Updates for Sunday, September 7th [2003]
Addendum:
In addition to my previous Enternet letter, I would like to add that last week Daniel introduced me to Kraft Macaroni & Cheese dinner; he showed me how to make it and provided me enough milk, butter, cheese and noodles to create it. At first it had a simpleness to it but I grew to appreciate the flavour more after further trail, and in the last few days I have eaten nothing but it. A fine delicacy to be sure, Daniel has informed me that even the poorest people can afford great amounts of this food. I told him that in my time, only wealthy diplomats and rich artisans could manage to get a dinner this fine. He retorted, "Yeah, but in your time they had to shit outside."
Editor's Notes:
None Available
Much thought and rest
After a few more days of Adjustment and Rest I am feeling rejuvinated yet confused; my experiences with travel through time are very confusing. It seems there is no way to go back, he informs the businessmen who ventured the interest will start "lay offs" due to closure of the "Research & Development" department of his industry. I am lost as to what to do.
In the meantime, I confered with Daniel as to the best course of action to chuse. He explained to me as follows,
Daniel: "Well, man, I can't pay the bills alone. My unemployment will RULE but I can't pay to feed you forever. You can stay here for now. Tell you what, how about you get a job, help me pay some bills. Dude, you totally came at the right time. The '90s sucked. I can show you how to live it up."
Me: "You really propose I stay?"
Daniel: "We can't take you back to the scientists. I'd get in so much trouble. They think the program doesn't work. And there might even be some kind of philosophical problem with me furthering the disturbance of the timeline. I mean, you're here, all young, what'd happen if we sent you back? Looks like we're gonna have to get to know one another pretty well since we're gonna be living together."
Me: "Well, being in this new time for nearly two weeks has helped stable my scientific mind. I suppose I could use this as an opportunity to learn about the future and the ways of your new world."
Daniel: "Hey, you knew Washington, right? Didn't he write the Declaration of Independence? What was he like?"
Me: "That was me!"
Daniel: "Oh. Sorry, I suck at history."
In my estimation I am in fact much younger than at first I noticed, 30 years was only a Fair estimate. Strangely I seem to be adjusting to the travelling through Time by becoming much younger. I look much as I did when I was 35, which was nearly some 50 years ago. These events are like a lucid dream. This new Youth and Virility must be my gift of providence. There must be some purpose for me being here. It may be a sign for me to stay and explore to learn more.
Being a man of the Old World, I do not know skills I can use here for work. My days as a wealthy diplomat must mean nothing to the world today. I am no Don Quixot.
Another thing bothers me greatly, that being what happened in the days I missed as I travelled beyond time? I asked Daniel what he knew of what I missed.
Me: "Civil war? When?"
Daniel: "I don't know. Wasn't that around your time? I forget. I know Abraham Lincoln was president."
Me: "I don't know who that is."
Daniel: "Oh, well, the South tried to seceed so they could keep slaves but the North wanted to free all the slaves so we went down there and whipped their ass and freed the slaves. There was some other stuff to it too but our history teacher just said it wasn't important."
Me: "A civil war over slavery?"
Daniel: "Yeah. Hey, WAIT! I remember now... didn't you have a big sex scandal where you banged that slave you had with you in Paris? I saw a movie about that. But man, that's sick. That's totally racist. That shit won't fly here. I hope you realize it's not like it was back then, and I'm not getting thrown out because you did something stupid like join the KKK."
Me: "I understand your difficulty. I know I am not of this age. As for my slave-ownership, I'd prefer not to discuss it."
After pointing me to some simple history books, I managed to look up more myself. In the same chapter where I read of the civil war between the Northern and Southern states, I read more related to the liberation of the slaves. A page mentioned a man, Fredrich Douglas. Never did I believe a negroe could go so high as a man of intellect. I may have thought myself to be smarter than the average black of my days, but I've come to realize in these hours of thought that while Sir Isaac Newton was superior to others in understanding, he was not therefore lord of the person or property of others. The same should apply to me and other men.
In my time, I only tried what I knew was best to make the lives of these slaves better, the way things were. When I tried to draft the Declaration of Independence to condemn slave-trading, it was stricken by Congress. My attempt to get slavery banned in the western territories was voted down by one vote. I inherited a plantation and it was not entirely legal in my time to simply let them loose, they were part of a mortgage. Sooner than sneak them away I'd care for them and provide them work, after all, to abandon persons whose habits have been formed in slavery is like abandoning children. I realize that nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government. Nature, habit, opinion had drawn indelible lines of distinction between them...
... and in this year of 2003 it seems fate finally clears those lines. It is good and hopeful that advances are being made towards their re-establishment on an equal footing with the other colors of the human family.
I cannot make excuses for myself however. I simply will say that I did not want history to remember me as a participant of this system, but I guess, it is my eternal epitaph.
Regardless, I will work here to learn more about what happened in the days gone. Daniel will "upload" this for me, hopefully, so I may have it recorded in my journal. I do not understand how this journal works. I am told people read it so I am confused if I should be writing letters or whether it is private. I've seen no people come into the house besides Daniel and his guests and they do not use this machine. Who else could read it if there is no one using this box? I'll have to enquire more about the nature of the Enternet.
I must get some rest so I may begin preparing to search for labour to help support my way, as long as I am here, I will attempt not to become a burden to these people of the future. I will take the remainder of my regrets to bed with me for some more thought tonight.
ever and affectionately yours,
- Thomas Jefferson
Editor's Notes:
None Available
