He suspected that waiting rooms all over the galaxy were identical to this one. A twilight zone that all of us have to traverse sooner or later. The décor was functionally plain and there, on a low table, were the publications that nobody ever read. Even here, although taken up, the reader was too preoccupied with the reason he was there to digest any of it. And the other ‘waiters’ always had the same expression of frustration mixed with anticipation. At any given moment, he mused, there must be millions of people all over the world waiting for their lives to begin. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice: ‘Twelvert Rees please’ He was used to the mispronunciation of his name he didn’t correct the voices’ owner on the way in. His host greeted him in an extravagant avuncular language. He could tell immediately he was not liked. ’Ah, Mr. Twelvetrees is it? How nice to finally meet you’
‘And you, Dr. Sprokane, it’s nice to finally be here’
The doctor shifted awkwardly in his seat ‘ Yes, sorry for the delay but we have so many wishing to take advantage of our services. You are lucky you were recommended by an esteemed colleague here otherwise…’
‘Yes Miss Truly was very kind to help me with my application, she believes my motives are scientific as well as the desire to fulfil a long held ambition’
‘Yes some of my colleagues were a little confused by this, can you elaborate?’
‘My father, as you know, was an anthropologist with a great knowledge of, and love for, the planet Earth and its human inhabitants. He even went as far as renaming himself and our family in the style of the Native Americans he studied there - I suppose you could say he went native. Ever since childhood I’ve been steeped in Lakota culture and it has long been my ambition to go there and revisit where my father once was and continue his work. My motives, then, are a mixture of the personal and the scientific.’
‘Is your first name derived from…’
‘Yeah, Jimi Hendrix - I know that name is not to be mentioned here. One of your little mistakes?’
He clearly was unwise to mention the infamous incident. The Doctor straightened in his chair: ‘ It’s hardly our fault that a researcher forgot, or ignored, the rule about taking conscious enhancing drugs and believed himself to be human. And can we be blamed that our race is particularly adept at playing the electric guitar?’
Jimi could not suppress a smile which did not improve the doctor’s humour.
‘I cannot understand why our own traditional names are not sufficient - all this obsession with human culture has gone too far’
‘You’re probably correct doctor but when am I to go?’
‘Let me see now, ah yes, we have a slot in three weeks’
Jimi let out a slow whistle ’That soon eh? Guess I better start packing’
‘You’ve passed all the physical and psychological tests and signed the disclaimer - all we ask is that you keep a low profile. Don’t make any movies or write any books will you?’
‘You mean like Gene Roddenberry?’
The doctor sighed heavily ‘We’ve had 27,023 successful transports but the only two that any one remembers are Hendrix and Roddenberry. The Klingons will never forgive us for the wrinkly foreheads - as if we are responsible for him creating a fiction out of our fact. Anyway no one on Earth believes those stories are true - except for an obscure sect called The Nerds’
‘Ok then doc, I’ll see you in three weeks’
He walked down the corridor and gradually the realisation that this thing was really going to happen started to pump up his heart rate.
‘So Mr. Twelvetrees, how’d it go?
‘Ok, I guess, your Dr. Sprokane is a piece of work ain’t he? He’s got a real hard on for you Miss Truly’
‘You jealous Jimi?’
‘Nah, he’s not your type - he’s intelligent’
She punched him and he grabbed her, crushing her slightly, the way he knew she liked.
‘Looks like I’m gone baby, that’s one crazy reality check’
She started to laugh.
‘What’s so funny Miss Truly?’
‘Oh, I was just imagining the look on Dr. Sprokane’s face if he knew why you were really going. To avenge your father and find your mother and, oh yes, the little matter of changing Earth’s history for ever’
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