Controlling Time: Book 2

Chapter 7

Controlling Time 7

WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY, ROGER Wilcon could not even begin to fathom how humans could possibly continue to exist.  His GPS directed him through the maze-like roads.  Barely any of them had any signs to indicate their names, or even direction.  Once the sun sets behind the mountains, all sense of bearing goes out the window.

The dean of physics’ car slowly navigated the creepy passageways.  Both sides of the road were surrounded by trees.  He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if an opposing car were to come at him from the opposite direction?  Would one of them need to veer off the road—into a ditch—or simply back up the way they came?

Luckily such a scenario failed to come to fruition.  Roger didn’t think he could successfully reverse course the way he came.

He had to wonder why Konrad Eisner’s son would bother living out here in isolation.  This is such a hermit existence, segregated from civilization.  Such a lifestyle would lead to someone eventually going a little bit crazy.  And after that, they may very well become an astrophysicist.

Roger came to a fork in the road.  Neither path had a sign to indicate which way to head.  He glanced down at his GPS screen.  It suggested he should take the sinister side.  Trusting modern technology he went that way.  In the back of his mind he couldn’t help but wonder how much more improved technology like this gets in the future.  What had the futuristic Harold Haskell experienced?  Does he consider what he works with now, primitive?  The dean of physics tried to imagine himself working with the tools he had when he first started teaching and shuddered at the mere thought.  Nearly every aspect is so much more efficient now, than compared to his early teaching days.  If only he had the computer power that is available now.

Scratch that last thought.  If only he had futuristic technology now, would he able to able to accomplish a lot more now.  He rather fancied the notion.

After a few more tense minutes of navigating his automobile through the narrow path he suddenly came upon a dwelling.  To his surprise the home looked modern, and not a log cabin he had expected.  His GPS assured him that this is the place.  He found an appropriate parking place—which from his perspective, is pretty much anywhere, and got out of his vehicle.

As Roger Wilcon approached the front entrance it had already opened.  Appeared his former colleague’s son, Darryl Eisner.  Konrad Eisner’s progeny is a splitting image of himself.  The dean deduced that Darryl saw Roger coming through the window.

“Dean Wilcon,” Konrad Eisner’s son extending his hand outward to shake.  Roger accepted it and affirmed the greeting.

“Darryl,” Roger replied back.  He hadn’t seen him since the funeral.  “I appreciate you taking my call.”

“Your tone of voice implied it is rather urgent.”

“Time is of the essence.”  He made the comment to test the waters, desiring to observe how Konrad Eisner’s son will react.  Is he aware of what is currently transpiring on campus?  Darryl gave no such indication.

“Come in, Dean,” he said.  Roger followed him inside.

“May I inquire what inspired you to live in near isolation?” Roger asked.  “It had been a hassle finding this place.”

“I prefer it this way.  It’s away from the stress of the city.”

Roger figured that his father’s assassination had something to do with it, too.  He hoped that Darryl would be forthcoming regarding sensitive information surrounding it.  Konrad Eisner’s son led the dean inside to the family room and offered him some tea.  The dean also knew that that Darryl made his living from working online.  Again, such a lifestyle would not have been possible a mere two decades ago.  In another two decades, it will probably become the norm.