"Please did you see a gentleman in outlandish clothes like mine in this place this evening?" the young man at the bar heard behind him. He turned around and
shook his head in confusion. Then he turned to the drunk beside him and asked,
"Is Halloween still on?"
The other guy shook his head.
"Please I asked you a question," James said again, this time in a pleading tone. He'd sent the Sixteenth President of the United States of America to the
wrong year, and he'd panicked and come in after him. He had not thought of how hard it would be to trace him.
"If you mean the guy in the Abraham Lincoln Halloween costume, yes I saw him," replied the young man, who was closer to being drunk than he was an hour
before when Abe had been with him. "He asked me so many funny questions. Thought the year was 2000, said he didn't know elections was going on, and all
sorts."
"Are you both due for a gig or something?" he asked James.
"Yes," James replied, not bothering to decipher what 'gig' meant. "We are. Please can you direct me to where he is right now?"
"Can't help you wi' that, am afraid." replied the young man. "He went out to see the town."
"Thank you." murmured James, now feeling panic anew. Chicago, Illinois in 2000 was extremely big, and overfilled with people of all sorts and ages. As he
moved towards the door, he dreaded the crowd he would be seeing on the other side.
"Why don't you call his cellphone?" suggested the young man. "Its easier that way. You can stay here and wait for him and tell me all about your gig."
"Thank you Sir, but I think its better to search for him." James said again. How was he supposed to know what a cellphone was? Was Abraham in prison?
After wandering around for another hour, James had too much information: The Democratic Rally was holding in Chicago, about 5 blocks from the tavern that
they had landed through - as if he knew what sort of blocks they were refering to; the Democratic Candidate was a black man who's father was an African; and
who had an Arabian middle name; the Republican candidate was very old, and his vice - presidential candidate was a woman. But he could not find Abe.
Despairing the more as time seemed to speed by on his pocket watch, James stood at the corner of a building, pausing for breath beside a young lady overladen
with badges that read "Obama for President". Where would Abraham go in this madness?
He asked himself.
"I take it Halloween is not over for you too," the lady said to him.
"Pardon me?" James asked, not quite understanding what she was saying.
"I thought you were friends with the guy in the Lincoln costume," she said. "You are dressed alike. But who are you playing as?"
"James Borgadus" James replied.
"Never heard of him," the lady replied.
James stared at her for a few minutes, before remembering to use the opportunity.
"Please I am looking for my friend, the person you just said wore the Lincoln attire," James said.
"Attire?" repeated the lady. "Wow. Such a quaint word. Your friend badgered me with so many questions, then asked for directions to the library."
"The library?" repeated James. "Where is that?"
She gave him directions, and waved him off as a mob of people approached them. James hurried in the direction she had pointed.
They had a little over an hour to return to the tavern and to their own time. He didn't know if the window opened after that.
He needed to find the president in time.
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