Parallel worlds

1946– Brooker financial

 I stood in front of the four-story concrete building; Brooker finical the quickest growing company in Chicago. I was hoping to become their newest employee. I had seen the job in the paper early this week and had spent the past few days reading up on the company. I took a deep breath walked through the glass door to my future.

I looked around at the main lobby, tile floor and dark wooden panels with gold accents here and there decorated the main lobby. I approached a girl at the front desk.

I cleared my throat to get her attention she looked up from her typewriter.

“How can I help you,” she asked?

“I’m here for the adviser job, Arthur Roth,” I told her.

“ill get him just wait over there,” she said pointing in the general direction of the main lobby.

I sat down and went over what I was going to say, hi I’m Arthur Roth I graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in business and economics, I know that working with your business would be a great opportunity. I was pulled out of my rehearsal when I heard my name being called.

“he’ll see you now if you just follow me” she turned around and started to head to a set of stairs.

I quickly picked up my briefcase and started followed her we walked up to the top floor, which was decorated similarly to the main lobby. Past people sitting at individual desks typing, looking at files, or doing calculations. On the other side, there was an enclosed office that must be for partners or higher-ups. Until she opened the door to the biggest office at the end of the hall. I stepped into the biggest office in the place. It had a couch and two armchairs in the corner, a whiskey cart on the side with a huge desk by the windows.

He meet me at the door and stuck out his hand I give him what I thought was a firm handshake.

“Have a seat Mr. Roth” Mr. Brooker said as he made his way to the cart.

I sat in one of the leather armchairs.

“Whisky,” he asked.

“On the rocks” I replied.

“so, tell me about yourself,” he asked as he sat down and handed me the drink.

“I have a degree in business and economics, I’m determined to make something of myself I think that joining of the fastest growing financial firms would be a great start” I answered.

“That was a well rehearsed line if I must say so but what about you why did you choose this line of work,” he asked.

“I love numbers, I want to help people do better with what they have and the salary doesn’t hurt” I replied.

“I like that answer much better than your first one, also choosing to take the drink was a good option that’s how I make most deals. I guess ill see you tomorrow at seven to get you settled in.” he told me.

“Thank-you” I said as I offered him the same and shake, he offered me when I first walked in.

I left that office feeling like I was on cloud 9.

Creative collective – 2016

I was running late for my contemporary dance class. I ran through the hall making the odd excuse me and apology along the way. When I finally got there, I was out of breath and pretty sure I gave myself a nice bruise from practically running into the door.

“Just in the nick of time Miss. Walker” my instructor said.

I dumped my stuff in one of the empty cubbies and took off my shoes and headed to my best friend that was in the same group as me.

“What took you so long your never late and you missed stretches” My best friend, Julianna, whispered to me.

“My alarm didn’t go off” I whispered back.

After my class was over and a couple of dirty looks by my teacher. I headed to the music wing where they had a grand piano that was way better than the tiny keyboard in my apartment. I was trying to perfect a piece by Mozart. I entered the music room and the piano was vacant perfect. I took the sheet music out of my backpack set up and let myself escape in the melody. A ding from my phone interrupted me. Crap it was already three a clock no wonder Julianna texted me asking where I was. I quickly grabbed my stuff from the ledge and shoved it in my purse. After one train and a fifteen-minute walk, I was home. I walked into the apartment and something smelled amazing, the advantage of having an amazing cook as a roommate.

After I helped clean up, I headed to my job as a waitress. Once my shift was done, I headed back home.

Brooker finical- 1946

I walked to my desk; I had been working here for a week now my current client was a family looking for money advice to help set up a college fund for their kid I looked at all the information they had given me. I went to the supply closet to get the paper to write up the finical plan I had devised. I walked down the hall once I was in the closet, I turned on the light and started my search for paper. I felt my head spin I leaned on the shelf for support. I must have blacked out because when I opened my eyes, I was now surrounded by art supplies. Where was I this is not an office supply closet I walked out of the closet into a much brighter setting. The floor was a light gray large tile and the walls were painted white but looks like they kept the gold décor from the office. I walked past a room that was full of people sitting at a desk drawing and standing at the easel painting. I looked around wondering what happened to the office just as someone bumped into me.

“I’m so sorry” I heard a voice say.

I looked to who the voice belonged to the girl had what appeared to be very messy hair thrown up quickly. She was wearing an unusual outfit composed of what looked like pants but shorter and tighter. And a casual loose shirt meant for boys.

“Can I help you” she asked.

I just made a weird huh sound.

“Are you from the drama department or something” she asked

“What” I said.

“Wish I could stay in this awkward conversation but I got a class” she said as she turned around and left.

I ran back to the supply closet hoping to desperately get back to where I was supposed to be instead of whatever this was. Once I found the closet all I thought about was my desk back where I was supposed to be. I had the same head spinning feeling and I was back to the supply closet filled with boring stuff like paper and staples I headed back to my desk and started to work. As the day went on I thought about my strange encounter and for some reason, it felt like I knew her or we had some kind of connection.

