Jump Start

It was almost time for the big event, the Time Jump. Maria walked with her friend, Chet, toward the stadium. She scanned the crowd.

Chet said, “What are you looking for?”

“Oh, nothing. Just taking in all the people. Never seen so many.”

“Whole town is out.” Chet said, “They said to get there early. Shouldn’t be too awful.”

“Might even be fun. We’re doing our part.”

“As they say, ‘Everyone will be there…’ Still have time after for some fun…”

There was little traffic. The streets flooded with men, women and children of every shape and size. Everyone walked to the stadium.

Governments around the world mandated everyone’s participating in the Time Jump. It was to change the course of history.

Chet watched Maria. “Is Lenny coming?”

“I don’t know. Did you talk to him?”

Chet scoffed. “Don’t see him coming to something like this. Not really a joiner.” He surveyed the crowd. “Don’t you think it’s bogus? I mean, what happens if I sit it out?”

“You mean, besides getting arrested?”

“I mean, anyone. Not only me. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Uhm… the world could end?”

“For lack of one person? I don’t think so.”

“Everyone is important, Chet. They’ve calculated that the distributed mass of humanity is precisely what would work.”

“But people die all the time. What happens then?”

“Chet, dying to prove a point would be foolish. Just jump. It’s simple. Over before you know it.”

“But their wonderful calculations?”

“Even if I agreed with you, I don’t want to find out. Okay?”

“How’s a baby supposed to jump?”

“Its mother will hold it… jump together.”

“Or someone who can’t walk?”

“I heard rental places are out of wheelchairs. Some think like you. Rather be handicapped than help save the world.”

“Free ride…”

Marie stepped in front of him. “Is this about the jump? Or your irrepressible need to defy all authority, no matter how benign?”

He gestured for her to keep walking. “I don’t like taking orders from some old dead guy who made a bogus prophesy hundreds of years ago.”

“It’s not about being old, Chet. You were born old…”

“Beside the point… Did he prophesy the future? Or is it happening because he said it?”

The crowd slowed as the stadium loomed in the distance.

Maria said, “Of course… Here come the protestors.”

A cluster of people wearing outlandish costumes and tin foil hats stood in the road shouting. They carried signs with slogans condemning government overreach and ridiculing the Time Jump. Some read, ‘Time Jump is for chumps!’ and ‘Nostradamus go home!’

Maria said, “Protesters gotta protest…”

Their lanky friend, Lenny walked up to them. His t-shirt sported a childish drawing of a toddler jumping on a bed inside a circle with a slash. In red block letters, the word ‘DON’T!’ scolded from over the circle.

Smiling, Lenny said, “Here for the protest?”

Chet said, “Here to jump. Support the effort. Don’t like the alternative.”

“You’re kidding. The whole world is going to jump? And that’ll change… what?”

Maria said, “Save the world… Or not. Got to try.”

Chet said, “Actually, I heard that Fiji opted out. So, it’s not the whole world.”

Lenny said, “So, Fiji will be the only country coming to an end? Isn’t this about some guy, spouting off, five hundred years ago?”

“Nostradamus…”

“Yeah, that guy.” Lenny rubbed his chin and assumed an attitude. “Let’s see… someday, something horrible will happen, and everyone will be sad.’” He shouted and waved his arms around. “You’ve got to believe me!” Chet and Maria laughed. He stopped. “That’s a prophesy we’re supposed to believe? Why listen to him?”

“Scientists think this might happen.”

“Except for the ones who don’t.”

“Worth a try… The consensus says…”

“Maria, you know science doesn’t work by a vote. Real science looks at solid evidence, not opinion. Sounds like politicians to me…” He looked at Chet for support.

Maria said, “If it’s so bogus, why is the whole world participating?”

Chet raised his finger. “Uhm, Fiji?”

Lenny laughed, “Because the world is a fool. What exactly did this German expert say to rile everyone up?”

“He was French. An astrologer.”

Lenny stepped back. Trying not to laugh, he couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, well, a French astrologer. Very scientific. Everyone should believe him. But the solution is…?

Marie tried, “I don’t know how to explain this…”

Lenny interjected, “Uhm… Nostradamus forgot to carry the one.”

Chet laughed. “Yeah, that’ll do.”

Maria continued. “The experts say everyone in the world has to jump at the same moment. That impact will slow the velocity of the earth’s turning, enough to throw off the prophesy and save the world.”

Lenny was doubtful. “Can always count on the experts. Are they astrologers too? Why not use an atomic blast?”

“An atomic blast is too localized. The impact needs to be distributed across the whole world. Don’t want anything to cause wobbling. Or radiation poisoning, for that matter.”

Chet said, “Still working on getting the fish to jump.”

Lenny said, “Or we could adjust the clocks. Do it all the time with daylight savings…”

The guys jostled each other and laughed.

Marie was not amused. “Can’t just nudge clocks and sundials. We need to adjust time itself.”

Lenny pressed on. “Anyone heard of time zones? I don’t suppose old Nosadumbo factored that in…?”

Maria sighed. “Everyone in each time zone needs to jump offset an hour from the neighboring zone. We’re jumping at eleven, but the zone west of us will jump at ten. East of us at noon…”

Lenny laughed. “Never before, in history, have so many been so hoodwinked… Hope an earthquake doesn’t cancel everything out.”

She continued. “…So, in a single twenty-four-hour period, everyone will jump at exactly the same moment. This, despite jumping at a different hour in the same day.”

“Why not do it on New Year’s? Everyone is jumping anyway. Kill two birds…”

Chet cupped his ear. “I hear an echo… Anyone remember the Y2K hysteria?”

