Return Trip – Part One

Another scorcher.

It’ll be good to get out of the city for a couple weeks. I’ve been planning this vacation for three months. I’m off to spend time with the sweetest woman I know.

Gina.

She is such a vibrant woman, as well as witty, smart as a whip, and one with a fiery temper. She’s Italian, what can I say? In ninety minutes, I’ll be out of Manhattan and in a few hours after, I’ll be in her bed in Somerville; getting the best back rub a man could ask for.

After I stop by my place, take a quick shower, grab my already packed bag, I’ll be off and running. It’s just past one, and with any luck, I’ll be in her arms sometime around six or seven depending on traffic.

I met Gina a year ago through a party my sister gave. Julie and Gina had been college roommates. It was interesting how we met. I was standing next to Julie, asking her what she was going to do with her life now that she had her degree. Gina was to her left.

“Probably go on unemployment.”

We laughed, and Gina laughed along with us.

I looked at her and suddenly was taken by her strikingly beautiful looks and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be in bed with this woman. She was utterly desirable looking, and I felt drawn to her like a magnet. Can we say, drop-dead gorgeous?

Gina smiled, raising her drink to her lips and with a trace of her accent, said, “You shouldn’t have thoughts like that; they could get you into all kinds of trouble.”

I feigned surprise when she explained I had the look in my eyes she had seen in other men. From there, the conversation the rest of the night went far better than I expected. Gina went home with me.

Since that night, we get together twice a month. Her coming to me, and me going to her. She took a job near Boston, which was good for me since my family lived in Brookline. Once, I hinted at marriage with her, but she never wanted to take it seriously.

“Derrick,” she once said on a Sunday afternoon after we returned back to her place from spending the day sailing in the Charles River, “please, let’s enjoy each other for what we have. If you married me, you might regret it later. Let us just enjoy what we have, the way it is.”

That was seven months ago. I have the next two weeks being around her. Maybe this time around, I can change her mind.

I love this woman.

Thank heaven the freeway is less than a block from my place. If I had to fight traffic right now, I’d scream. There; there’s the entrance ramp.

Hot damn! Home free now, baby!

What a beautiful day. A deep rich blue sky, and not a cloud to be seen. And, like me, cars running along the freeway looking for places to go, except I know my destination.

Man, there sure are a lot of hitchhikers out here. I must have passed seven or eight people already. Most have signs, but if you don’t pay attention or drive by too fast, you have no clue what they say. I did manage to catch a sign for a couple people. One going to Hartford, another to Providence, and one going all the way to Bangor.

Passed a couple, probably married. Wonder where they were headed; no sign. Man, these people are out in full force today. Hell, it’s the weekend, why not.

Only just because; the next person I see that looks decent, I’ll pick up as long as him or her are going at least as far as I am. I used to thumb these roads when I was in college, and I know what it’s like to stand around for hours waiting for someone to come along and offer a ride.

Looking through my rearview mirror, I caught a fading glimpse of the city behind me laced in blue sky. I love Manhattan, but it can be a real bear at times.

“Now there goes a guy that looks okay.”

I pulled my car over from the center lane all the way over to the shoulder and slowed down to a stop about ten yards past him and honked my horn. I hit the automatic button to let the passenger side window down.

Watching him in my rearview, I noticed he walked a little funny. Maybe he had a bad leg or something. But I thought if the guy were gay, I hoped he wouldn’t try to hit on me. If he does, I won’t care where we are, I’ll drop him off in a heartbeat.

He was bending over looking at me through the open window.

“Hi there. I’m going to Somerville, just outside of Boston.”

“That is good. I need to be in a place called Cambridge.”

“Hop in then. Cambridge isn’t all that far from where I’m headed. I can drop you off close to downtown.”

“This is far better than hoped for. Thank you.”

Swinging back onto the freeway, making sure I had plenty of room to get back without colliding into someone not paying attention, I look at my passenger for a second, and then settle back to concentrating on the road.

