Beyond the Pale

I said, "I traded it in for something a lot cooler." I was getting into that 1940s slang. Dot looked at the little roadster, which was sitting outside with its top down, and nodded approvingly.

I said, "Are there any boarding houses around here?"

She said, "Sure Sheriff. My mom runs one. Do you want me to show you?" And she rushed around the counter, grabbed me by the hand and dragged me out the door.

We walked over to the next block. Dot never let go of my hand. Did I detect a crush?

We arrived in front of one of those big, solid, stone, two story colonials. You see them all over the affluent parts of Wisconsin., Dot dragged me in, without ceremony.

Her mom had shed her waitress uniform and was standing there in a house dress, with her hair up in a bandana. She had obviously been cleaning. More importantly, she was a dead ringer for Eve Pederson, the Doc's wife. Dot would soon look like her mother, whose name was Barbara, and Eve looked like Dot. So, apparently Swedish beauty ran in the family.

Dot said breezily, "The Sheriff needs a place to stay while he's in town."

Dot's mom, said, "You can have a room and full board for five dollars a week. I know that sounds like a lot but I'm a good cook."

I took out one of my hundreds. She looked at me like I had handed her a sack of gold doubloons. I said, "That's five months in advance; in case I need it."

I thought to myself, "Man, I've got to break one of these hundreds."

*****

I had one more chore to do before I went to find Mavis. That was, to get a toothbrush and some 1940s clothes. There was a haberdashery on Main street. It was next to the hardware store and just two blocks from my new residence. So, I walked there.

I have been in a lot of clothing stores. But, I have never been in one like that.

The clothes were in bins. There were none of the subtle marketing gimmicks, and the proprietor followed you around recommending things. It also had the board floor, musty smell and general appearance of a feed store, not a place with fine men's accessories.

The proprietor was an older man, very well dressed and genteel by rural Wisconsin standards. He was talking in a neighborly way to an early thirties guy with a lot of dark hair and one of those pencil slim Clark Gable mustaches above his lip.

Both men were much smaller than I was. But, I had noticed that about almost all the men I had met so far. They scoped out my outfit and the one guy stuck out his hand and said, "Welcome to our town Sheriff. I'm William Morton, the town Doctor, and this is my friend Stanley Wilkes. Where're you from?"

I took his hand, shook it and said, "My jurisdiction is a long way from here. I'm just in town to clear up the details of a murder case."

Seriously??!! Well it was true. The jurisdiction was seventy years in the future and no murder was going to happen on my watch.

I was aware of the irony. If I prevented the murder, then the Mavis I would meet seventy years later would be in her nineties. But, I firmly believed that I was here for some reason and the only one I could think of, was to prevent what was going to happen two days from now.

I loved Mavis with every fiber of my being. So, I didn't want harm to come to her; no matter what the consequences were for me.

I gave a rueful smile and said, "My luggage got misplaced on the way here." Yeah sure! By about seven decades.

I added chuckling, "I can't wear this uniform all the time. So, I need some clothes to tide me over; just a couple of shirts and pants and other necessaries."

The Doc provided a running commentary as his buddy helped me. People didn't run to the doctor for every little thing back then. It was obvious that Doc had a lot of time on his hands.

He said, "We have a nice little town. People are really friendly. We haven't had a Sheriff, since Orville Hickenlooper died, and we could sure use one. When you get your murder case resolved, you ought to think about settling down here. I know they could use you."

I was thinking, "If this isn't a dream I might take him up on his offer."

The total cost for three short-sleeved plaid shirts, a week's supply of boxers and two pairs of khaki pants was almost twenty-four bucks. I paid the man with one of my hundreds. He looked nonplussed. The Doc said kindly, "Why don't I take you to our bank and we can break that for you."

So, he escorted me up the street to the bank. The main thing I noticed about the bank was the lack of electronics; no ATM's, no workstations, no screens in the teller's cages, just ledgers and cash drawers. The other thing was the small-town hominess. Everybody knew everybody else, and there was a lot of joshing. It was like a family restaurant. Not the sterile bank atmosphere I'm used to.

I broke the first hundred and got a bunch of change for another. The Doc chattered all the way down and back about what a nice town this was. It really wasn't a whole lot different than it was in the next Century. There were a few missing buildings and more open lots and alleys. But the general shape of the place was completely familiar.

