After popping into existence, the stranger knelt before the child.
“Do not be afraid, Jennie. I am your future self.”
“You’re old.”
“I’m thirty-four, you little—never mind. I only have a minute. Listen: the cure for Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and depression is—”
“Who am I going to marry?”
“What? You haven’t even hit puberty, why would you care?”
“Is it David? He’s cute.”
“Newsflash, kid, you won’t be liking boys much longer. Now memorize this and tell Mom right away: there’s a mineral spring in Utah—oh damn.”
Grownup Jennifer popped away.
“I bet it’s David,” said little Jennie.
Author’s Note: Someday a time traveler is going to appear to me and I’m going to fixate on the wrong thing, I just know it.
Excellent. I really enjoyed this one.
Ha! This is brilliant! I hate those exercises where you have to write a letter to your younger self. Like my younger self would absorb the importance of what my 52 year old self has to say. Ptthhhhhhh.
Loved it! Reminded me of Fredric Pohl’s witty super-short sci-fi.
This is a fantastic drabble. It made me laugh.