Maria nodded. “Yes, that was a gigantic hoax. But, speaking of time zones, some jumpers are meeting at the border between two zones. They’re planning to jump at once, while separated by an hour.”

Lenny added, “Do I get extra credit if I back flip? Or pirouette?”

Maria tried not to laugh. “Don’t think so. But you can try…”

Chet said, “Wait… Why are all prophesies bad? Why not, instead of the world is about to end… Everyone will be able to fly? Or become rich? I should start doing prophesies. That could be a good gig. Who’s to say I’m wrong?”

Together, Maria and Lenny said, “Everyone…” They high fived.

Chet said, “Yeah, right. All the jumpers. Moo!”

Maria turned to Lenny. “So, you refuse to jump?”

“Can’t decide. Kind of a waste of time. What if I identify as from Fiji…?”

“Come on… How long does it take to jump? You’re here. Join the party. No point in getting arrested.”

“Or I could jump, but late. You know, off the beat. I’d never be a drummer. Can’t arrest you for bad timing.”

Chet said, “Especially not if the world ends.”

“Right. Being in jail won’t matter, then.”

The crowd milled about, waiting to enter the stadium. Protesters yelled from behind a police barricade.

A group of counter-protesters chanted, “Shun the unbelievers!”

Pointing at them, Chet said, “I don’t think anyone’s mind will change…”

Maria asked Lenny, “Goin’ in?”

He looked at the others and shrugged. “I’m here…”

They got into line and shuffled along.

Lenny said, “So, Maria... What happens after the earth’s rotation slows? What’ll you do with all that extra time? Will we age slower? Will the day be twenty-four hours, plus a few seconds? Or will they spread them out over the day?”

Maria didn’t know. “We could always google it…”

Lenny was on a roll. “I know… if the earth stops turning, everyone in the world could run in the same direction and then all stop at once. You know… Nudge the world back into motion? What if the solution is worse than the problem?”

Chet asked, “Will we grow younger if the earth starts spinning backwards?”

Maria looked without flinching. “I will. But you won’t.”

Chet and Lenny looked confused. Maria laughed. “All will be well, my friends.”

The trio approached the entrance and passed through metal detectors and turnstiles. Security guards stood by watching.

Maria said, “We’re in! Let’s go. This will be fun.”

She led them down to the playing field. The gigantic television screen displayed a large clock.

Maria said, “Perfect. We’ve got fifteen minutes.”

Lenny shook his head. “How many thousand people are here? This is unbelievable.”

Chet said, “What’re we supposed to do? Stand around? Do nothing?”

As if answering his question, an air horn blasted. The announcer said, “Thank you all for coming to this historic event. Get ready, folks. We’ll now rehearse the big jump. I’ll count down from three. When I say ‘jump,’ you know what to do… Everybody ready?”

Most of the crowd cheered in the affirmative.

The announcer said, “Here we go. Three… Two… One… JUMP!”

Most of the crowd jumped in unison and cheered.

Lenny stood in place without jumping. Several people standing by gave him dirty looks.

Maria took his hand. “Come on, Len… You’re here. Might as well do what you came for.”

He said, “I’m confused. I grew up hearing that white guys can’t jump.”

The announcer said, “Okay! You know we can do better than that, folks. We have time for one more rehearsal. Get ready and do your best. At the turn of the hour, there won’t be any redos. I want everyone all in… Ready? Three… Two… One… JUMP!”

Everyone but Lenny jumped and cheered.

A guy came up behind Lenny and shoved him. Some people grabbed the guy to restrain him. He shouted, “What’s your problem, man? When the guy says jump, you jump.”

Chet and Maria held Lenny. He yelled, “Idiot! I’ll jump when I want. Go jump yourself!”

People yelled at each other. Some shoved back and forth. It threatened to turn into a melee. The air horn blasted and drew everyone’s attention back to the giant screen.

The announcer said, “That was better. This next jump is the real deal. Let’s do our part to save the world. Right?”

A cheer swelled throughout the crowd.

“Everyone, get ready to jump your heart out.”

Maria and Chet joined hands with Lenny. They faced each other and steadied themselves.

The second hand on the giant clock moved steadily toward the twelve. Joining the announcer, the crowd chanted the count down. “Three…! Two…! One…! JUMP!”

Everyone in the stadium jumped as one. Maria and Chet closed ranks with Lenny and shouting, they jumped. On landing, they laughed together.

A cheer rose and lasted a long time. People kept jumping. The ground shook.

The announcer said, “Congratulations everyone! You did your part to stop that rogue, Nostradamus, in his tracks. You did a great thing today. Carry on.”

People filed out of the stadium.

Maria hugged her friends. “You did it! You did great!”

Everyone laughed at Lenny, who hopped around, holding his hands like a bunny.

He shook his head. “That was outrageous! Truly a world-shaking event. Don’t know if it accomplished anything… but we’re still here!”

They laughed.

Chet said, “Whatever… It was exhilarating!”

The news for the next several days celebrated forestalling Nostradamus’ prophesy. The president applauded the unanimous cooperation of the world to do the impossible. Government sources stated the Time Jump had an impact on the earth’s rotation.

Many scientists discounted its influence on any prophesy.

Fiji’s leaders apologized at the United Nations general assembly for refusing to join in the Time Jump.

People debated for years on whether the Time Jump made a difference. All praised the unprecedented cooperation exhibited by the world toward a common goal.

Maria, Chet and Lenny remained friends for the rest of their lives.

The next year, on the anniversary of the Time Jump, Lenny and Maria got married at the border between two time zones. Chet was their best man. The loving couple said their vows while standing on either side of the dividing line. An hour apart, they held hands. Together, they stepped out of time and into the rest of their lives. At the minister’s prompting, they jumped and kissed.

Everyone cheered and applauded.