As part of the Black Writer’s Program I’m participating in via the NY Writer’s Coalition, each week we’re given a prompt with which to write about. This week of the five prompts provided I selected the one asking what and how a superpower could change your life. We were given 30 minutes to write something and then we shared our pieces with the rest of the class. The following is an original work. Enjoy!
It must’ve happened after I watched the movie About Time for the millionth time. I actively remember saying to myself several times during the film, I seriously wish I could do that. I cried a little — not because of the movie — but because of my own interpersonal situations, I missed my grandma. Depression was eating my ass up. Today was her birthday and as a family we did nothing. She was just gone. Again.
An event in the movie kicked my dormant thoughts of her into high drive. I turned the TV off after the movie finished and got ready for bed. I sat on the edge of the bed and talked to my grandma, an ancestor, and fell back into the memory foam plushness then drifted off.
6 hours later
I woke up and it was noticeably yesterday. Again. I knew that because my laptop was on my bed which it shouldn’t have been as I moved it to my desk the day before — or today? I also saw my word challenge of the day calendar didn’t have yesterday or today’s word checked off. The word was TRANSTEMPORAL. Oddly enough, it means — Transcending time; relating to time travel or to the influence or communication between one time and another.
Unlike in the movies, I didn’t need to call around to convince people or myself that it was yesterday or that I wasn’t crazy as the rest of the day would unfold in a very familiar way.
Instead I seized the opportunity of that morning to check-in with grandma again and plan out a specific series of events. My assumption was that I could travel backwards through time as I had been — no new paths but I could correct things along that path, but I really didn’t know. I do know that I am awake, it is yesterday, and I know what’s about to happen.
One by one — I called it. Alarm clock. Phone call. Two texts. Neighbors upstairs having sex. Called it all. Aware of yesterday’s responses and reactions, I challenged myself to be intentional and not waste whatever this was. Whether it was a one off or my future, I’m with the shits.
I didn’t hit snooze. I answered the call and provided counsel to a client. I responded to the texts from my mom. I cupped my ear to the wall — what, I’m nosey. I then set out to see the length and depth of this newfound ability — abilities?
Not sure if it was the sleep, the conversation, or the tears — but I had to learn the control so this day wouldn’t be wasted. Forever thinking fondly of my grandma who had been gone 15 years at this point I knew today would be a celebration. I got this day back in order to do the thing I wish I had done.
It was Saturday morning. I called my mom back and we decided to meet for breakfast and to talk. We met at our favorite hole-in-the-wall. We sat in our favorite spot. We ordered. We dined. We laughed. Then I shared that I wanted to do something for Grandma. She hesitated, sadness crept over me. I closed my eyes to calm down.
I opened my eyes. I was back in bed. I was yesterday-today morning, again.
Oh shit…