“Hey, no problem. My name is Derrick, Derrick Henderson. What’s your name?”

“My names is, ah, Dallas Maryland.”

Rather odd name. What the ll. Not my problem.

As I continued driving, I would glance over at him periodically, and one time I noticed he had a white streak running from front to back in the center of his scalp. His ears were squared off at the bottom as well. Must be the sun, the excitement of seeing Gina, making me see things that weren’t there before, but I would have sworn he wasn’t like that when he got in the car.

“Yes, it is quite hot today, isn’t it?”

“What? Oh yeah, yeah it is.” How did he know what I was thinking? Maybe he’s just making conversation.

“We’ll be pulling in about seven this evening. I love coming into the city when the sun is setting. Boston looks great that way, especially when you catch a view of the Charles River.”

“Seven? That late? Is there any way you can arrive sooner? It is imperative I be at my destination no later than six.”

“Sorry, Dallas. As you can see, I’m doing the driving. I get there when I get there. What’s the rush? Somebody going to die or something?”

“One never knows what will happen.”

Dallas wasn’t smiling.

__________

The clock on the dash read 3:37 when I glanced over at Dallas and saw a worrisome look cross over his eyes. His eyes. They too seemed different than from before. Earlier, they looked dark, like a deep brown. Now, they appeared glassy, almost as if you were looking through a window-pane.

As I continued to weave in and out of traffic changing lanes, I looked down at his hands for a second and almost lost control of the car. It started to swerve left into a car passing on my left. Regaining control, barely missing the car, I flipped on my right-hand turn signal and pulled off into a rest area. It wasn’t until I came to a complete stop that I realized I was sweating and shaking.

“Okay, Dallas, or whoever, or whatever you are; get out of my car!” I knew my voice was loud, me words shaky, but I was more scared than angry.

“I can explain, Derrick. You have seen my fingers have to nails. If you look closer, you will see that my ears grow smaller. The whiteness in the hair is also becoming clearer and widening. The longer we sit here, the more danger I am in. Just as another may be.”

“Danger? What danger! Just what and who the hell are you? A forgotten lab experiment? A creature from outer Mongolia or something?”

I pressed against my door, left hand on the handle, prepared to bail out just in case this guy started to wig out on me.

“Your comprehension may not adjust to what you are about to hear, Derrick.

“I am losing life-force. I must be in this place called Cambridge no later than six this evening. If I am not; within the span of one of your earth seconds, my death will be immediate. I must be in a precise location at the time specified, where I will pass from your world into my own. If I fail, I will be lost. My atoms will separate between both worlds and will no longer exist.”

Why me?

“You mean you are actually from out there somewhere?” I looked into the sky pointing my finger, feeling stupid at the same time.

“Not precisely, Derrick. My world lies beyond The Alpha-Crytonen Dimension, which is about three-million lights years from your universe. It is a world of gases and energy. My world consists of nothing more than that. But it is the stars surrounding my world that emanates freedom and the singleness of hope that gives me courage to take this journey each year. But the stars, Derrick, such beauty, and in the blink of your eye, a new one is born.”

Yeah, that’s it.

“Look, Dallas or whoever you really are, I picked you up because you look decent and going as far as I am. But it’s time you get out of my car and lay that story on someone else. If you think I’m buying all this crap; your nuttier than I already know you are.”

“My name is not Dallas, it is Tobemo. You cannot leave me here. Leaving me here would be an act of murder. Leaving me behind would be the creation of my demise.”

“Watch me. Get out before I throw you out!”

My courage was returning, and I wasn’t about to let this clown pull one over on me.

“I don’t have anything to put over you. But I see you do need proof. If I can show all you have done today, and show that Gina waits for you, would you believe me then?”

I was startled.

“Gina? How do you know about her?”

“I have certain powers that enable me to read minds, alter my structure and see both past and future.