The haberdashery guy actually wrapped my purchases in paper and tied a string around them. I said "thanks" and was carrying them out the door, when I ran smack-dab into my destiny.

Mavis was rushing up the street. She had her eyes down and she looked a little upset. The door of the haberdashery opened directly onto the sidewalk and I didn't see her coming. So, I stepped out and we collided.

I'm six-two. She's five-two. You can imagine who won THAT encounter. I grabbed her by both arms to keep her from falling into the street. Then I swung her back to face me.

She looked into my eyes and I could feel the energy crackle across seven decades. She, could too. She looked astonished, as well as horrified.

I had the advantage. All Mavis saw was a big intimidating lawman in a Smokey the Bear hat; tools of the trade strapped to his waist. But, I had lived with her as my beloved wife and the mother of my child for almost ten years.

Still, I couldn't exactly whip out the wedding album. It was far too early. I said formally, "Pardon me Miss."

She just stood there staring at me mouth open, with those incredible china blue eyes registering a firestorm of emotion. I was getting emotional myself. I had loved her, and fate had snatched her away. But, I'm pragmatic enough to hold onto my cards. My only aim was to snatch her back.

I said, trying to keep what I was feeling out of my voice, "I know you from somewhere, don't I?"

I resisted the urge to throw her over my shoulder and head for the nearest Justice of the Peace.

She shook herself like a dog drying itself and said hesitantly, "I don't believe so Sheriff."

It was obvious she thought that she knew me too. But, she ALSO felt it was prudent to keep her cards close to her delectable chest.

Just as Mavis said that, a greasy little pretty-boy, complete with cupid-bow lips and a genuine Elvis hairdo, grabbed her by the arm and said, "What are you doin' talking to this guy Mavis. You're my girl."

The condescension and possessiveness in his voice almost made me reach for my Asp. She said, "Don't flip your wig. I was just jawin' with the Sheriff Jimmy." Okay, they would probably think that our 21st Century argot was outlandish too.

He said, "Well you'd better get around to provin' it or I might find myself another girl." And he yanked her up the steps toward her apartment. She looked back longingly in my direction.

At that point the Doc came out. He watched the two of them enter the apartment. He said, That's Jimmy Rawlins. He's a no-good punk. But, his parents have money. She's a beautiful girl. I don't know what she's doing hanging around with him. I guess there's no accounting for taste."

Mavis respects strength in a man. So, she would gravitate toward anybody who appears decisive. Jimmy-boy was an arrogant little shit. So, I understood why she was with him. Of course, I planned to alter that arrangement.

I was just getting into the car when the sound of Mavis moaning wafted out the wide-open windows of her apartment. Air conditioning was a rarity in the forties. So, of course they would have the windows open.

I thought, "Great!! Just what I needed to hear."

I had nothing to say about it YET. Technically I wouldn't be born for another 27 years. But the sound of the love of my life making sexual music with another man just about killed me.

*****

Dot rolled me out at 7:00 the next morning. I had slept like the dearly departed, in the cozy comfort of her mother's house.

Dot said, "It's Tuesday and I'm off today. So, you can take me for a ride in your little car." I loved her chutzpah.

I said, "What does your mother think about that?"

Dot laughed and said, "She thinks you're great. Maybe you can be my OTHER daddy."

I laughingly said, "Out!! You already have one!!"

Her dad was an older Swedish man whose English was questionable. But who clearly doted on his daughter. I think all of that unconditional love was what made Dot so spirited.

Breakfast was at the Hot Spot. It was one of the perks of being a lodger. Dot and I were just finishing up when Jimmy and Mavis walked in and sat at a nearby table.

Dot went over and joined them. She was excitedly telling Mavis about the day that we had planned.

Jimmy looked like he was channeling James Dean's character in, "Rebel Without a Cause." But in his case, the impression was more like, "Rebel Without a Clue."

He was wearing the uniform, of the 1940s punk; white t-shirt, with a pack of Lucky's rolled up in one sleeve, a pair of the old fashioned heavy blue jeans and motorcycle boots. His thick black hair was carefully styled into an oily waterfall over his forehead. The grease was slowly oozing down his nose.

