[The Pensioner] a short story

Joe rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t slept well last night. He was 81. He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of trousers and a shirt. His wife had died in 2018. He missed her terribly. Life was utterly meaningless without her. He wondered at times how he’d survived this long. Not much longer, he thought. His breakfast was a bowl of cereal with some milk. He ate half of it before pushing it away. He had a cup of tea with milk in it. He looked up at the clock. “10:04,” he said. “It’s now 10:05.” He stood up and put a wash on. He put a load of laundry in the washing machine and turned it on. He went into his living room and sat down in his armchair. He felt old. “What’s the point?” he asked, though nobody was listening. He was tired. He had to rest a while. He yawned. “Hello,” he heard somebody say. It was a man’s voice. He yawned again. “Fuck,” he heard the same voice say. “Did I kill him?” Joe opened his eyes. An old man was standing in his front door. “Who the fuck are you?” Joe asked. “Fuck, I think I just killed you,” the man replied. “Who are you?” “I’m a wizard,” the man said. “You can call me Merlin.” “Merlin? You’re a myth.” “Fairytales. The tell of truths that people do not believe,” Merlin said. “I am here to help you.” “Why?” “Because you helped me,” Merlin replied. “I am on a secret diplomatic mission to your country.” “Fuck off,” Joe said bluntly. “It’s now 10:08.” “It’s now 10:08,” Merlin echoed. “I always say that, it’s a thing I’ve always done,” Joe said. “How can you help me?” “I have a very powerful artefact. It’s a time machine.” “Fuck off.” “It’s true. This artefact allows us to change the past and change the future.” “I don’t believe you.” Merlin moved to Joe’s fridge. He pulled out a piece of paper from it. “Do you recognise this?” Merlin asked. “Yes, it’s my shopping list.” “I’ve seen this before,” Merlin said. “It is a shopping list that you had in 1992.” “When?” “In 1992,” Merlin replied. “I’ve seen your shopping list, it is the same one.” “Prove it,” Joe said. “Open up your fridge,” Merlin said. Joe opened the fridge. “It’s empty,” Joe said. “Yes, you don’t need to go shopping,” Merlin said. “Anyway, I digress. You helped me in 1992.” “I did?” “Yes. I was on foot, on the road between towns. It was a very hot summer’s day, with no clouds in the sky. I was very thirsty and very tired. You were a young man in a van, a removals van.” “I remember that van,” Joe said. “I had it for three years. From 1987 to 1990.” “No, this was 1992,” Merlin said. “You offered me a bottle of water. You saved my life that day.” “Thank you,” Joe said. “It was an awfully hot summer that year.” “Yes it was,” Merlin agreed. “By the way, you’re much shorter than I remember.” Joe laughed. “Gravity,” he said. “I’m old. I’ve shrunk a lot.” “Yes, I remember now,” Merlin said. “People shrink when they get old. Anyway, that’s not the point. You helped me, now I want to help you.” “I want to be with my wife again,” Joe said. “If that’s possible.” “It’s possible,” Merlin said. “But you must be warned of the consequences.” “There’s always a catch,” Joe said. “Yes,” Merlin replied. “There is. If you do this, then you must not tell anyone that you know me, or that you have used this artefact.” “Understood,” Joe said. “Good. Do you have children?” “Yes, I have a daughter,” Joe said. “Her name is Susan.” “Then she must not live with you. She must live somewhere else.” “Okay,” Joe agreed. “What year of her life do you want her to live in?” “In 1982,” Joe replied. “She was five years old.” “Good. Very good. You are 81 years of age,” Merlin said. “So you will have to live somewhere else. As we’re on a diplomatic mission in your country. Let’s say you live in my country?” “My country?” Joe asked. “Yes, my country. Wales,” Merlin said. “It is a land of magic and mystery. You will like it.” “Okay,” Joe said. “Wales it is.” “What time of year do you want it to be?” “I don’t know,” Joe replied. “It’s spring now, so perhaps that.” “Good. It is spring 1982. You are a Pensioner, and live in Wales. You have a wife, her name is Anne. You have a daughter, her name is Susan, she is five years of age.” Joe gasped. “How do I get there?” he asked. “Hold onto me,” Merlin said. Joe held on onto Merlin’s arm. “Now,” Merlin said. “It is now 10:11.” “It is now 11:11,” Joe parroted. “No, it’s 10:11,” Merlin said. Joe rubbed his eyes. He hadn’t slept well last night. He was 67. He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of trousers and a shirt. His wife was asleep in bed. He was thankful they lived in a bungalow. He got out of his bedroom and into the hallway. He rubbed his head. He was a bit dizzy. He made his way to the kitchen, holding on to the wall as he went. “Brew, love?” he heard his wife ask. “Yes, that would be lovely.” “Did you sleep okay?” she asked. “Yes, a bit. It’s just that I’ve got a headache.” “That’s because you’re old,” she replied. “I’m not old,” he said. “I’m 67.” “Joe, you’re 81,” she replied. “You’re old.” He felt old. He was just finishing his breakfast when the front door opened. It was his daughter, Susan. He’d forgotten she lived with him. “Hi, Dad,” she said. “Hi, Mum.” “How was school?” Anne asked. “Okay.” Joe rubbed his eyes again. He hadn’t slept well. He was 81. He was thankful he lived in a bungalow. He went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. He had a cup of tea with milk in it. He looked up at the clock. “10:03,” he said. “It’s now 10:04.” He sat on his armchair, in his living room, still holding onto his cup of tea. He felt old. He was tired. He had to rest a while. He yawned.

[The Pensioner] a short story

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