Future Lou

Young Lou encounters his future self for the third time this day. Future Lou has yet to figure out the best way to present himself. Telling his younger self that he is from his future will bring about more resistance to what he’s been trying to warn him about.

“Look, don’t do it,” says Future Lou “ You’ll regret it.” 

“Will you let me handle my business,” replies Lou’s younger self.

“You spend almost a month in the hospital and unlike the first time you got locked up you spend thirty years in a federal prison.”

“I’ve never been to jail pops. So stop acting like you know me.”

“They set you up, Lou.”

“Who are they? Or better yet. Who are you? And why is it you always seem to know where I’m going to be before I do. Never mind. I got something to do so I’ll need my privacy old head.”

“I’ll go on about my day soon enough Lou but first I need to talk with you.”

 “What the hell you want? I owe you some money? No. If  you knew me you’d know I don’t know anybody anything.”

“Yeah, I understand that all too well. But you’re about to take it too far and lose everything you’ve earned. Lou you’re doing well. This thing you’re about to get into. Don’t do it. It costs you thirty years of your life like I told you earlier. And that’s thirty years in a federal prison. And nobody knows where you are. Hell I still don’t know where the place was and I was released three years ago. My brother, I’m you.”

“Me!” Lou says chuckling. Old man get somewhere already. How the hell are you me? I know you don’t know me. I’ve never spent any time in jail.”

“You were there. You’re still under the impression that juvenile record doesn’t matter. But they used it against me after I got caught embezzling that money you’re about to steal. Lou, there’s a lot more going on that we weren’t made privy too. After I explain it to you, you’ll better understand why I’m here to prevent you from executing that embezzlement.”

With a broadening smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised. “This guy. Unbelievable. Listen pops. I’m going to ask you for the first and last time. What is it you need?”

“It’s not what I need it’s what you need.”

“So you’re me?” asks Young Lou.

“Yes,” replies future Lou.

 “I’ll play along, but later. Right now I’ve got things to do. Take this with you. You don’t know me or anything about me. And it’s in your best interest not to test my patience so because… 

“You’re about the same age as my pops…” replies future Lou. “Is that what you were going to say… it don’t sit right me smacking you around. So be on your way old man…Feel like I read your mind.”

Lewis stares at his future self with a startled look on his face.

“What?” says future Lou.

“Old man I don’t know what kind of voodoo magic you’re into but I’m not buying what you’re selling.”

“I came here to warn you. I’m you forty years from now. What you’re about to get into you need to let it go. I’m you at sixty that’s why you don’t recognize me. I’m a changed man.”

“So how is it you came to be in my time? You know what? No. I don’t want to know. I don’t dabble in dark magic, demons, and whatever else you’re into. You worried about me I’m more worried about you. And now I know you can’t be me. So, like I told you keep it moving.”

“I or should I say we went to prison for thirty years for what you’re about to do. At the end of the day or three decades, it’s not worth it.” 

“Okay me, thirty, forty, sixty years from now. Whatever it is. What is it I’m doing that gets me sentenced? State you’re case smart guy.”

“That website you’re about to access is not what you’ve been told. That money you’re about to siphon from those accounts. That’s pennies compared to what your lady friend will transfer to the hidden account sitting among those you’re taking from.”

“Okay, smart guy how much am I planning to take?” asks Lewis.

“How about this for a random number $9,733.00. You figure or should I say you and you’re lady friend agree it’s void of greed and it’s random enough to look like a simple mistake caused by say an overworked clerk.”

“So maybe you do know something,” states young Lou. “You know what I think old man. It’s true you not too long got out of prison and you’re lost out here in this world. You don’t know how to do a damn thing cause everything you knew is changed. So you figured you’d hustle this how would you put it, youngblood and leave him with a learning experience while you and that lady friend sail into the sunset.”

“She did that anyway, Lou. You were scotfree. And then a last account number came onto your screen. She wanted the theft to execute without any problems. She told you specifically, no more, no less $9,733.00 then walk away and nobody would be none the wiser. But then another account number popped up on your screen and that was an F.B.I. agent playing a hunch. An agent tracking your lady friend. She, this agent knew nothing about you until you took the bait. She wanted our lady friend.”

“And what was our lady friend’s name future me?” asked young Lou. This would be the nail in the old man’s coffin. His lady friend went by a number of aliases. If he wasn’t his older self he wouldn’t know her real name. He could throw any name out there and he would hit the bullseye on one of her aliases, but he wouldn’t guess her birth name.”

“Acie. Never knew her last name. Then again maybe Acie was her last name. Either way she was quick to answer to Acie. Anything else you called out she wouldn’t flinch. We tried everything just to get a reaction. None. I spent three decades lying on a cold hard floor trying to remember any kind of positive reaction to those surnames we threw her way. I was determined to find out because I knew she betrayed me. Acie hadn’t betrayed me I betrayed me. Greed betrayed me. Greed, Lou betrayed us.”

“What happened to Acie?” asked young Lou.

“She disappeared. Off into the sunset like you said. Island hopping in the Pacific or Mediterranean. Hanging out in Central America, Blending in in London. Acie is a planner. The F.B.I will eventually catch her. I doubt it will be anytime soon. Too many aliases, friends and family benefitting from the favors she does for them.”

“And this agent have I seen her before?”

“No. not yet. She’s undercover. Shortly after you met with Acie you and her crossed paths in the train station. She wasn’t looking for you. Hell you barely knew Acie. So you wouldn’t have been a person of interest.”

“What’s my next move here?”

“Walk away. Acie’s gone, Lou. At this very moment I guarantee she’s at forty thousand feet and no final destination. I felt the same way about her you do. Many make the mistake of falling in love. I get it she’s fun, she’s attractive, she’s smart, she lives for thrill.”

“But Acie has an end game,” says young Lou just above a whisper.”

“That’s right,” says Future Lou “and it involves no one but her.”