If You Want To Go Back In Time Go to Adult 9

IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK IN TIME GO TO ADULT 9 was the riddle to solve this time. I went to the information desk and asked where can I find Adult 9. She explained it would be computer number 9 in the adult section. She showed me where the computer is and of course it was being used. I waited for the computer to become available and while I waited I realized that I had no idea what to do at the computer.

My turn came and I sat down and stared at the screen. I looked around and nobody seemed to be watching me so I shut down the computer and put the device in the USB port. I turned on the computer and it started rebooting normally. Until all of a sudden the screen started flashing and then stopped. I read "Welcome to the Time Traveler Scheduler." There was an icon that read Book a Trip. I clicked on the icon and another screen popped up. It asked, round trip or one-way? Well, not being interested in not coming back, I clicked round trip. From where and To where? It asked. I typed in Redding Library and Sundial Bridge. Then it asked what day and time did I want to leave and what date did I want to visit. I typed in September 1, 2009, 10:30 am and arrive July 2, 2004 at 5:00 pm. I chose this date because it was the Gala celebration for the first crossing of the Sundial Bridge. The screen displayed that my reservation is confirmed and I would be returning 24 hours after arrival. Then it said to go to the room with the oval dome ceiling with the triangle design. I would be leaving tomorrow and I was excited yet nervous and downright scared.

I said goodbye to my wife, but she didn't know where I was going. She thought that I was going to work. I went to the library and went to the room and stood under the oval dome and waited for 10:30 am to arrive. It was 10:29 and as I was waiting for the last minute to pass, I wondered if this was for real or am I a victim of a bad joke. All of a sudden, the triangle dome started spinning and gaining speed. It started to wobble and hesitate and then went back to speed. I started spinning in time with the dome as I was observing myself being transformed from present to the past. The next thing I know is I have arrived at my destination.

But, something is wrong. I am not at the Sundial Bridge on July 2 in 2004. I am looking out of a window of a stagecoach that is going down the dusty road at great speed. Knowing my history, I believe that it has to be May 14, 1892. The stagecoach stopped at Shasta for a break. I got out of the coach and dusted off my hat and boots. I look pretty good in my cowboy attire, if I do say so myself. I introduced myself to the driver, John Boyce affectionately known as Pop and the Wells Fargo messenger Amos "Buck" Montgomery. There was no response from either one of them. But I knew that this is the day that they would be robbed by the Ruggles brothers.

The Ruggles boys are a kind of Cain and Able Biblical story but not quite the same. Cain was jealous of Able and decided to kill his brother. They lived their lives in contrast. One doing good and the other doing bad. It was the same contrast with Charles and John. Charles was a well liked young man who attended college and had some success in life. John, the older brother, wandered from job to job, from town to town. He settled in one place for two years, the San Quentin Prison. He got an early release in 1880. John didn't murder his brother, he just convinced his brother to join him in a life of crime. Later today the Ruggles boys will confront John Boyce and Buck Montgomery to steal the gold shipment that was on board.

Our rest stop had come to an end and we loaded up and continued our trip. The bone jarring road was bumpy and dusty as we rolled and bounced along the road. At least the scenery was beautiful at this time of the year. I knew there wasn't much time left before we would meet the robbers. This would happen about a mile and a half from the town of Shasta. I could see ahead a tight curve in the road and knew that I was about to witness history in the makin'.

This is the History Mystery Man signing off for now until I write again.

Copyright © 2009 by Ted Weyand. All rights reserved.