Tonight was the night Addison and Will come to the apartments so I could tell her why I know so much ‘bout 1880. It went like I thought and not at the same time.
So, at dinner I got a thought she was getting interested in Merritt and that’s the part I didn’t expect. Comin’ off Merritt taking Hannah to dinner, I sort of felt sore right off.
I guess that’s another story, ‘cept when it come time to go sit in the parlor—the living room, she hopped down on the sofa right by Merritt. I ended up sitting in front of her beside Will in regular chairs.
Will started things. “So, Addison, you might be wondering why I’m here with you young people. I think you’ll find what Emma has to tell you very interesting and hard to believe. Let me start by telling you about my college days.”
He went on and tol’ her about him an’ Merritt being in school together an’ him thinking it must o’ been Merritt’s father. The he turned it over to me.
“So Merrit was born in 1960, like Will tol’ you. Now, as for me… You done caught on I ain’t… I don’t have schooling proper that would have me knowing ‘bout life in the delta during reconstruction. I was born in 1861 and I in 1880, I somehow skipped 144 years. I wudn’t part of 2024 until July 4.”
“Is this some joke?” Addison was looking at me and Will.
Will shook his head. “Not so far as I can tell. I know this fella here is the spitting image of a fella named Merritt Gray that sat across the aisle from me in 1982 when we had classes together. It makes no sense, but I’m inclined to believe that they have somehow skipped through time. Let’s start over with Merritt’s story.
So that’s what we did. We went through it all two times, ‘fore she went from not believing at all to just doubtin’ it was true. Then Will said we should stretch a little and so Merritt went to get ever’body some water.
Addison motioned me to the couch, and that’s where the picture’s from. “I want to believe you and it would explain a lot.”
‘Fore we finished the night, she had caught onto Will’s idea. So, that’s my story for now.
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