Time Machine

OK, yesterday I created a misunderstanding. I'm sorry 'bout that. Yesterday was not my birthday. According to my mom, my due date was January 31st. But, I was born six days later, on February 6th. Again, thanks for all the well-wishes. And, if you've already wished me a happy birthday, there's no need to repeat on the 6th. Thanks to all of you! So many wonderful well-wishes - so unexpected and welcome!

Now, I also jokingly mentioned wanting Prof. Hawking to deliver a time machine to me as a present. Something I could use to get more hobby work done. I actually had a discussion with my mother about time machines not too long ago and I determined what I would do if I actually had one.

See, my father was the youngest of three and growing up in the coal fields of West Virginia, they didn't have much - life was rough. Grandfather Frank was paid in scrip (money printed by the Kingston Pocahontas Coal Company and good only at the company's general store) and all the company store merchandise was ridiculously over-priced. Not only was the store owned by the Kingston Pocahontas Coal Company, but also the houses in which the miners and their families lived. The miners were also paid in scrip which was non-exchangeable for American currency, so these poor miners were trapped - so to speak - by their employers. This was true at any coal mine, in any coal town, throughout Appalachia, during this time. Any Christmas gifts my father and uncles received were purchased at the company store and were very meager.

My father told me about one Christmas in particular when he and his two older brothers each received one tinker toy and one orange. By that evening, Dad's toy was broken.

I remember when Dad first told me that story, I was heart-broken for him. I decided right then and there that if I could go back in time, I would go back to that Christmas day in the late 1930s and take Christmas toys to my dad, Uncle Romie, and Uncle Curtis.

That's what I would do with my time machine. What would you do with yours?