Mavis loves children. I already knew that. She was a fantastic mom in another realm. She was animatedly talking to Dot, while she was longingly eying ME. She still looked confused. I didn't blame her. I was no better off than she was.

Dot was chattering about her day, when Fuckface decided that it was time to be an asshole. He grabbed Mavis and swung her around in her chair. He said angrily, "Stop talking to that brat. You're supposed to be with me. I don't tolerate disrespect from my woman."

Mavis has a temper and Dickbreath had set her off. I thought, "Oh-oh!" She shook his hands off her, and stood up. She said with fury in her voice, "Don't you DARE talk to me like that. If you can't be a gentleman, then maybe I'll go with Dot and the Sheriff."

Then she walked over to where I was standing, took my arm and said, "Can I ride with you two until Jimmy learns some manners."

Jimmy jumped to his feet and approached me threateningly. He was a little guy, perhaps five-six and maybe one-forty, like a banty rooster. He said, "She's my girl so fuck-off, or I'll mess you up." He was talking to my chest.

I had to laugh. That was unfortunate because it made him take a swing. I caught his fist in midair. It felt like a little girl's. Then I slowly twisted him to the floor, onto his knees.

He was struggling to get his fist out of my hand, while calling me names that I didn't want Dot to hear. Except my little friend was obviously enjoying every second of what was happening.

Mavis looked horrified and totally turned-on.

I said, "Mavis is a grown woman and a respected teacher in this community. She can do anything she wants and if she wants to ride up to Eau Claire with me and Dot she is welcome to do so."

Then I added in a menacing tone of voice, "I am going to let go of your hand now, and I would strongly advise you to NOT push this any further. Needless to say, we'll talk again, if you ever think about taking this out on Mavis."

I gave his hand a violent twist, enough to cause him some pain. He yelped and then sat there on the floor clutching his wrist. The other patrons looked approvingly at me. Apparently, I wasn't the only person in town who thought that Dickface was a pain in the ass.

The three of us strolled out of the Hot Spot and got in my shiny blue Ford; Mavis in the front with me and Dot in the back leaning over the seat. Jimmy watched us from the diner steps.

Jimmy yelled, "Take the slut. I don't want her whore ass anyhow."

I almost got back out of the car. But Jimmy quickly ducked into the diner.

I've been a cop a long time. I knew that we hadn't heard the last from him.

Tuesday July 30th was a beautiful sunny day in Wisconsin. So, the top was down. Now that it was just Mavis and me, our past love was beginning to work its mysterious magic.

Long married couples, who manage to keep that special something, have a profound link that binds them at some deep subliminal level. Mavis and I had that kind of intense connection all our married life.

Now, the future was influencing our present. Mavis had stopped staring at me. Instead she was doing the woman-thing where she kind-of melded herself into me. We were just lightly touching physically. But our hearts were beating together, and our minds were on the same wavelength.

Dot said from the back seat, "I don't want to go to Eau Clair. It's too far away and you two are creeping me out."

I said brightly, "Then how about a picnic?" I looked at Mavis. She was staring at me with a mixture of awe, lust and confusion.

I got it. The feelings were so powerful that they had to come from somewhere. But, she couldn't figure out where. I had the advantage. I knew that her future was OUR past.

We picked up some delicious nibbles at the market. It was a little store, not a "super" market. Everything was astonishingly fresh.

Then, I drove us a little way out of town to a spot overlooking the millpond. We had to cross a small creek to get there. I helped Mavis over the stones and Dot hopped across, agile as a little cat.

We spread a blanket on the edge of the bluff. It was where our house would be seven decades in the future. But right now, it was just a tranquil spot in the woods.

I could tell that Mavis was getting the vibe. It was what I'd intended. She had loved her house and she had made it a happy home for almost a decade.

She kept looking at me puzzled. I should have enlightened her. But, what can you say? "Hi, I'm your husband from seventy years in the future and we are sitting on the spot where our house will be. I know that sounds a little bizarre but it's true, trust me."

She would have run screaming to the authorities waving a "Personal Protection Order." So, I just kept holding onto my cards, waiting for the universe to decide what to do with us. The one thing I KNEW, was that Mavis wasn't going to suffer any harm.

