Friday night. Just got home from my 9-5 and am exhausted. Can't change into my pj's yet, because we are running out to grab a pizza . Only then can I get comfy. In the meantime, I dip club crackers into hot sauce because I skipped lunch and am starving.

I flip on the roku and Indiana Jones and the Temple of doom is streaming. I remember when I was a kid, my parents hired a babysitter and went to go see it at the theatre. They got dressed up and went out for dinner. My mom put on a black dress and red lipstick and I could smell her Shalimar perfume. They came home late, a little tipsy, and she told me there was a part of the movie where they had to eat monkey brains. Years later, this guy took me to see Indiana Jones where we find out Marion had a son. I married that guy and we had a son. We are divorced now and I wear body spray and khakis and sneakers to work. 

My kiddo is 11. He is awesome. Coolest kid ever. I am the luckiest.

 Sometimes though, I long for an adventure. A break from the old bump and grind. The same routine of cooking, cleaning, and packing lunches, feeling tired. Getting older.. you really feel it. You need more naps. More hours of sleep at night or you have aches and pains, headaches and brain fog.

  There was this weird thing I used to do when I was around twelve. I was obsessed with other dimensions. I used to lock my bedroom door and put on a purple silk robe and tie scarves around my head. I would apply shimmery mint green eyeshadow and hot pink lips. My long permed hair was teased and sprayed like a lions mane and the highlights from using sun-in were an orangey tone. I added multiple necklaces and bracelets so that I looked like the love child of Madonna and a fortune teller.

Then I popped in a cassette I had recorded off the radio. These Dreams by Heart, and I would spin in circles trying to enter a magical portal into an dreamland with unicorns and my powers of enchantment.

  I thought by 2024 we would definitely have flying cars and a more Jetsons-Type lifestyle. Instead I walk up my stairs, wash my own car and still cook hot dogs and Mac and cheese for an easy meal.

  My TV is bigger and flatter. Cell phones offer some convenience and a lot of accountability. I don't like it. Private eyes are watching me.

  Tomorrow I have to drop my son off for a laser tag birthday party and I think I will do some shopping while he is there. He is 

getting old enough now that I actually feel like I can leave him in a public space, because I told him if he is approached by a child predator, he is allowed to kick them in the privates and use the f word and he is super eager to try this.

 The next day it is raining and I drive him to Fun Factory. He straps on his iphone watch, with the locator turned on and load up his game card with $40 for snacks and game credits. He sees his friend and gets into his laser tag gear. I tell him I will be back in 2 hours and to call my cell if he needs anything but to text on the hour that all is good.

  It is still sprinkling and I step in a puddle rushing to climb in the car and breathe. I consider a calm meditation app or a podcast about stress but instead switch on my Playlist and put on the 'Back in time' 80's station I created. Huey Lewis begins 

to growl about the power of love and I head to find a parking spot where I can go online and order some shoes.

 I find the perfect space and just as I turn the wheel to pull in, out of nowhere the car starts to hydroplane on the wet asphalt and I am trying to pump the brakes and pull out of the spin. Everything is whizzing by in slow motion and I am terrified of the inevitable crashing sound. Finally, the brakes decide to perform and everything stops.

 I look for my phone but it is gone. Must have slid beneath the seat in the spin. I put the car in park. I am unhurt. So is my car. No crash. The rain had stopped, it was sunny and the ground was surprisingly dry.

 Whew. I climb out and with shaky legs I begin to walk toward a gas station because I could really use a diet coke.

I pull open the door, and head straight back to the refrigerator section and grab a can. I walk to the front to pay, passing a cooler of ice full of Bartles and James wine coolers in glass bottles. Man, I hadn't had one of those since high school, I didn't know they still made them. I pulled out my card but the attendant said cash only. 

 Card reader must be down, I thought and fished for a couple of dollar bills and slid them over the counter, but he took only one and said "Something else?"

  I shook my head and he pushed the other dollar back and handed me two quarters and some change. Less than fifty cents for a can of coke? Must be bogo, or something.

  There was a plastic bin full of jelly bracelets marked 10 for a dollar and I wondered what back ass place I had stumbled into. This used to be a good neighborhood. I noticed the sign for gas, at .61 per gallon and realized it was broken too. 

 I headed back to my car sipping on my soda, it tasted so sweet, and there was my red suburu but there was a couple standing next to it. They were staring at it and when I beeped the key to unlock it, they jumped back.

