I was in a rather tight situation. My parents would be home in two minutes. The police would follow them here in another two minutes. As if that wasn’t bad enough, a man whom Angela saw as Mr. Parker, and I saw as Peter Blank, was heading toward us. All of these things were going to happen simultaneously, and I needed to do some serious preparation.
The first order of business would be to head off Peter. He would only make things more complicated when my parents and the police arrived. Immediately I regretted calling the police. My parents would worry and see my room. They might not even let me stay at home alone anymore.
“I wonder what Mr. Parker is doing at home today,” said Angela. “Shouldn’t he be at work?”
I shrugged. “Hey, Angela?”
“Yes?” she smiled, thinking I was about to say something she would enjoy hearing.
“This will sound odd to you, but how old do you think… Mr. Parker is?”
Angela laughed. “Oh, I would guess about thirty-five or forty. How about you?”
I looked at the small, frail old man. There was no way Angela could think that he was thirty-five. This only further proved that we were seeing different people. I saw Peter Blank, the man from 1942, and Angela saw Mr. Parker, the young neighbor from the present time. This was disturbing to me on so many levels.
“Good afternoon, Angela,” said Peter Blank from his rotting front yard as he began to cross our driveway. “And how are you, Master Duggins?”
We each greeted Peter. Well, Angela was greeting Mr. Parker.
“I like your shirt, Mr. Parker,” said Angela. “Green looks nice on you.”
I was reeling. Peter Blank’s shirt was definitely blue. Now I was completely sure that, without a doubt, we were seeing two different people. My mind was overflowing with thoughts about the situation, but none of them concerned solutions to the predicament. I thought I could faintly hear police sirens in the distance.
“Why thank you, Angela,” said Peter. “Are those police sirens I hear?” he asked.
I turned my head to look down the street. The sirens were getting louder, but no police cars were in sight. When I looked back at Peter Blank, I got the shock of my life. Everything up until now seemed paltry compared to this.