“A few moments ago, I mentioned that I may not be the only one in danger. Gina will have your favorite meal for you when you arrive. But, if I do not arrive at my departure location on time, you will not be able to prevent her from having a terrible accident. My being in Cambridge will prevent that was happening, for it will give you enough time to save her life.”

This guy was going way too fast for me. What accident? I looked into his eyes and could see my reflection as if staring into a mirror looking back at me. Scary.

“I don’t know….”

“I will slow down for you. I see you need further convincing.”

Tobemo reached into his coat pocket with now very thin fingers and removed what appeared to be a pocket watch. He waved his hand over the facing and a brilliant glow appeared. I was both confused and scared.

Tobemo extended the watch where I had a better view, when I saw myself driving back to my apartment from work, showering, changing clothes and grabbing my bag and heading for the freeway. I saw myself pick Tobemo up.

Then I saw, Gina. She was in the kitchen boiling water with a large pot filled with spaghetti inside it. She’s using a gas stove, and one of the burners is turned one, but with no flame. Then she walks out of her apartment to go to a corner store to make a purchase. When she comes back, she goes straight into the kitchen and a few seconds later, the gas from the unlit burner catches from the other lit burner and the whole place erupts in flames.

Tobemo waved his hand over the watch facing and the image, and the glow are both gone as if they were never there at all.

“If we arrive at the precise time necessary for me to depart, there will be no accident.”

“Accident, hell! That explosion will kill her!”

None of this made any sense to me, but as crazy as this all sounded, I had no choice but to believe him.

“Okay, call me crazy because I know I have to be to believe you. I don’t have a choice any longer. Hell, I thought I was going to have a nice, normal, relaxing vacation.”

Sitting there for a moment thinking about my next move, I got the car in gear, thinking I couldn’t waste any more time.

“Yes, Derrick, we cannot waste any time at all. Lives depend on you.”

He did it again.

Looking down at my speedometer, instead of driving my normal sixty-five, I was almost at eighty-five. This was crazy. I wonder how he made that watch do all that stuff to begin with.

“Neither wonder nor worry, Derrick. You drive. I will take care of things.”

Mother, I believe your son just entered the Twilight Zone and doesn’t know how to get back.

__________

If you can believe I believed him, then I guess we’re all crazy. He started explaining about his world as if we were old friends.

“Our world is slightly larger than your own. In my atmosphere, sexual mating is unheard of because gas and energy cannot interchange. However, on your world, we can take shape and be every bit as human as you and accomplish all a normal human can.

“I have been on your world four-quads, or thirty of your earth’s calendar days. Now it is time to return home or I will dissipate.”

“And if that happens, I take it there’s no coming back for you at all.”

“Correct.”

I felt like I was in my apartment in front of the tube watching a movie on the Sci-Fi channel of an old rerun where all the words were in a foreign alien language.

Who would believe me if I told them I was taking a guy (thing?) to Cambridge so he wouldn’t disintegrate. Take him to Cambridge so he could return to a place no one’s ever heard about before.

__________

I couldn’t believe my luck.

It was almost 5:30 and still haven’t been pulled over. If I had done this any other time, I would have probably gotten a dozen speeding tickets by now.

“There it is, Exit-129A to downtown Boston. Five miles to the city and another ten to Cambridge. You are almost home free, Tobemo.”

There had been hardly any words exchanged during my frantic driving, and in the last hour, Tobemo had changed even more. His hair had fully crystalized. His features were constantly changing as if his skin were melting. His fingers were gone as were his ears.

Tobemo had no bone structure.

The clothes he’s wearing seemed loose and baggy, almost wilted. Shades of Night of the Living Dead, for heaven sake. Gina might die, and if I don’t hurry, Tobemo surely will.

Looking through the rearview mirror, I saw red and blue lights flashing from a police car right behind me.

“It isn’t fair! I have to stop. How do I explain this one, Tobemo?”

Derrick, I can no longer verbally converse with you. We are mind-linked, but do not be concerned or alarmed. I will handle everything.

“Yeah, sure thing.”

