Chapter 3

MARTY entered the shop where he found the bracelet and went to the jeweler.

“I have an eye on that bracelet.” he said.

“It’s the last one.” informed the jeweler.

“I’ll take it.” said Marty.

The jeweler went to get the bracelet when something caught Marty’s eye. It was Calpurnia with her servant Lorrainia.

Oh shit! said Marty to himself, Calpurnia. This is the day after I returned her from the future. As far as she is concerned, it’s too soon for her to see me. That jeweler better hurry up.

He was too late. “Charlton Heston?” asked a voice. It was Lorrainia.

Damn! said Marty to himself.

“Mar-I mean-Heston.” said Calpurnia, “You’re back already? I thought you left.”

“Uh-something caught my eye.” said Marty, “I saw this bracelet here the other day and had to come back in-just come back here to buy it before someone else did.”

“Lorrainia.” said Calpurnia, “Can you excuse us for a minute?”

“Yes, mistress.” said Lorraina and she left.

Taking Marty aside, Calpurnia asked “Marty, why are you back so soon? You left yesterday.”

“I had to come back and buy a gift for Jennifer.” said Marty.

“This Jennifer is your beloved or as you put it your ‘girlfriend’.” said Calpurnia.

“That’s right.” said Marty.

“Why this particular bracelet?” asked Calpurnia.

“Because I learned it was a get well gift.” said Marty, “I learned about it in a lecture in my western civilization class today.”

“Get well?” repeated Calpurnia, “Is she ill?”

“Sort of.” said Marty, “She’s in the hospital suffering from bulimia.”

“What is that?” asked Calpurnia.

“It’s some sort of an eating disorder.” said Marty, “And she’s in bad shape too.”

“And you buying her this bracelet for to cheer her up.” said Calpurnia.

“Right.” said Marty.

“Marty,” said Calpurnia, “That bracelet could be the same one you saw in class before coming here. If it’s true, I don’t think it’s prudent for you to buy that particular one. It could be the cause of one of those ‘paradoxes’ that could destroy the universe. Why don’t you put another on order?”

“They can do that here?” asked Marty.

“Of course.” said Calpurnia, “Go ask the jeweler.”

Turning to the jeweler, Marty said “Jeweler, how about keeping that one and have another made up just like that?”

The jeweler paused. Then, he said “Alright. But you’ll have to wait a week.”

Knowing that he came to 44 B.C. in a time machine, Marty said “It’s a deal.” Turning to Calpurnia, he said “Listen, I’ve gotta go. But it’s nice to see you again.”

“Alright, Marty.” said Calpurnia, “It’s nice to see you again.”

They both smiled and Marty left.

He went back to the DeLorean. Opening the door, Marty said “Okay, boys it’s time to go back…” His voice tapered off as he looked inside.

Jules and Verne were both gone.

“Jules.” cried out Marty, “Verne. Where are you boys?”

He ran back to the street and asked passerby’s the whereabouts of the two boys but got no answer.

I’ve gotta go back to the precise moment I arrived here and track them down. said Marty to himself.

He turned back to the DeLorean when he caught sight of two boys resembling Jules and Verne hiding behind a crowd of people in front of the jeweler’s store.

Jules! said Marty to himself, Verne. Then, out loud, he said “Jules, Verne.”

The two boys turned to see Marty and ducked into the store with Marty following after them. Once inside, Marty ran into Calpurnia again.

“Calpurnia.” said Marty, “Did you see a couple of young boys coming in here?”

Before she could answer.

“Put down that stuff!”

Marty and Calpurnia turned to see who the jeweler was talking too and saw the two boys.

“Hey jeweler.” said Marty, “Hold them there so I could take care of them.”

The jeweler dragged the boys out from behind a display case of jewelry and showed them to be Jules and Verne.

“Whose are these?” demanded the jeweler.

“Jules.” exclaimed Marty, “Verne, what the hell are two you doing roaming around Rome?”

“We wanted to see the sights.” said Jules.

The jeweler looked at Marty asking “What did they say?”

Realizing, that the boys weren’t wearing translators, he said “Never mind. I’ll take them off of you.” He turned to Calpurnia whispering “They’re Doc’s boys: Jules and Verne.”

“I see.” whispered Calpurnia, “And why didn’t you tell me that they were coming along with you?”

“Because I felt that it wasn’t necessary.” said Marty, “I told them to stay in the time machine while I was trying to buy that gift.”

Turning to the jeweler, she said “That’s alright. Charlton Heston knows these two boys.”

Charlton Heston?” exclaimed the jeweler, “Isn’t he the one who abducted one of your husband’s assassins yesterday?”

“Yes.” said Calpurnia, “Mr. Heston knows them. He decided to take them on a visit to Rome to show them what he saw yesterday while he was here buying his beloved a gift. Isn’t that right, Charlton?”

“Yes.” said Marty, “It is.” Whispering to Calpurnia, he said “Thanks.”

“As you would put it in your time Marty,” said Calpurnia, “‘No problem’.”

Jules tugged Marty’s tunic asking “Hey Marty. What are they saying? Who is she?”

“Oh her.” said Marty realizing that the boys were talking about Calpurnia, “This is Calpurnia, the wi-widow of Julius Caesar.”

