“I just came from the year 2020, I’m not really sure how to prove it but it’s true. In 2020 you and I are married and we live in America.”
“Rounak I think maybe this person is crazy,” Rakib says in Bangla.
“I’m not crazy,” I say.
“How did you understand him?” Ron asks, taken aback.
“Because,” I say, “We travel here once a year to visit family. I’ve picked up just enough to be able to understand most things but I still can’t really speak it. Look I know this all sounds crazy, it’s crazy to me but I need you to believe me. Look I know your name is Imran and your name is Rakib, you also have a friend named Shudoy. Ron, you have two older brothers named Bicky and Ricky. In the future, everyone makes jokes that you’re the odd one out because my name is Mickey. Your oldest brother is married and her name is Sheetal. They have a son, well I guess he isn’t born yet but his name will be Ayush but everyone will fight about it because your dad wants him to be named something else. Your mom once told me she let her sister name you and your name means ‘light of my life’ or something like that. Before you’re even done with high school you’ll start applying for foreign Universities. At first, you’ll want to go to London but you’ll decide it’s too expensive and then your dad’s friend’s son will tell you about an American University in a city called Winona. I can tell you a million things about the future but I don’t know how to make you believe me.” The last sentence came out more like a plea.
He looked at me like I was a scared beaten dog, “I do, I believe you.”
I took a sigh of relief and felt tears spring to my eyes, I looked to his friends and could tell they didn’t believe me. Imran piped up saying, “Can’t believe you marry an American.” He laughed at his own joke and I relaxed a bit more.
I look back at Ron, “Do you have any questions?”
“What’s my job?” he asked.
“You’re like a mathematician.”
“Ew,” he said.
“Well not really, your actual title is Data analyst. It’s a really great job. We were able to buy a house right away. By the time it’s 2020 we have more money than we know what to do with, to be honest.”
We sat there talking about the future and looking out across the water for a while. Some answers made him believe me more and others seemed to make him more skeptical, but I answered all truthfully. I was telling him about the two little dogs we have in the future when I noticed something hard poking me in my pocket. I pulled it out revealing a combination lock. It had 6 spinning sections that alternated letter, number, letter, number, letter, number. I looked at it for a moment. Ron looked to my hands, “What’s that?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied, “It’s some kind of combination lock but I’ve never seen it before.” I stared at it for a time before saying, “Maybe this is like a video game, maybe this is a clue to what’s going on.”
“Or maybe it’s a puzzle,” Ron says.