This is Maria Somerton, Project Key for
Moonstone Tour July Fourth, 2015. I unlocked the year 2015, according to
protocol. The door released, and I arrived at Victor Steinbrueck Park, at Pike
Place Market in Seattle, Washington. My exact arrival was at 9am Pacific Time,
on April 30, 2015.
I transported from the park directly to
my assigned 2015 residence, located at 1401 5th Avenue West, on Seattle’s Queen
Anne Hill. I found my accommodations to be in beautiful condition: a fully
equipped kitchen stocked with food, fresh linens on the bed, towels and toiletries
neatly set out in the bathroom.
After unpacking, I prepared to attend a
late afternoon class, “How to Navigate Social Media,” taught by our prospective
TAG, Jeff Bennett.
I transported to the campus of Seattle
Central College at 3:50pm, ahead of the 4pm class. I had no problem finding the
classroom. After entering and taking my seat, I noticed that of the 12 people
in the class, most looked to be well over 60 years old.
Jeff introduced himself and gave us a
brief overview of his credentials and teaching experience at the college. He
asked us to go around the room, introduce ourselves, and talk about what we
each hoped to take away from the class. Most of the students wanted to learn
how to use technology, specifically social media, to stay in touch with their
friends, children, or grandchildren. They wanted help setting up Facebook,
Pinterest, and Twitter accounts. I was the only one in the class who wanted
help setting up a blog. I told the class I needed to start a blog for my work.
Everyone was very friendly and supportive.
Jeff introduced me to an Internet tool
called Blogger. He helped me with some of the basics, and I started to write
the blog content you see in the text boxes at the top of the page.
Jeff projected a computer screen onto
the wall and demonstrated how to set up Facebook and other social media
applications. He later went to each individual computer station to help each
student one on one.
Working independently, I focused my
attention on choosing a template, blog layout, and textbox placement. I was
making good progress creating content. Later, when I noticed a lot of the class
shutting down their computers, I looked at the clock, and a familiar rush of
panic hit me. I so hate doing this. I always get nervous. I told myself to breathe.
I slowly shut down my computer,
gathered my things, and deliberately took my time as I waited for the rest of
the students to leave. Jeff was sitting at a computer station at the front of
the room. I waited for a minute before approaching him.
I walked to the front of the room, and
pulled a chair near where Jeff was sitting. He said he was sorry, having felt
he had neglected me, and he asked if I needed any additional help.
I said, “Yeah, I do need your help.” I
told him, “I need to talk to you about something that’s gonna make me
sound…crazy.”
“Well,” Jeff said, with a bit of a
laugh. “I work, ride my bike, walk around—right here at the corner of Pine and
Broadway. There is nothing you’re going to tell me that’s any crazier than what
I’ve already experienced. So, let’s have it.”
“Okay. I am a time traveler from 400
years in the future. I work for a travel agency called One World Over Time, and
we plan to bring guests to this Time Zone. We’re going to need some help
navigating the Internet and learning about the culture of 2015.”
We fell into a predictable silence.
Jeff looked up at the ceiling—I waited for the referral to a mental health
professional. Then, something extraordinary happened.
Jeff leaned forward in his chair and
asked, “Can you get me proof?”
And I said, “Yes. I can.”