A 23rd Century Girl in the 20th century -- Chapter 4

 

“Well, how did things turn out?” asked Aunt Maudie as the group returned from Miami.

 

“Looks like we may be going on an expedition somewhere in South America,” replied Doc Brown. “We have got to figure out some way to produce some records on Linda, and maybe Lizzie Jane.”

 

“What kind of records?” asked Uncle Jed?

 

“Passports! The very thing I did not consider! We may locate a record of Lizzie Jane’s birth, but how would we get one on Linda – from 300 years in the future? We have to prove she was born and is an American citizen!”

 

“My, that is a problem,” replied Aunt Maudie. “How can we go about doing that?”

 

“Well, somehow we could falsify her name in a family Bible, but who could we say she was born to? Lizzie Jane has adopted her, so she cannot be shown as Lizzie Jane’s birth child,” replied Doc Brown.

 

“Family bible?”

 

“Yes. If a birth certificate is not available, they will accept a family bible. That is as good as a birth certificate.”

 

Lizzie Jane spoke. “I have been thinking about this since you mentioned it on the way back and a baptismal record will work or maybe an old school record. But, none of that is available, either.”

 

Aunt Maudie answered, “You all know that I am against any false documents because that would be lying, but I guess we can use her mother’s real name and state that she is deceased and that part would not be a lie.”

 

“I think the old Bible record is the best way. I think we can write her name in our record and make it look like it was put there nine years ago,” suggested Uncle Jed. “After all, she is part of the family. We just have to fudge on the birth date – about 300 years. We can offer evidence that Lizzie Jane adopted Linda after her mother’s death.”

 

“That may work,” said Doc Brown. “Linda will have to appear in person because of her age, but I will handle the transportation.”

 

After Doc Brown departed, Lizzie Jane noticed Linda still sitting at the table with a strange look. “What’s the trouble?”

 

“Have you not noticed how strange everything seem to be?” asked Linda.

 

“Well yes, but I did not want to mention it. Like what?”

 

“We being on the island just around 1,000 years ago is one of the things. If that is correct, such scientific knowledge should have been in our textbooks. The Tyrannosaurus rex was in the Cretaceous period, approximately 68 to 65 million years ago. Although the continents had separated, Australia and Antarctica were still joined together. That could explain the island being in the middle of nowhere if we were there millions of years ago, but how could the Tyrannosaurus rex exist just 1,000 years ago on an island that now join South America? It lived in western North America – not South America. Something is wrong!”

 

“I know,” replied Lizzie Jane.

 

“What doesn’t seem right to you?” asked Linda.

 

“My mother has talked to me often in dreams and a couple of times I have actually seen her. She keeps telling me that I will have children. That could mean ‘adopted’, I guess, but it never came across to me that way.”

 

“Well, seem like the expedition may be very interesting,” stated Linda. “I just wish your grandmother could go.”

 

“You mean Ruth Fortson? She is in her 80’s. That is too old,” replied Lizzie Jane.

 

“Who is too old to do what?” came a voice from behind Lizzie Jane.

 

“Why, we were talking about you, granny. We are talking about going on an expedition to find out more about what happen when Linda and I went back in time and were trapped in the jungle,” answered Lizzie Jane.

 

Ruth Fortson answered, “Listen here you young whipper-snappers. I ain’t to old to do anything. Remember my reputation – a first class female gunslinger.”

 

“But you said yourself that it was all an accident.”

 

“Yep, it was – but try to convince folks about that. I can tell you one thing. I can still shoot a gun – just not a fast draw,” teased Ruth.

 

“What are you doing here? I thought you went back to Blountsville.”

 

“I was just waiting for you two to get back from Florida so I could say good-bye good and proper. Now you have got me curious. What expedition?”

 

Lizzie Jane explained everything they knew to the present while Ruth listened closely. “It is in the jungle, so I am sure that you are not able to make it or we would ask you to go with us,” said Lizzie Jane as she ended the explanation.

 

“Sounds exciting. Suppose I want to go?”

 

“Well, you have to have a passport and…”

 

“Got one of them things.”

 

“…and .. well, doggone it! You are not as young as you used to be. I don’t think you could take it,” said Lizzie Jane.

 

“Is Jake going?”

 

“Yes, he is my husband.”

 

“Well, mark me down. Me and Josh are going too.”

