fairly quickly the turmoil associated with his birth ended, and he rested peacefully. However, before long he was awakened by a new sensation. He needed something but didn’t know what. Again he cried out and suddenly felt something around him, gently squeezing him, and there were soft sounds which seemed to calm him. He also felt something in his mouth, the first time ever, but instinct caused him to suck. He was rewarded with a substance that fulfilled his needs, his mother’s milk. She nursed him.

This satisfied him, and he felt comfortable in her arms. Her voice was a sound he recognized, and her arms around him made him feel secure, much as he had felt in the womb. Eventually, however, he began to feel discomfort again, even pain, although different from the pain he had experienced earlier. This time it was inside him. He cried out again, and his mother began to tap and rub his back. After a few minutes he burped, and the pain was gone. He was tired and fell asleep again.

The next time he awoke, his diaper was being changed. Of course, he didn’t know about diapers and didn’t even know he had wet and soiled his, but his parents did and exchanged the one he had been wearing with a new, dry one. Afterwards, his mother nursed him, burped him, and soon he fell asleep.

This was the routine for the first few weeks. The baby boy had no concept of time or even his own existence, only an awareness of his needs or discomfort. However, things gradually changed. When