Matt and I went out to eat for breakfast on Sunday morning. On the drive home, I started to comment on the work that some local/state/federal agency has completed over the last several weeks.
me: Wow, they have really trimmed the trees way back from the power lines.
Matt: Well, I guess they want to make sure that limbs don’t fall on the lines in ice or snow storms.
[silence]
me: You know, if you were to go back in time, you would really miss seeing the power lines running down the side of the roads. They are such a part of the landscape.
Matt: Power lines didn’t exist back then, so no one would miss them.
me: No, if you went back in the time before power lines, you would notice that they there gone and it would seem weird.
Matt: No, it wouldn’t seem weird because you wouldn’t know that you were missing them.
me: (throwing him a incredulously look that he missed since he was driving) No, like if you got in a time machine from this time and went back in time like the movie, you would really notice that there weren’t any power lines.
Matt: Yeah, that’s what you would be noticing.
me: Well, you would. Maybe not first thing. But you would.
Matt: Ok, so you and I go back in time and –
me: Well, it wouldn’t be you and me. It would be scientists and such.
Matt: Why wouldn’t it be you and me?
me: Why would it be you and me?
Matt: Why wouldn’t it be you and me?
me: Like a giant wormhole with the time-space continuum thingees is just going to open up for us?
Matt: Yes.
me: Don’t you think that will happen for someone that is like actually working with wormholes and studying that stuff?
Matt: Let’s just assume it’s us.
me: Why would I go back? I have nothing to offer the people of the past. I’m not a scientist or a doctor. I can’t offer the people of the past something that will make their lives better.
Matt: That’s great. Because you can’t break the number one rule which is that you can’t alter the future.
me: That’s the number one rule?
Matt: Yes.
me: According to who?
Matt: Everybody knows that.
me: More number one than love thy neighbor?
Matt: Well, you’re being silly.
And apparently I’m useless enough that I couldn’t alter the course of the future. Even if I tried.
my mama always said 