" Are those your wheels?" 

I looked at the tires and back at them. 

"Yeah."

They looked ok, no flats, plenty of air.

" Weird model." said the guy..

  Very funny, coming from someone with huge shoulder pads like some Miami Vice background actor. Everything comes back around. His girlfriend had on the tightest, shortest neon green dress and it was giving me major flashbacks. 

 I decided to look around inside the car for my phone but didn't see it.

 I moved the seats, looked under and between, twice and sat down. I drained the rest of my coke and sighed. It had to be somewhere, ugh, so frustrating. I probably had an hour or so until it was time to head back to the fun factory and I really needed to find it.

  It was filthy in this parking lot.

I spotted a payphone booth. There was an actual yellow page book hanging from a chain covered in a dusty black cover.

The couple from before was heading back from the gas station and I called out to them.

"Hey excuse me, I'm sorry, but would either of you mind calling my phone? It seems to be lost somewhere in my car, I have checked everywhere and I can't seem to find it, I thought maybe if you called, I could hear it ring and locate it....?"

"There's a phone right over there, lady."

The girl stared at me. "You mean you got a car phone honey? Is it cordless?"

"No like a cell....Oh nevermind.." I said.

I glanced at the payphone. There was no way that thing worked. They walked off and I sighed again. I strolled over to the booth and shuddered at the greasy looking handle. I got a dial tone. The coin slot indicated a dime was required. After a moment an operator said 'please insert ten cents or hang up and dial again.'

Wtf? I looked down.. I was standing on a newspaper.

March 3 1985.

 Okay. I mean, how. Just how...?

This was crazy. I felt panic. I needed to get back to my kid. 

           *     *    *

 At the Fun Factory, Wilder was hiding behind a very dimly lit carpeted wall. His laser vest was bulky and the hit sensor was poking into his back. His phaser was pretty lightweight but he was sweating. It was hot on the second tier and he had had to bolt up two ramps before he could whip around the corner for optimal vantage. There was a diamond shaped portal he could dash through and slide down to safety, but it was wide open and he could hear his friend John had just got blasted. He was waiting for his chance when a flash of light beamed over the portal and then there stood a slightly familiar looking girl around his age. She was wearing some crazy cosplay and she was blocking his exit. She looked like she had no idea how she had gotten there. 

"Move!" He hissed.

She ducked down.

"Where?" She whispered back.

He rolled his eyes and motioned for her to join him. It was the only way to open up his 

path. She scurried over and knelt down beside him.

"What is this place?" She asked

"It's the battlefield." He told her.

" Are you playing?.. you need gear."

 He handed her his smaller back up blaster. He was thinking..

"You have no sensors, you can't get hit. But you can cover me. We need to get through that door. Quick they're coming...!"

 She nodded. "I'll cover you."

He sprinted for the door and she peered around the wall, firing rapidly. As he slid through, she raced behind him and they landed roughly at the gate. He had won!

His friends were all tearing off velcro attachments and tape and he collected his prize, a $25 game card.

He went over to the counter and got a gatorade and saw the girl. She was sitting alone and observing the scene. 

"Do you want a drink? Or a free play? I have plenty of points on this card. I probably won because you helped." He admitted.

 "Is that gatorade?" She asked. He nodded.

"Why is it blue?"

"It's blue ras." She was so odd.

"Weird. I only heard of green and orange. Whats that blinking? Your watch?"

He looked down. "Oh I have to answer, its probably my mom."

 "Your mom can call you on a watch?"

"Hello?" He said. "What number is this, Mom,  I almost didn't answer....."

            *      *     *

 I leaned against the phone booth wall, it was warm and sticky. 

 "Wilder, listen, sweetie, I may being running late, if I am not there by 5 you need to call your Dad to come get you. Are you okay? Who is still there with you? Did Ethan leave yet, is his mom still there?" 

"I don't see him, but there is a girl here I met, she is kind of weird, but cool." 

"Why? Why is she weird?" 

" She is wearing cosplay or something fantasy. "

"Whats her name?" I demanded.

"I dunno...."

"Ask her!"

"No!"

"Wilder. It's important."

"Fine." I hear. .."Hey you, come here, whats your name, anyway? What? Ok, whatever that's my moms name."

"Mom? Her name's Susan. Like you. She kind of looks like you too, you know, from those pictures on Nana's wall?"

"Let me talk to her."

"Seriously?" Then, "Here, she wants to talk to you, you have to talk into my wrist."