I rolled down my window just as the cop approached my driver side door.

“You New Yorker’s are all the same. Think you can come up here and you think you own the road. Let me guess; going to a fire?”

He looked at Tobemo, who had turned sideways facing the passenger door, so that his appearance wouldn’t startle the cop.

“Nah. Your friend over there is sick and you’re taking him to the hospital, all the way from New York, right? Whip it out, buddy-boy. License, registration and proof of insurance.”

Do not be concerned, Derrick. You need not be so worried. There will be need of his services elsewhere.

How do you know? Never mind, forget I asked.

“Stay put buddy-boy, the cop said tight-lipped as I handed him what he asked for. “I’m going to run your plates and check you out.”

I watched as he walked stiffly back to his car through my side mirror, thinking he would be better off as a rodeo cowboy; he walked as if he had a horse under him. In my head, I heard Tobemo garbling a sound similar to a chuckle.

The cop was talking into his car’s radio, running that check on me.

“Hurry up, man. Time’s running out.”

Two minutes later, the cowboy-cop returned.

“Must be your lucky day, buddy-boy. I got a call about a robbery in progress. Seems they need all available units within the area. Here’s your stuff back. I’m giving you a verbal warning, but next time I run into you, you better have the lead out of that shoe or I’m running you in; you understand me, buddy-boy?”

I nodded my head and watched the cowboy-cop quickly return to his car and took off spinning gravel behind him as he sped right past me. I watched as his flashing reds and blues, with the siren making that wailing cry of the damned, almost mesmerizing me before Tobemo jolted me back to the real world.

Derrick, we must hurry. There is not much time left.

I looked at the clock on the dash, and we had twenty-one minutes before the witching hour.

Have to admit, it was a stroke of luck about that robbery. We could have been here another twenty minutes or longer with that cop. Well, I would have been. I wonder how I would have explained your disappearance right in front of him.

You need no longer worry about that man in blue. The robbery is at the Plaza Hotel, and he will help in securing the person’s arrest. Now, please hurry.

Yeah, sure. You’re something else. I can’t believe I just said that.

I know.

On the road again, I started to feel more secure in knowing everything will turn out okay. Tobemo would be home free, and Gina would be safe. Everything will be just fine.

Yes, Derrick, you have nothing to fear. Turn right at the second light after you cross the bridge.

Crossing over the bridge, I couldn’t help in spite of what’s happened, how the magic of the Charles River has a hold on me. I can see a few early evening people running their yachts and skips, as the early evening sun slowly winds down, creating a multitude of colors across the water.

Yes, very beautiful. You, and those of your kind, are fortunate. On my world, we can only imagine the colors you see and feel. On your world you create images. We can only dream them.

But you came here, became one of us; why can’t you do that where you come from?

It is because of your yellow star you call the sun. Like the creature I read about in your books; the one called, Superman. Like him, it gives me power to recreate external images internalized into our thought process, allowing me to become like one of you. On our world, our sun is pale blue, and our powers are limited to dreams of colorless imagery. Were I to take a human form there, which is impossible, but if I did, it could not withstand the gases that float throughout my world.

You never mentioned, but how did you get here in the first place?

Once a year, when your moon passes over your yellow star, our own moons shadow our land, but create a gateway. Each year since its discovery, I have entered this world in hopes of finding a way to live here permanently. There has yet to be any scientific explanation on a way to achieve this. One day, perhaps. One day.

What cannot yet be understood is why the gases that are of female origin, can readily adapt to their new body here and manage to live out a normal life without having to return back to my world.

Wait, are you saying a female gas has taken on a woman’s body? And doesn’t ever need to go back? They can just stay here, like for good?

Correct. I can alter my gaseous state if I choose, but to become a female gas is out of the question. I choose not to be the weaker gas. I would rather perish first then to take the alternative.

Tobemo’s mental voice became excited; at least that was how it sounded to me.

There! Turn at that light up ahead. This is the place!