She was clearly happy to be with us. I watched her chattering about ducks with Dot. They were both looking at the Millpond. So, I was able to get away with giving her an avid look. It was painful being so near, and yet so far. God! I had missed her.

Then she and Dot, still laughing and chatting started to walk up a little hill. It was where a small willow tree had just started to get its characteristic drooping branches. The two girls wanted a better view of the Millpond. I'd seen the same scenario hundreds of times. Except the little girl walking with Mavis was our daughter. I smiled fondly in recollection.

Then it hit me!! She was about to stand on the place where I had buried her. I leapt to my feet and was about to yell "Mavis!" when they arrived.

She was holding Dot's hand. They turned to look out over the stream, which was full of wildfowl. Then abruptly and without a word, Mavis crumpled, like a balloon losing its air.

I rushed to her. Dot was on her knees holding her hand and saying in an anguished tone of voice, "Mavis, Mavis!" I picked her up and carried her back down the hill. It was the first time I had held her since the day I had lost her. It was excruciating.

Mavis started to come around as soon as I removed her from the effects of the spot. She clutched me terrified. I could guess what had happened and I had no words. How do you tell somebody that they were standing on their own grave?

I said, "You'll be fine now Mavis. It must have been something you ate." Ludicrous, yes; but what else could I tell her?

She looked at me with huge eyes and said, "I felt like I stepped into a void. I was falling into oblivion."

I said soothingly, "It was probably just low blood sugar. I've seen these things before. I'm a police officer, you know." Seriously???!!! I sounded more like a politician.

What I said, must have satisfied her. I put her down. She was unsteady on her feet. She took my arm again and laughed lightly. She said, "Sorry for scaring you two."

Dot chuckled and said, "Thanks for the show. I've never seen anybody faint before." Dot was a spirited little minx, and I knew she wouldn't lose one iota of that spunk in the next seventies years.

I said, "Maybe I'd better get you home." Mavis nodded gratefully.

We picked up our stuff and retraced our steps to the car. Mavis and I had spent enough time together that all the walls were down now. So, it was an easy camaraderie, as we made our way back to Main Street.

I dropped Dot off at the Hot Spot and continued on to Mavis's place. I saw Jimmy's face disappear from the window of her apartment as we rolled up.

Mavis got out and walked around to my side. It was obvious that she was having as hard a time parting company with me, as I was with her. But like I said, how do you open the conversation that we would eventually have to have?

I said lamely, "I hope I see you again."

She said eagerly, "Oh yes Sheriff. I would really like that."

I said worriedly, "If Jimmy gives you any trouble I am just two blocks away. Over in Barbara Hansson's boarding house."

She smiled prettily and said, "Don't worry about Jimmy, Sheriff. I can handle him. He loves me too much to bust my chops."

Then she turned and walked slowly up the stairs. The well-remembered swaying of those round muscular buns reminded me of the endless nights of passion we'd shared. I knew she was too good for Jimmy. I also knew that he and I would meet again.

*****

I was handling this like any normal police operation. In some respects, it was. I was going to prevent a murder. So, I had to know every detail about the lay of the land. As a result, I spent the rest of the day and the next reconnoitering.

I was well-aware of the fact that it would change a lot of things along the timeline if I stopped Mavis's murder. Maybe that was selfish on my part. Because there would be inevitable repercussions. But whatever happened in the 21st Century had already taken place on my timeline. So, there was no way it could "UN-happen."

It was clear that the force that had brought me to the current point in time, which I assumed was the love that we felt for each other, was influencing Mavis's attitude toward me. If it wasn't, I was sure that she wouldn't have been so instantly attracted. After all, I had just met her, and she DID have a live-in boyfriend.

The boyfriend was going to be a problem. I didn't think Mavis loved him, as much as she needed a man in her life. That was one of her special traits. She wasn't happy, without a guy to devote herself to. And she was fiercely loyal to whoever the lucky man was.

In my not-so-humble opinion, Jimmy was a skell. In my years in the police, I had seen thousands just like him. He was a weak, delusional and self-involved little man whose main claim to fame was that he had some money and a dick.

But the real culprit, as I already knew, was Felix Wynn. The last time I had seen Wynn, he was lying stone-cold-dead in the old folk's home. I knew that he wouldn't look like the mummy that he had resembled back then. So, I wanted to scope him out.