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ted-s

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

“I like this one!” Liza said.

“Really?” Dylan asked.  “The colonial houses are cool, but this…?”

“The Jazz Age, my favorite.”

Liza turned, drinking in the restored house.  It was so familiar.

An old photo on the wall showed the house as it was on November 4, 1919.  She had been there!

But that was impossible.

As she glanced around, irrational thoughts crossed her mind.  “That table fits, but it isn’t the table,” or “That’s not right!”

She stepped out of the house. It was no longer summer. Edward drove up in his brand new 1920 Ford.  She was home.

***

Word count = 100

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.

***

I was thinking Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, NH.  It is an old residential section turned into a museum.  It has homes restored to look like different eras from the 1690s to the 1950s. One house had all of the periods represented as it had been lived in continuously for over 250 years.   So this house that Liza liked was restored to 1919, but Dylan liked the houses from 1695 better….

66 thoughts on “Home”

  3. Rowena

    Great story, Trent. There have been quite a few jokes about time travel lately and to make sure you don’t set the dial to 2020. I had a look through to the link and really enjoyed it. Americans seem to loved these recreated historical scenes and places. We don’t have much of that here in Australia. It looks really interesting and I could live there for a year o so and just soak it all up.
    Hope you’re keeping well. I’ve been immersed in my research again trying to join up some dots and getting contradictory results. I always do a family history study on the people I am writing bios on and it really adds a lot of texture to their stories, but like some of my difficult ancestors, some like to hide in the shadows and are difficult to trace. However, this only makes the eventual triumph only more rewarding.
    I’m putting together a series of bios of people who were outliers on the home front during WWI here in Australia. I came across these people researching the soldiers and their bios and I thought they made powerful examples of how one person can make a difference. It’s been an encouraging covid project because we need encouragement right now and to be reminded that we as individuals can prompt massive change. That’s what I particularly love about Greta Thunberg. Whether you agree with her message or not, she shows what an impact one person can make.
    Meanwhile, the dogs just want me to throw the ball and aren’tconcerned about my tappings on the desk. Rosie has dropped half a tennis ball on my desk and is leaning over me, paws on my lap…”Move it!”
    Best wishes,
    Ro

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      My dogs are pretty much the same, though the cats enjoy the lap…
      Compared to Europe or Asia, our history here is pretty thin, but people do like it. A lot of towns and cities that have a deeper history have historic houses converted into museums. Strawbery Banke is a great place to visit.
      It sounds like your research is going well, even if some of the people left a frustratingly thin trace. As you said, keeps you busy during the year of Covid.
      And, yeah, time travelers need to be aware of 2020, though compared to other years, it isn’t really that bad. Better than 1918!
      Hope you are having a great weekend :)

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Rowena

        Yes, 1918 is another year I’d avoid.
        I had a pretty good weekend. Went on a picnic with friends today and a walk with Geoff on the beach afterwards. We’re on the downward run to Spring and it always seems to get very cold and windy just before the weather turns. No sailing yesterday and gusts of sand were blowing down the beach today. It was rather atmospheric, especially wearing my jacket.
        Hope you’re having a great weekend too!

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. trentpmcd Post author

          The weekend is good so far – we are going the other way – we had a few autumn like days, but a return to summer is in full swing. Have a great week!

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  5. Sandra Conner

    There are a couple periods in my own lifetime that I’d happily return to, but if I had to choose a period beyond that, I’d choose 1945. Of course, that was just 3 years before I was born, so I guess I’m not so adventurous after all.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      There is something very cool about the 1920s, but only to visit – I would not want to have to look forward to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl and then WW2! And I wouldn’t want to be much earlier (I like indoor plumbing ;) ).

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks, Isadora. My thought is she always thought she belonged in the early 1920s, and somehow really did belong there (reincarnation? maybe, maybe not). Anyway, somehow she did travel back to where she really belonged, to that time and place.

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      One thing I love about FF is the different interpretations – I was thinking someone either born into the wrong time, or reincarnated and wanting to go back, being returned to the proper time, back to the place/time they belonged…

      Liked by 1 person

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  10. Dale

    I love this, Trent! Hmmm… to not fit in to the time you were born (originally?) and to be able to find where you do is rather intriguing an idea. Poor Dylan, though. Original take!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Hi Dale, Yes, that is how I thought about it, though the way others interpret it (she is a time traveler that got stuck in the wrong time, but finally found a way home) does make sense. Poor Dylan – literally losing a girlfriend must be hard to take. i hope the police don’t get involved ;) Thanks.

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Yeah, in many ways 1920 is much better than 2020. For one thing, their pandemic is mostly behind them. They still have the Great Depression and WW2 to look forward to, but what is in our future?

      Liked by 1 person

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  19. Nancy

    Love this! Two of my favorite things, old houses and time travel! I read a book once (wish I could remember the title) where the guy was able to travel back in time by renting an apartment in a really old building off Central Park, furnishing it in only period pieces and dressing in period clothes. He would go to sleep and then wake up, leave the hotel and be back in 1900. I like the idea of the old house even better but I wish your story was longer. There is so much possibility!

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks! In ways this is a similar idea – she entered that house restored to a time period, and walked out actually in that period. I might do a longer story to flesh it out a little…

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      It is funny, because there are many interpretations in the 100 words :) I was thinking that she had been born into the wrong time, never fit in, and finally found the right age (year), but your interpretation works really well.

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Thanks! The house itself is just a recreation of how it would have been in 1919, but somehow it also transported Liza back to where she belonged (or I hope so, for Liza’s sake ;) ).

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