THE CABANA PINNELLAS

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Mitchell tried not to look in a mirror these days. Yes he had to admit that his brown slacks and short sleeved button up did not look out of place. The main problem with the clothing, from the cut, to the style, and especially the print was that it did not look out of place. He stood by a palm tree, on the grass next to the curb, and watched the people who were coming and going from the club across the street and, the only word that came to mind when he thought about their attire was, “dork.”

He still had the grumpy look on his face when the young lady walked up to him. His grimace was in stark contrast to her wild eyed enthusiasm. Everything from the setting sun to the spot lights outside the club just seemed to make her radiate joy. She had quite the smile on her face when she reached out and took his hand, “oh, why the sad sack routine? We’re going to have a good time tonight.”

She started jerking him along behind her and across the street towards the front entrance. Finally Mitchell complained, “you call this having a good time?”

The young girl put on a false pout, “What’s a matter Mister Mitchell? They don’t know how to cut a rug where you come from?”

Mitchell had to think about that for a second and, as she was buying tickets, he finally told her, “I don’t even know if anybody still knows what that means where I come from.” She grabbed his hand once more and pulled in the front door. The music inside the club was not only loud but, far from Mitchell’s taste. He mumbled to himself, “and the good news is I only got another fifteen years before I can listen to Elvis.”

The music stopped just as Mitchell was finishing that statement and his date heard the very last word. She became confused and had to ask, “what’s an Elvis?”

Suddenly Mitchell wondered if he should just head on up to Memphis and go ahead and discover the guy. He could get rich and finally have some descent music, all at the same time. He sighed in frustration and only wished that things were that simple. He had long since discovered that nothing ever was.

They wound up sitting at a table that was far enough from the stage that they could actually hear each other. The big band, that had more instruments than Mitchell’s high school music class, began playing a slow tune and that got his date all excited. When she asked him to dance he just replied, “Kathy, I’d rather you just go and tell me why I’m in the hottest state in the union, thirty years before anybody has air conditioning?”

She let out a real pout and let him know that she was truly disappointed before she told him, “our usual methods of conversation aren’t safe anymore Mist… what do I call you? We’re on a date here and I just realized I don’t even know your first name.”

“OK,” Mitchell composed himself, “first off this isn’t a date. Normally I’d tell bright and attractive young ladies, such as yourself, that I’m old enough to be your father but, in this case, I haven’t even been born yet so I won’t bother.”

Just when it did not seem possible that she could pout any harder she did. Mitchell grumbled in frustration and then let out, “call me Cam.”

“Cam?” Kathy winced as if it were sour food going in her mouth instead a funny name coming out, “do all people in the future have funny names?”

Mitchell grumbled, “I can’t think of a name any funnier than a guy called ‘Babe’ even if they did name a candy bar after him. My name is short for Cameron and you already know too much, as it is, Kathy. I think your father explained all of that too you.”

Even if she still seemed happy, Kathy became quite stern when she replied, “my father has spent my entire life protecting me from things I already know,” there was a twinkle in her eyes when she finished her sentence with, “Cam.”

Mitchell slapped his forehead and grumbled some words under his breath before telling her, “look, MISS Langford. I didn’t get stranded here in Jitterbug Land so I could save the timeline only to see our own side screw it up again.”

Now she was pouting again, “what’s wrong with the way things are? Look around you Cam. People are happy now. The depression is over. The war in Europe just ended, the…”

Now Mitchell became very serious. He reached out and grabbed her hand. He squeezed very hard so she got the message, “and that little lady, is what I’m talking about. The war isn’t supposed to be over yet.”

Kathy actually took his grasp a lot better than he might have thought. In fact, she took it a little too well. She actually smiled. Unfortunately, she was also quite earnest when she said, “I’m sorry Cam but, I can’t see a war ending, being anything but good. I know you’re like some kind of soldier but…”

He grunted and continued, “it can be a bad thing if it wasn’t suppose to happen. Now the Nazi’s have time to get nukes and then..” Cam froze. He suddenly realized something and slapped his forehead, “Oh my god this was an episode of Star Trek! Can it get any cornier!”

Now Kathy had a chance to pull her hand back. She also had to giggle, “you say the funniest things, Cam.”

He ignored her compliment and thought about all of this for a moment. When Cam looked back at Kathy he was dead serious. It was hard for him to ignore a pretty little blond headed chick that was obviously throwing herself at him. Cam defeated it by remembering the picture in Daniel Jackson’s office. It was of her, Catherine Langford, over sixty years from now. Cam could see the resemblance when he really looked at this eighteen year olds face. Of course he had the advantage of actually knowing that one day she would be Doctor Katherine Langford. If he had been forced to pull her out of a crowd at random he would have never guessed who she was.

Cam told her, “this is getting out of control now.”

She slid closer in her seat and her smile did not diminish, “I’ll say.”

“NO,” he made sure his lips turned the word into two syllables. “Can you still get a message through to,” Cam looked around like somebody might actually be listening, “him?”

Now Kathy was showing an entirely different side of herself. It was nothing in particular. It was so subtle and it was almost like someone else had suddenly taken over her body and she was no longer a little girl but, a woman and a very competent one at that. She told him, “that is exactly why I am here Cameron.”

Mitchell pulled back and studied her a little longer. Then he asked, “just to play western union?”

She was still acting like her mature self, “not to take a message. To take you. That’s why we’re down here. It’s the only way we could get it arranged without drawing any attention.” He looked confused and Katherine found it amusing. She was still all business no matter how cute he was when he made that face, “nobody said we couldn’t have fun while doing it and, in this case, it’s the best way not to draw attention.”

When Mitchell didn’t respond, it was Katherine’s turn to slap her forehead. She just rolled her eyes at him and then told him point blank, “they’re even watching my father now. For all I know they could be watching me too. That’s why…”

Finally Mitchell responded. He stood and held out his hand, “care to dance my dear?”

The cute little innocent smile returned as she took his hand, “thought you’d never ask.”