Letter from a seven-day time passanger (1), page 1

From: Gregg Wood [gzwood-ts00013465]
To: Sara Yan [yaneffa-ts003012]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: bring me back something from rome

Dear Sara,

The trip is going awesome! We only got one day in the first excursion but I tried to take down as many notes as possible. May take an extra day to check out Babylonia, will cost extra. But I’ll be back before Sunday. Here’s a sneak peak from yesterday’s journal. ….

….I stood on the edge of a grasslands with the man I called Austen. When I arrived in the morning I wouldn’t have called Austen a man at all. The small band, the communal family he was a part of was something less than man, more of a fifth great ape in my eyes. But after just one day, it was impossible to deny their humanity.

A couple of the other passengers had gone out gathering with the women. A large part of me wishes I’d gone with them (Apparently that’s where the action is) One of them even let Jill, a passenger, hold one of the babies. You should have heard Jill’s description of it later at dinner, “Cute but f*ing frightening. Like a puppet that might be my great, great, great, great, great grandfather peeing on my shirt.” I about died laughing.

Out with Austen, though, I had the thrill of my life. While the others were out finding roots and other things to eat, Austen and a couple of the others had their sights set on a heard of something VERY LARGE. I couldn’t’ help but think how completely impractical hunting these beasts would be. It’s so hot out here I’m sure the meat would be bad soon enough that it’d hardly justify the effort.

I had expected a great sense of superiority on the first excursion. We were told not to try to impress them or anything like that, but still I imagined them being amazed by how clean and bright our clothing or jewelry was, or something kind of like that. Strangely, they weren’t impressed at all, or at least didn’t show it. I might as well have shown my Rolex to a chimpanzee.

But as I followed Austen and his friends (family?) out onto the plains, it was I who felt insignificant. The sudden realization that I was in a world of animals- giant things that would kill me as the nearest police officer at his lunch ten-thousand years away. For a moment I regretted my decision to buy the 7 day package instead of the cheaper 3 or 5.

This feeling of being small made me realize just how small Austen was also. Nothing like the cavemen or tarzan’s you envision. I knew that after I left that night Austen would be out there still in the world of animals and even though I know how the big-story ends, I wanted to know how Austen’s story ended. Sentimental I know.
But at the time, I was mostly just hoping the guide would catch up with us.

Austen worked all day bashing one thing against another to make a weapon that looked like it could be sold in some proto-human department store. His friends did the same. In the late afternoon just before twilight, I took my attempt at a spear and followed the group out to the plains. Whatever those large things were still grazed. That was their place for the day, and once again I wondered just how crazy someone, something, or anything related to me would be crazy enough to disturb them. As we approached them, slowly they seemed unalarmed. Then all the men pounced at once as I stepped back from the thrashing that followed.

Most of the big things ran away. But the one with the spear in his chest gave a good fight. There was a time,
after one of the other’s got a nasty beast-foot to the head that I thought the men would retreat. I had been hungry, but at this point- even though I had some food in my jacket- I just couldn’t eat. There was the most awful kind of carnage taking place in front of me. I’m not sure how far back I was, but I’m sure it was far enough to call me a coward. And in the middle of these thoughts, of whether or not I was a coward, the thing died.

We made our way back to the edge of the forest where the story began. Austin and the others brought little back at this time, but I was sure they’d go back very shortly. It was time for me to leave. I wasn’t sure if what I had just witnessed was a part of my humanity, or something we’d mostly grown out of, and I still wondered why Austen picked this pursuit on a day when there was plenty of easy food to be had. It seemed so un-logical. I got a call on the radio they gave us and had to head back. Austen and the others were preparing to walk back out to the beast’s carcass without me.

Right before I left I noticed a determination in Austen’s face that was distinctly like us. It was a different king of determination then the one he had while making his weapon. It was a look of purpose, the kind that can only come from some greater belief in progress or possibility. I realize now that Austen’s hunting, as impractical as it was, was an accomplishment the same way I thought about that promotion or my first marriage. But it was a bigger kind of accomplishment.

I’m not sure at all, well, in fact I’m pretty sure I might be wrong. But, I think Austen’s actions that day were something special, maybe even a unique time in history. It’s like I got to witness the realization that even though his life was one of hiding and scavenging, if that giant creature out there on the plains could fall under the force of his determination then maybe that valley itself could be next. And then the hills, the other places that he’d occasionally roam in and out of, and on and on into the horizon.

I have to admit, I didn’t want to start back this far, but it was worth it!! Btw, I asked the guide and if you want something from 2 places I think I can pull it off.

Love u,
Gregg