As I stepped into the time machine, I set the date to March 31, 2023. When I pressed Start on the keypad, the complicated machine started whirling madly. Suddenly, I found myself in a bright red telephone booth. Slightly dizzy, I stepped outside the telephone box and onto the busy streets.
Across the street, there was a giant building, so tall the top was lost in the puffy clouds. At the base, there was a huge screen, which was about to put on the latest news. I caught a glimpse of the time before the news started. It was 12:20AM, the exact time I had left the time machine and entered into the telephone booth. Hurriedly, I cast about to find the person I had set out to find. Finally, after 5 minutes searching, I finally found him. It was I, ten years older.
The future Justin had just stopped at the red light on a crossing. I was surprised at how similar we looked. We had the same chubby face, and friendly smile. The future me wore a loose jacket and airy sweatpants. The only big difference was I had become so tall in ten years. I was easily six feet, and I stood out in the crowd. No wonder I didn’t see me at first. I was searching for a medium-sized person that blended easily into the crowd. I asked someone nearby where I was. He looked at me like I was a weirdo, said it was Cambridge, Massachusetts, and hurriedly walked off into the sea of people. How unusual, I thought; it was the exact place where Harvard University was. Hastily, I started to follow the future me, for he was moving again. We walked a couple more blocks and the future me enter the gates of Harvard. So, I was right; in the future I was going to attend Harvard!
During the few moments of my distraction, the almost 22 year-old me was lost from sight. Quickly, I ran into the school grounds and looked about. I caught a glimpse of my older self walking into the main hall. I immediately followed at a trot. A flutter of a cloak told me that the future me had entered Advanced Biology Class in the lab. I silently opened the door a crack and squeezed myself in and hid under an unused desk. For that day’s lesson, the biology class was cutting open a frog, taking out some of its vital organs and examining them. Quickly the teacher gave directions and allowed the class to start. I seemed to be the only one that was having success. All the other students were squealing with disgust. My partner, which seemed to be my friend, and I were the first ones to finish, and now, the teacher wanted us to help him file some documents. We agreed willingly, and started at once. As I watched myself, we filed the papers in a neat, organized way. I could tell the future me had done this many times before. A fierce type of pride coursed through my body as I watched, both at my skills in biology and filing papers. Finally, an hour later, the lesson ended, and after all the students had filed out, I squeezed through the door once more. My 22 year-old self was walking with big strides, and hastily I followed.
We were now walking for several blocks into the downtown area, and the future me enter a Starbucks shop. When I walked in I saw my older self in a Starbucks uniform. I felt so happy, for working at Starbucks as a part time job had appealed to me. A few minutes later, a couple that seemed very familiar came in. They were my parents, 10 years older. They bought some coffee and had a quick conversation with the future me. I caught some of the Chinese words in the conversation, like, “is that the beginning of a potbelly there, dad,” or, “we’ll look around the downtown area, and come meet us at the restaurant, darling!” After seeing my parents, I suddenly missed my parents, wanting to hug them tightly. So silently, I ghosted out the store, without anyone noticing.
Quietly, I returned to the telephone booth, dialed the date 3/31/13 on the number pad, and the time machine brought me back to reality. The things I learned today were very satisfying and I was pleased. As soon as I got back, I ran into the kitchen and hugged my babbling mom very tightly.
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