One-Way Trip to the Past

Today’s prompt: “Write your own Back to the Future moment: Describe how your parents met and how those tiny details set the stage for their relationship and your existence.”

The ghostly apparition of your hand silently slides through the guitar strings as you watch your parents dance off with different partners. Two days ago, your untimely arrival in the past – bursting loudly through the door of the roller rink where your parents met – so distracted your mother that she stopped in the middle of the floor. Your father, who was careening wildly across the rink, unable to stop, hit another young woman instead of your mom, and after she got back up and helped him to his feet, they struck up a conversation the way he and your mom were supposed to, and now they’re here at the dance together. Meanwhile, one of the school football players turned out to be sweet on your mom and asked her out when he heard she didn’t have a date. And now here your mom and dad are, dancing away from each other, as you fade slowly from existence.

It’d be tragic if they didn’t all seem so happy.