Thursday, November 11, 2010

The Pendulum Swings On and On

I  stand on gray museum marble, watching the pendulum’s parachronistic swing.
A strange desire fills me. I dismiss it as madness. 
Sensing movement, I turn. A familiar gaze, like looking at an old mirror, cracked and gray, meets mine. "I’ll see you in twenty years," he says. 
He jumps, gracefully arcing, mounting the oscillating arm like a fireman's pole. Our mental connection surprises me, then he winks and I understand. 
My vardoger fades out of existence.
I replay the scene in my mind over and over, so that when the time comes, I’ll be able to execute it perfectly again.

27 comments:

  1. A combination of really funny, and 'what the hell is that?'

    Not sure if that's what you were going for, but it put a smile on my face.

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  2. This story adeptly pulls a lot together: time, the importance of time, not being afraid of time's ultimate result. Great stuff!

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  3. James;

    Thanks. It does have a WTF element to it. It is a bit Groundhog Day meets Dr. Who, though instead of a Tardis, its a Pendulum. The doppelganger is a favorite instrument of mine, especially the vardoger version. I'm glad you liked it! :)

    Jason;

    Thanks! I'm glad you got the whole time theme. Would we be able to recognize ourselves twenty years from now? What would that deja vous be like? Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  4. Very cool story. Intriguing at how time works. Seems to really bend (or swing like a pendulum) here.

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  5. Eric;

    Thanks for the comment! Time is a very interesting subject, indeed. I love reading about it, one of my favorite non-fiction books is "A Brief History of Time," by Hawking. Messing with time travel, time warps and time loops are fun for a spec fic writer, aren't they? I'm glad you liked it!

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  6. Great writing, keep the reader guessing, in anticipation and in question.

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  7. I miss the pendulum at the American History Museum here in D.C. I could literally stand and stare at it transfixed until the next hour rolled by. Very deja vu

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  8. Another great one Maria. These short short ones are really fun to read. This one is great... living and waiting - it's what we do.

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  9. Oh I really got it, it's just my thing. Parachronistic swing, fab. Museums, mirrors. Wonderful. More please.

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  10. Oh that's bloody fantastic!!! Can't say much else than that. Just very well executed.

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  11. Fabulous descriptions here Maria! You've wrapped so much into such a short space. Just fantastic!

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  12. A cool little write, executed perfectly.

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  13. Thom;

    Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you like it! :)

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  14. Monica;

    Thanks for stopping by. I felt the same about the one at COSI in Columbus, OH when I was a girl. Field trip wanted to move along, but I wanted to see a pin get knocked over. I'm sad to say I did not win that one. But it was fascinating all the same!

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  15. Jim;

    Thanks, man. I'm glad you like it!

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  16. Alison;

    Thanks for the comment! I'm happy you enjoyed it. :)

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  17. Icy;

    Wow! What a great comment! Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

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  18. Deanna;

    Thanks! I'm really happy you like it. :)

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  19. Erin;

    Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you like my little time travel story. :)

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  20. I absolutely love this foreshadowing of things to come, especially the use of a vardoger, and its setting - the pendulum in the museum, a moving measure of time in a house of objects fixed forever in their time. Wonderful writing!

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  21. Kath;

    Thanks for that awesome comment my friend! I'm thrilled everyone likes this little timepiece so much. Sweet!

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  22. Loved it! Short, Sweet, and I think it said everything it needed too. Well Done.

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  23. I liked the image of him jumping on the pole. I'm pretty sure the 20 year ago me would not recognize the now me. And I'm hoping I won't recognize the 20 year in the future me.

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  24. I really enjoyed this. Not entirely sure I understand all of it, but I enjoyed it. :)

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  25. Catherine;

    Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

    Jason;

    Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm happy that you enjoyed my weird little time travel/de ja vous/doppelganger story!

    Aidan;
    Thanks! I'd like to be the 20 year ago me again. I would do so many things differently. But we all say that, don't we. I'm glad you liked the story.

    Sam;
    Thanks! It's a very odd story, I agree. I wanted to leave a little mystery for the reader to put together...I'm happy you enjoyed it!

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  26. Fascinating piece, Maria. I really enjoyed it. I hope the main character is able to do what he/she needs to in twenty years.

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