Parallel Universes

Space. The final frontier. Unless you subscribe to a belief in parallel universes that exist only in other dimensions not yet discovered by humankind.  In that case, there may be any number of frontiers yet to be explored�

At this point in human history, the idea of parallel universes exists only in the realm of theory and science fiction, right? We see movies all the time that delve into a broad view of possibility and reference or even out right claim truth in the hypothesis. Then, on rare occasions, we find individuals so convinced in their own minds that they have either seen, felt, smelled, tasted, or heard a parallel universe through some kind of personal revelation most accurately described as �an experience.� I am not referring to a drug induced trance or hallucination, I�m talking about the kind of experience that changes a person�s perspective on life and in most cases, certifies  him as mentally insane in the eyes of society.

Curtis Barrymore was one of those people.

At the ripe old age of 72, Curtis lived alone and spent most of his time staring out his parlor room window at the people who walked on the sidewalk in front of his house.  Every Thursday morning he would put on his coat and hat and walk himself down to the county library.  Upon walking inside, he would tip his hat to the pretty young librarian seated at the front desk�but never said a word to her.  Perhaps it was because he was nervous due to the attraction he felt for her despite the obvious age gap.  The young woman watched him as he went to the mircofiche station, just as he did every week. And true to form, Curtis looked up the location of a book titled �The Garden of Forks.� The woman was certain that Curtis knew where the book was and even knew its exact position on the shelf. �So why did he always look it up?� she thought to herself.  �Predictable as a Swiss clock.� The woman watched as Curtis found his book in its normal dwelling place and then took it and sat in a chair in the corner of the library as was his custom.  Typically he stayed and read for about 13 minutes and then put the book back and left (the life of a librarian can be frightfully boring and spying on patrons was the woman�s only joy). But after thirty-three minutes, Curtis still sat staring at the book. Curious, the woman walked over to him, pretending to look for a book on the shelves as she went.  When she was within an arms reach of him, the woman said softly �Sir, is there anything I can help you with?� There was no response, verbal or otherwise.  The woman repeated her question, a little louder this time but received the same response. Concerned that the old man might have a health condition, the librarian reached out with her hand and touched the man�s shoulder to wake him.  Suddenly the woman�s mind was spinning as a rush of pulsing colors flooded her field of vision. She could smell a strong scent of peppermint and she could feel her body shaking.  All at once her eyes came into focus and she found herself standing in a lush garden filled with unrecognizable plants.  Looking down she saw that her hand was still on Curtis� shoulder but he had transformed into a youthful man of about 26 years old. He looked up and said �Hello, Julie.� in shocked surprise the woman jerked her hand away and was immediately brought back to the library. As she fell to the floor in the early stages of unconsciousness, she felt a strong arm catch her before the impact and lift her limp body into the air. �I�m sorry� she heard a gruff and aged voice say. Then everything went black and silent.

Julie woke up in a hospital bed. Curtis was never seen again.