Jules and Verne looked at her as Jules said “Far out!” They both extended their hands to her as Jules went onto saying “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

Calpurnia looked confused as she heard the boys. So was the jeweler. Turning to Marty, she asked “What are they saying?”

Knowing that Calpurnia was no longer wearing a translator, he said “They said ‘nice to meet you, ma’am’, or something to that extant. Well, we’d better get going.”

“Alright.” said Calpurnia, “And it’s nice to see you again.”

“The pleasure’s mine.” said Marty as he took the boys outside.

On their way to the car, Jules asked “Hey Marty. Did you buy the bracelet? Can we see it?”

“Not yet.” said Marty, “Calpurnia told me that the bracelet I saw in class today could be the same bracelet I tried to buy, so I followed her suggestion that I wait a week. So what I’m going to do is to jump forward a week in time and pick it up.”

“Hey Marty.” said Jules, “Can’t we stay a week here while you wait for it?”

“No way.” said Marty as they got into the DeLorean, “I can’t wait that long. The sooner I buy that thing, the better it’ll be for me to get it to Jennifer. And besides, you boys don’t have translators.”

Then, Jules reached into the glove compartment and extract a couple more earpieces resembling translators saying “Now we do.”

Marty looked at the two as Verne said “Please?”

“Where can we stay during the week?” asked Marty.

“Does that lady you were talking too have a place for us to stay?” asked Jules.

“Forget it.” said Marty, “We’re at a point in time where she just lost her husband. I don’t think it’s…”

The boys got out and ran out to the streets with Marty following. Once again, they gave him the slip. Marty looked for them. He was thinking about getting back in the car and go back to the precise minute they got out so he could follow them stealth fully when he saw them talking to Calpurnia.

Approaching them, Marty said “Sorry about that ma’am. Now you guys…”

But then, Calpurnia took him aside saying “Marty, the boys who came along with you asked me if they could stay with me during the week…”

“I don’t know.” interrupted Marty, “The plan was for me to go one week forward in time to pick up the bracelet…”

“It won’t be any problem.” said Calpurnia, “Besides, I could tell that you’re worried about what that poor girl is going through. I think a week here would be a good idea.”

“Calpurnia.” said Marty, “The offer is good but I can’t spend a week here in your time. I have to drop the bracelet off at the hospital and then go to work.”

“Marty.” insisted Calpurnia, “Remember how you came here? In a time machine. And from the understanding of it, you could go back to the precise moment from any time you came from. Isn’t that correct?”

Marty thought it over for a minute. Then, he said “Yeah. But what about the DeLorean? I just can’t leave it here for a week.”

“There’s an empty barn that’s never been used. You could park it in there.” said Calpurnia, “It’s the least I could do for the man who helped me get back my husband’s will.”

After mulling it over for a minute, Marty said “Okay.”

“Cool.” said Verne.

“Now listen, Verne.” whispered Jules, “We’re here for a week. Once we’re back in the future, you get started on your homework.”

Verne looked at his older brother and said very somberly “Alright.”

While Calpurnia was talking to Lorrainia, Marty noticed the boys whispering and asked “What the hell are you to whispering about?”

“Nothing.” said Jules.

“Oh there was something.” said Marty, “You two are going to are planning…”

“No we’re not.” said Jules, “I’m telling Verne that he’s got homework to do when he gets back.”

“I see.” said Marty, “And I gather that you have homework to do too?”

“Not really.” said Jules, “But Verne has been taking to many breaks from his homework that his grades are failing.”

“Great.” said Marty, “Just great. Okay, one week then it’s homework or I’ll tell Doc about you coming along for the trip and volunteer that I make sure that both of you do your homework.”

“It’s a deal.” said Jules.

Then, Calpurnia turned to the three time travelers and said “Alright. We’ll have the rooms set up for all three of you when we get home. Then, we’ll give the two boys a tour of the city…”

“Now wait a minute.” said Marty.

“Relax, Marty.” whispered Calpurnia, “The two boys will be supervised whenever they’re off my property at all times.”

“That’s a relief.” said Marty, “Listen. I’d better go get the DeLorean…”

“Right now?” whispered Calpurnia.

“There’s a remote control in the glove compartment.” said Marty, “I’ll use it to fly the DeLorean into the back yard then drive it into that barn.”

“Sounds good.” said Calpurnia, “I’ll talk to Lorrainia some more so she doesn’t see what you’re doing.”
“Good idea.” said Marty and he went off to the DeLorean.

Going to the glove compartment, he extracted the remote control.

Then, he saw a visor and put is on asking himself What the hell is this?

Putting it on he backed away and saw the car. Removing them from his eyes he couldn’t see the car.

Son of a bitch! he said to himself.

Closing the doors the doors, he pressed the remote control activating the car and lifting it off the ground. Then, he guided it to where the party of Calpurnia, Lorrainia and the boys were and let it hover over them.

Going back to the street Marty said “Alright, I’m ready to go.”

The quarry stared at Marty as he was wearing that visor of him.

“Nice shades, Marty.” said Jules.

Lorrainia turned to Calpurnia and whispered “Marty?

“Alright, let’s go.” said Calpurnia as they went over to Caesar’s house

End of Chapter 3

prev    contents    next