Creative collective-2016

I walked into my class and made my way to the bar to do some stretches. Last week I was paying for missing them for 2 days. My friend walked in and joined me.

“I had the most awkward encounter with a guy” I told her.

“Sounds fun, let's hear it,” she said.

“The guy looked like he walked off the set of westside story, looked at me like I had three heads, and all he said was what” I said.

“Did you get a name?” she asked.

“No, I didn’t think to ask the weird guy for his name” I replied.

Our conversation was interrupted by our dance teacher.

“Today it's practice for the showcase, get in groups” she instructed the group.

After the class was over, I headed to my only other spot I used in the building. I had started an original piece and wanted to work on it more. After two hours I felt like I had made some real progress on it and actually like it. My inspiration was when me and my mom would take weekend trips to the beach where my grandparents lived, I was always so happy there. The sunshine and waves washed away all my problems for 48 hours. I looked at my phone and it was time to go back home.

1946- Brooker financial

It had been a week since my encounter with the girl, why did it feel like I knew her? Who was she? I couldn’t get her off my mind. I found the first closet I could find and thought about her face and that artsy place. I got the head spinning feeling, next thing I heard was a piano playing I walked out and saw here playing. I don’t know how long I was listening but when she stopped, I clapped I think she nearly fell off of the bench.

“Westside story” she said with a questioning look on her face.

“Arthur, actually” I told her.

“He has a name and speaks in more than a word at a time. Guess I’ll return the favor Wren” she said.

“Wren, is that your name?” I asked.

 “Yes, I know a little more on the unusual side” She responded.

“I know this sounds crazy but I feel like we have some sort of connection or I know you” I told her.

I left out the whole, time travel thing because that would have been a little too far and unbelievable.

“Doesn’t sound crazy just a corny pick-up line” She said.

“I want to show you something, but first you need to change” I told her.

“Ok ill bite, the drama department has a fair amount of costumes” she said as she got up.

As we walked to the dram department, I tried to make conversation as we walked.

“Why did you call me westside?” I asked.

“It's an old movie set in the 50 your outfit reminded me of them” she said.

“Your playing was really good” I told her.

“Thanks, my grandmother Lucy played with me I guess that where I got it” she told me.

After some time, we got to the drama department and she walked over to a walk-in closet that had as she promised a bunch of costumes, she started to look through the racks. She pulled a dress out a light blue dress with a collar and black tie.

“Is this better, for wherever this is?” she asked.

“Yes much better than pants and a t-shirt,” I told her.

“I’ll go over the change rooms they have there,” she said as she left.

I waited a couple of minutes and she emerged in the new dress, I thought about the office and soon enough we were there.

Brooker financial-1946

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Brooker financial 1946 also know as whatever your place is in the future,” I told her.

“Creative Collective 2016,” she told me.

“let’s head to the roof,” I told her.

“It wasn’t a pick-up like, I truly feel like we have a connection that I can’t figure out,” I said.

“What could it possibly be, we live in two different times so we don’t have friends in common we never would have met at a party,” she said.

“Or your family past what’s your full name?” I asked her.

“Wren walker,” she said.

Walker, walker, walker I knew that name I thought. Then it hit me, William Walker.

“Did someone in your family serve in the army during the war?” I asked.

“I remember when I was rummaging around my father's stuff, I found a purple heart, my father told me it was his grandfather apparently he got like three medals or something,” I told him.

“I severed in world war two with a William Walker that has to be it, we were on a mission suddenly booms came out of nowhere I made It out he didn’t always wonder what happened to him,” I told her.

“Maybe that’s why it was me, so then you know he made it out and he was ok,” she said.

“Must be now I can stop thinking about you” I told her.

“Just what every girl wants to hear,” she said with a chuckle.

“So, what do you even do here,” she asked.

“I’m a financial adviser, I tell people what to do with their money,” I told her.

“That sounds kina boring, why did you pick that?” she said.

“During the great depression I saw a lot of people suffer my family included we had to kick my older brother out he was 17 and able to work, so I wanted to help people get the most they can out of what they have. I worked my butt off to pay for college and help my parents out.” I spoke.

“So noble reasons,” she said.

“How about, why do you dance and play the piano,” I asked.

“I enjoy dancing but music is my real passion, I get lost in my own world lets me forget everything for a while.” She said.

We stood there for a while looking at the skyline of Chicago.

“I should go now that we figured out the mystery,” she said.

And just like that she was gone.

Creative collective-2016

I don’t think id ever see Arthur again. I really shouldn’t all the laws in space-time traveler said so. And we had figured out the mystery, we didn’t have any more business in the universe. I was tempted to look up an obituary to see what happened to him given he probably wouldn’t be alive now. After a couple of days of work, I found his obituary. He died at 80, had 6 kids, climbed the ladder at his firm, and even did some charity work. Which includes donating to the creative collective and still did to this day his kids made sure his donations went in every month. I wondered if that donation had something to do with running into me. Guess he was a good financial adviser.