Turning right, I parked in a lot at Tully’s Supermarket. There were very few cars parked there, and I hoped no one would notice what was about to happen.

I got out of my car and ran around to the passenger side to help Tobemo. The last few minutes had seen serious changes to him. His arms and legs completely disappeared. I carried what remained of his torso as he instructed me to behind Tully’s and set him down in front of a garbage dumpster. A damned garbage dumpster!

His breathing was distant, almost non-existent.

Stand away, Derrick. There will be a bright flash of light, and then I will be gone. Just know that because you will arrive earlier than planned, Gina will be unharmed. I thank you for your help. Farewell.

I started to wave goodbye when it happened. A bright bursting light surrounded Tobemo. I had to shield my eyes but managed to see the light as an aura around him, and the light just vanished. So did Tobemo.

Walking to where Tobemo was, I noticed the pocket watch on the ground which convinced me to do all this to begin with. I bent over and picked it up and rubbed my fingers across the casing. It didn’t feel or look different from any other pocket watch. I got back in my car and put the watch in my shirt pocket.

Sitting there for a moment, I sensed, more than felt, the sweat rolling down my back; realizing I actually saved someone’s life, even if he did come from a place no one has ever heard of before. I met my own version of E.T., but who would ever believe me?

Turning the engine on, I head over to Gina’s. I remembered what Tobemo said about my being early. I can still save Gina. If I do get a ticket this time, I’ll gladly pay it to keep her from being harmed.

__________

Turning the corner at Elmhurst and Rivers Street, I could see the corner store Gina shops at now and then. As I got closer, I saw Gina coming out of the store and I honked my horn. She stopped at the curb, smiling. Hitting my brakes, I jumped out of the car and pulled her toward me.

She could sense my urgency.

“My goodness, Derrick! Are you happy to see me, or are you practicing to be a horny, dirty old man!” Gina smiled and laughed, returning the embrace.

“Both, sweetness. Both”

She got in my car and I drove us to her apartment complex, where I parked my car alongside of hers.

Now I had to figure out how to get her to stay out in the car while I don’t sound like a crazed maniac, telling her I want to go into her kitchen and shut off all the burners, so the place doesn’t explode.

“Earth calling, Derrick. Come in, Derrick.”

“What? Oh, sorry. Just got lost in a thought.”

“Then mull this over. Tonight, the two of us over a candlelight dinner, and then ….” her voice trailed off with a seductive look in her eyes.

“And then what?” We were smiling at one another; both of us knowing the answer.

“By the way, what’s for dinner?”

“Your favorite, of course. Spaghetti and meatballs. The spaghetti noodles are in the bag. I bought everything else yesterday but the noodles. I bought these at the store as you drove up.”

“Wait a minute. You haven’t started anything yet?”

“You aren’t upset, are you?”

“No, not at all; just a little surprised.”

“You know me, Derrick. It won’t take long. Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes.”

My being early somehow changed the events of what could have happened. They say you can’t change the past, but if you know the future, and this is just a guess, you can alter a timeline. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I looked into the sky slowly deepening with a bit of orange and purple, and silently thanked Tobemo. I bet he knew this the whole time. What a sly creature-guy.

“Coming, day dreamer?”

“I’ll be up in a minute. Going to get my bag out of the trunk.”

After a quick kiss, inhaling her scented beauty, I waited for her to walk away when I reached inside my shirt pocket for the watch and looked at it again. Opening it, I thought no one but no one would believe what I went through.

My eyes went wide as the numbers and hands on the facing started dissolving and were replaced by a thin, green gaseous light. Then I heard a voice.

“Derrick, thank you for your courage in helping me to return home. I understand the difficulty in trusting and believing in others when you do not know or understand their beliefs.

“Once accepted, trust becomes imbedded in the mind constantly. For many, for which I do not understand, it is a hardship. One day, I will return, and we will trust each other. I also tell you; trust the judgement of Gina. She will bring you much that your life desires.

