1880-09-18 “Stuck Here” by Emma (born 1965)

Well, 1800 is way, way different than 1984. My boss at the theater where I’m a cleaning woman, Addison Magee, has, over the months, noticed certain things are hard for me, and I needed to explain to him why. 

Addison knows Hannah—she’s a dancer in a burlesque show—and Merritt—he’s an engineer working on the Memphis sewers—but he doesn't know we’re time-shifted from the future. He knows Merritt’s roommate, Devon—who is not time-shifted.

I had asked Hannah to meet with me because Addison acts like he’d be more than happy to take either one of us off so he could have his way with us. Neither one of us has much interest in him, but he’s mostly nice about things and plays his flirting off as if he’s only half serious about it.

“Addison,” I said, “you’re gonna think we’re crazy or lying to you.”

Addison looked at me, and he said, “Well, go on then. I’m listening.”

“I wanna explain why some of the things you want me to do come off harder for me than they should.”

We started explaining about us being from the future. Like I expected, he thought we were making up a story, but little by little, we convinced him. Somewhat. He finally agreed that he’d give me the benefit of the doubt when I didn’t know how to do things the way that’s normal in 1880.

When we were as done as possible, Hannah and me went out to the street, and Hannah said, “I had that dream again about being in 2024.”

I was surprised. “Me too! I was still the 1880 version of me stuck in 2024.”

Hannah shook her head. “I was the 2024 version of me, and Merritt was the 1984 version of himself. I don’t get it.”

“Well,” I said, “Addison Magee in 2024 is a girl and I’m an actor at a theatrer, but she’s still my boss. And you’re an engineer.”

“I would have become an engineer in 1984…” Hannah shook her head. “But… Emma… both of us in 2024… we like Merritt, just the same as in 1800…”

I nodded. “Except they’re not as honest about it. We might be in a relationship mess here, but at least we’re honest about it.”

“Maybe they’ll work it out like we did when they move in together.”