 "Hey Susan, honey, I'm Wilders mom, is uhh, everything OK there? Like is anything 

different? Because, I have this feeling something has changed and I wondered.. how did you get there, where you are?"

 She was quiet. 

The she blurted "It was the song! It was 'These dreams'! I was spinning and when I stopped, I was dizzy and then, I was here! But nothing is normal...."

 Same. I thought. 

"I need to get to you but I need your help, will you help me, help you?"

"Yes."

"Okay, tell me, what is the name of the radio station you recorded the song off of?

"How did you kno-"

"Nevermind that, just what's the station?"

"Umm... it was probably 105.5 TheSpin/fm, thats the one I listen to the most...

"Ok , ok perfect. Just uhh hold tight and uh, put Wilder back on."

  "Mom, whats going on....:

 "Like I said, I think I may be running late, so just wait there, with er, Susan until 5, and if I'm not there, call. your. Dad.....and ...I love you."

"K , love u too." He whispered.

 I dug in my pocket for the change from the diet coke and found a dime. Flipping through the phone book pages I found the number for 105.5 TheSpin/FM.

 I dialed. Busy. Dialed again. Busy.

Oh, I remembered this game and knew how to play. Dropping the phone and letting it sway from it's cord, I raced across the parking lot to my car. I started it and pulled up next to the phone booth. Leaving the windows down, I turned to the radio dial to 105.5 and waited.  

"Hey! Listeners out there," boomed a deep and cheesy baritone voice. "I've got a few sponsors and will be taking requests, next up, 10th caller wins a free backstage pass 

and concet tickets of your choice."

 Crap. I thought. Now EVERYBODY will be calling in....

 "Florida Auto wants YOU to ride in a brand new convertible , so we are giving one away this Saturday! "

I got the dime out of the creepy coin slot, dialed, got a busy signal and slammed down the reciever, listened for the coin drop, fingered it out of the metal well and dropped it again. I had the number memorized now, once, I dialed too fast and got nothing but a ' please hang up and dial again.' So I did. Again. And again. Breathe I thought. Busy. busy. busy.

  Then..... a pause .. no busy signal. Silence. I froze gripping the handle.

A female voice...

" 105.5 Congrats! You are the tenth caller..."

" WAIT!" I cried. I just want to make a song request...."

"Please hold for the DJ, you are on air... wait for him...5,4, whats your name? ok Susan, 3, 2, 1...." 

" OKAY, we have a winner, lucky number 10 Susan , from, where are you from Susan? 

2024 I thought. 

" I just want to make request, a song request, it's literally life or death, please, please play 'These Dreams' by Heart, like as soon as possible!"

"Ok , we can do that for you, but which concert do you want to see, let me guess, Heart?"

"Umm,  sure yeah, just play the song, ok?"

"OKAY, stay on the line so we can get your info, next up is Heart! These Dreams.. Thanks, Susan and all our listeners."

"Miss, what is your address?"

 " I don't care about the tickets give them to the next caller, I gotta go...!"

"This will be real quick sweetie, this is a great prize....."

"Fine, its 703 Oak lane but I have to go... "And your last name ....?"

I dropped the phone and it swang to and fro. I slid across the top of my hood and rolled up the windows. I turned the radio up to full volume......

 This was so stupid, it just might work and I had to try....

There was enough space, if I reversed and put it in park and then pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor and popped it into drive.......

White skin in linen....I gunned it.

These dreams in the mist.... I turned the wheel sharply.

Every moment I'm awake....

First donut, second donut and spinning...

The further I'm awayyyyyyyyyy

I closed my eyes. I opened them.

There it was..... Fun factory.

I got out. A group of moms with pressed lips shook their heads and I saw the rubber tire marks behind my car. Just as I got to the door, Wilder stepped out.

I hugged him tight and he was mortified.

" Hey Mom? This has been a really strange day. But Hey, I won the battle!"

Me too. I thought.

"What happened to that girl?"

"Dunno. She like, disappeared."

"Let's go home."

We got in the car.

"Why are you listening to the radio? Why is it static? Why is it so loud?"

" I lost my phone." I told him.

"It's right there," He said, handing it to me, switching the setting to blue tooth.

 "Why does this soda can look weird?"

"Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I saw HEART in concert? I got these random tickets in the mail.....it said I won them, but I never remembered entering a 

contest until just now."

"Who the heck is Heart?"