“It is good to call you, friend. Until our paths meet again, Derrick; long life and happiness to you.”

“Derrick? I never knew you to be a clock watcher before. Are you already planning when you will be leaving?”

Somewhat startled, Derrick quickly put away the watch.

“Sorry, Gina. Got caught up in a thought. No, not a clock watcher and have no plans of leaving anytime soon. And to tell the truth; there will come a time when I can’t wait for the time to happen again.”

With an almost knowing look in her eyes, she said, “Excuse me, but that one sailed right over my head.”

“Let me get this bag up to your place, and I’ll explain everything to you. You will not believe what I’m going to tell you, but I have to tell someone, and you I trust to not think I’m crazy.”

I carried my bag in my right hand and with my left, I put it around her shoulder, and asked, “Is the spaghetti sauce real, or Ragu?”

“Nothing but the best. Ragu, what else?”

We laughed.

__________

After dinner, I explained to Gina everything that happened. She didn’t laugh at me or call me crazy. She just gave me that mysterious smile of hers. When she smiles like that, I get the feeling she knows more about me than I do. Maybe that’s why I love her like I do.

It was close to one in the morning before we retired to the ‘bedaroom’. Love that accent.

Sunlight was slowly seeping through her lace curtains after two very long and very satisfying lovemaking sessions. We each settled against one another, each trying to get our breath back to something called normal.

“Derrick, do you love me?”

“I’ve probably told you that a million times. Why? I do something wrong that’s upset you?”

“No, silly. You’re a great lover, but do you really love me?”

I pitched myself on my left elbow, looking directly onto her face, into her eyes. Smiling, as my other free hand stroked the top of her forehead, gently brushing away her hair, then I leaned over and kissed her there. I was trying to figure out what she was driving at.

“Derrick, what I’m driving at is that what I’m about to tell you might change things between us forever,”

“Nothing is going to change.” God, I love her.

“I love you, too, but if you love me, you have to listen, please.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll listen. Honestly though, I don’t know how you do it. Every now and then you know exactly what I’m thinking or saying, just like it was when Tobemo was in the car with….”

Then it dawned on me! No way!

“Yes, Derrick, way. Tonight, you told me your story about meeting with Tobemo; my brother.”

“Your wha … your brother! Get out of here; you’re kidding, right?”

I bolted to a sitting position staring down at her as if I woke up in one of my own dreams. Maybe I’m sane and everyone else had jumped off a building!

“I’m not kidding, and don’t worry; I’m just as sane as you are. I came to earth ten years ago just as my brother first did. He was here only a month. From what you have told me and from what I’ve read from your thoughts, he has tried again with the same results.

“The males of my world cannot adapt for a reason we do not understand; although the female species can, and lead a normal, healthy existence. We can practically do everything an earth woman can do. Work, play, have children, and grow old and die. My only so-called alien power is to intercept or read minds. I can’t see into the past for foretell the future. Other than that, I am pretty much like any other woman.”

I listened to her and remembered what Tobemo said about trust being imbedded in the mind. I smiled.

“You caught me off guard, Gina. After what I’ve been through, I think; no, I know one thing for sure. You’re right about one thing; you aren’t different, I’m different. I also know you aren’t like any earth woman I’ve met before. And I thank God for that.”

“Derrick? Does this mean what I read from your mind that, that you really love me?”

“You got it.” I bent over and kissed her lips lightly, and grinned. “Besides, being a mind-reader, you should have known that all along.”

“I did, but you didn’t know the truth about me. I was afraid no matter how much you love me, knowing who and what I really am, would change your mind. But I see now I worried over nothing.”

Lying next to her in bed, I thought that tomorrow I would take her sailing on the Charles River, and ask her to marry me again. This time it just might work. The only thing; she has to promise to stop reading my mind.

“I love you, Derrick.”

Snuggling close against her, I whispered in her ear, “Love you. But, Gina, you have to….”

“I understand. The answer is yes, I will. And I promise I will try to never read your mind.”