 

“Granny, you can’t. You are in your 80’s! Besides we can’t pay the extra costs.”

 

“Don’t matter. I will pay my own way! I can still do a day’s work – as much as a man! If you don’t let me go, I will sneak aboard the ship or whatever you go in!”

 

Oh, granny!” exclaimed Lizzie Jane. What am I going to do with you?”

 

“You are going to take me along with you. That’s what!”

 

Perplexed, Lizzie Jane decided to discuss the problem with Aunt Maudie. She was not very encouraging.

 

“Ruth is my mother and I know her like a book. When she says she is going, she will be going and that is that. Josh gave up on her when he tried to talk out of hunting down some Indians and she rode off and left him. He gave in and caught up with her and she had to save his life,” answered Aunt Maudie. “One thing you can say about her. She has saved lives and not got killed yet.”

 

“Well, I will get Dr. Ledbetter to refuse to let her go,” said Lizzie Jane.

 

“Well, he might keep her from it by having her arrested for something, but that is the only way. But, if it came down to it, if she don’t go – you won’t go. She is the sweetest, kindness woman I ever saw, but she is bull-headed and you are her granddaughter. You don’t sass your elders in our family.”

 

Linda, listening to the conversation, began to giggle. “This is something my family never told me about,” she stated.

 

“Well, Linda and I need to go. It is important to me to find out if I actually have my own children or if Linda can be her own great, great, great grandmother,” said Lizzie Jane.

 

“Well, I doubt that,” replied Aunt Maudie. “It don’t seem possible.”

 

“It doesn’t to us, either,” piped in Linda, thinking to herself that somehow she was going to have to correct the family’s improper use of the English language.

 

The time grew nearer to departure. Passbooks had been obtained for everyone by stretching the truth a couple of times. Ruth had retrieved her trusty six-shooter from her home in Blountsville. Dr. Ledbetter was not happy with a woman as old as Ruth being along, but he convinced her to sign a wavier of responsibility. He did the same for Lizzie Jane and Linda, since Linda was not of legal age.

 

The trip was planned to be by helicopter – the same method Dr. Ledbetter and his group had used when they found the skull of the T-rex. At that time, they had only stayed a couple of hours since there wasn’t any major excavation required. To have excavated, a permit was required, which the government did not desire to issue. In reality, it was unexplored territory and the bones of the dinosaur had been located in a clearing, so no one knew what could possibly lie ahead in the thick jungle. That fact alone was reason enough to refuse passage to an elderly woman, such as Ruth.

 

The reason for Lizzie Jane and Linda’s presence was because they had been there 1,000 years earlier through a time warp and, although the area probably changed quite a bit, they may be of assistance in locating the cave that Momma Gorilla made home. George, the small gorilla, was making the trip also since Lizzie Jane could talk to him and he would probably know the jungle very well.

 

Dr. Ledbetter did not let it be known, but he was curious as to what life may still exist since the dinosaur species had survived millions of years and became extinct except for the one small spot

 

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Linda’s last day at school was a very sad time. She had grown very fond of Steve, the boy she met at school and the only boy she had ever kissed. 

 

Sally, the teacher, made the announcement: “Linda is going to be away for awhile. I will miss her. She has been a great help, helping me teach and bringing us some new knowledge which is not in our textbooks. Hopefully, she and her mother will be back very soon.”

 

At lunch, Linda and Steve exchanged sandwiches as usual. “I am shore gonna miss you,” said Steve. “I ain’t never met a gal like you before.”

 

“I will miss you, too,” replied Linda, trying to hide her accent and speak like any other country girl. “But I will be thinking of you.” 

 

She bent over and kissed Steve.

 

“I don’t know when I will be back," Linda continued, "but I have got to find out some things and this trip should provide an excellent source of information.”

 

“Where you going?” asked Steve.

 

“That is a secret. I may tell you some day, but not now,” replied Linda. “One thing I want you to do. Let Miss Sally help you correct your speech. Words like ‘ain’t’ just ain’t proper.” She laughed at the comment. So did Steve.

 

After school, Steve walked Linda home and, before leaving the porch, they embraced and experienced one last kiss.

 

Lizzie Jane, observing the good-bye, thought to herself, “She is kinda young to be kissing a boy, but not any older than I was when I first met Jake. I will pretend I did not see anything.”

 

With that thought, Lizzie turned and walked back to the kitchen to finish getting supper ready.