"Sir," the President began after a long pause, perhaps to gather his thoughts. "With all due respect, I would like to ask a few questions about your Time Machine and if possible, take a closer look at it."
Humbled by the title, the scientist stood up and waved to the president to follow his lead. He walked towards the bookshelf beside the fireplace. upon noticing this, the president stopped and looked at the scientist, who had a mischievous smile on his face.
The president breathed finally, when the scientist pulled aside a book and a doorway revealed itself in the stone wall. he obeyed the beckoning to follow, this time and tried to hide his surprise when they entered the laboratory he had been in earlier, after under five minutes.
"By all means Mr President," the scientist said, as he drew aside the tarp covering the Time Machine and pointed towards it.The President moved closer. He still could not put much stock in it than in his bath stall at home. But he used the opportunity to gather his thoughts again.
"Sir," he began, "May I have the honour of calling you by your first name?"
"Of course, Mr. President." came the reply.
"Then you must call me Abe, James" continued the President. "Has anybody ever tried your invention?"
"You do go straight to the point Abe," remarked James.
James Bogardus was well known for his other inventions - the cotton-spinning machine popularly called a ring flier, and the mechanized engraving machine which was now used to engrave dies for bank notes.
He was always working on something new, and his work was of interest to the political scene because of his second invention but he had come a long way. He made money from his cast-iron architecture in Washington so he was back where he started - inventing the impossible. A machine that passes through time.
The answer to the question was simple but it brought back to his mind the tireless journey he had had to go through to get there.
"Yes." he replied.
"Did the person return? How long was he gone?" asked Abraham Lincoln.
"I am standing before you Abe," James replied, "so that should answer the first question. As for the second, I was gone for a few minutes, but I spent hours in the year 2000."
Abe came closer, and began asking a lot of questions which James replied patiently. When Abe seemed to pause and let his mind assimilate all he had heard, James gave him a warning.
"When you get to there do not try to change anything or bring anything back with you. You must not change the course of history because that simple act can disrupt time and the consequences can be far reaching, even beyond our expectations."
"How do you know I want to time travel?" Abe asked, looking away from the machine for the first time in that hour. he smiled back at the inventor.
"Because that is the reason you did not laugh at my joke this morning during the inspection," replied James. "Because that is the reason the tour took place in the first place."
"You think so?" asked the reknown gentleman, as he rubbed his chin in thought.
"I know so," James replied. "And because you believe."
"I would like to explore what the future holds for slavery abolition," President Abraham Lincoln began as he paced back and forth. "If it is not abolished, what becomes of America? Will America still remain divided if I do not do something about it now? If I leave it to my successor? There are so many questions I need answered! I am concerned about the future of this country and will not do anything to jeopardize its progress as one!"
"So you think a trip to the future will aid you in your quest." James interrupted as he poured tea at the little tea table that Abraham had not noticed until then.
"Yes," exclaimed the president. "Whatever the future holds, I can see it and plan towards it, or..."
"against it."James finished off for him, as he handed over the cup of tea.
Abraham looked fleetingly at the fine bone china before taking a sip. James waited for him to finish his tea, trying hard to contain his own smile. There was no other decision - Abraham would get to travel to the future, if only once.
James Bogardus stretched his hand to receive the tea cup and saucer, and Abraham Lincoln gave it back automatically."Thank you," he murmured.
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