I enjoy writing time travel stories. Time travel is my favorite genre because it lets me play with endless what-ifs.
I've written about a couple that travels into the distant past and how that affects their love (Love Letters), a man who finds happiness in a time long ago (The Tunnel), a dying woman who gets the treatment she needs in the far future (The Ferris Wheel), a hopscotch board that's a time portal (Hopscotching), and more.
The MRI let me explore the question: What if our younger and older selves swap times? As I played with this idea, I realized that our older self would travel back knowing everything that had happened. (Whether they could undo the mistakes they made is another question.) But our younger self, suddenly old, would feel they missed a lifetime of joy and happiness, even if it had been a miserable life.
This was another of your time travel jaunts and brilliantly executed. I have only had one experience of an MRI and I have to admit my first thought was "Suppose there's a nuclear war whilst I'm in here. How will I know?"
MRIs aren't painful, especially compared to other medical procedures, but they sure feel weird. Having been in an MRI has taught me that I don't want to be a cave explorer.
Love the idea of MRI as time machine! I had to get an MRI of my head a while back and this brought me right back to being in the metal tube. For some reason, my technician only played Billy Joel the whole time I was in there, felt like I was on the verge of being teleported to New Jersey (of all places!)
This brings up an interesting point that doesn’t normally get addressed in these types of stories (what would you call it? Mental time travel?) like the movie “13 going on 30”. If your old self goes back into the body of your younger self or vice versa, what happens to the original consciousness that was there? I suppose the normal outcome in this situation is that the original consciousness was overwritten, so the idea that both consciouses swap places is a very unique take on the genre.
I wrote this story from experience. I'm older now, older than when I slid into the MRI twenty-two years ago.
I don't remember my life between age twenty-two and now, and that's kind of sad. I can only hope that my older, experienced self is making good use of a decades of acquired wisdom and experience in my youthful body.
One of my favorite novels about somebody waking up in their younger body is Replay by Ken Grimwood. It's a terrific time travel tale.
As for the original consciousness, it's one of those mysteries that difficult, perhaps impossible, to solve.
Whoa! What just happened Bill Alder? I'm an ER Nurse I know all the tricks to these MRIs they can def... take you places to the unknown. Excellent read.
Well done, Bill. Who doesn't want to have a portal into the past for a right proper do over? Oh yeah, me. I liked it though. Well done. Interesting concept.
"He ached everywhere ...varicose veins hurt ...insomnia ... hearing ... peed every five minutes...acid reflux ... His back." Get out of that MRI, Casey! It's all normal... sounds like you are just getting old. Clever story, Bill!
I enjoy writing time travel stories. Time travel is my favorite genre because it lets me play with endless what-ifs.
I've written about a couple that travels into the distant past and how that affects their love (Love Letters), a man who finds happiness in a time long ago (The Tunnel), a dying woman who gets the treatment she needs in the far future (The Ferris Wheel), a hopscotch board that's a time portal (Hopscotching), and more.
The MRI let me explore the question: What if our younger and older selves swap times? As I played with this idea, I realized that our older self would travel back knowing everything that had happened. (Whether they could undo the mistakes they made is another question.) But our younger self, suddenly old, would feel they missed a lifetime of joy and happiness, even if it had been a miserable life.
This was another of your time travel jaunts and brilliantly executed. I have only had one experience of an MRI and I have to admit my first thought was "Suppose there's a nuclear war whilst I'm in here. How will I know?"
MRIs aren't painful, especially compared to other medical procedures, but they sure feel weird. Having been in an MRI has taught me that I don't want to be a cave explorer.
I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
Love the idea of MRI as time machine! I had to get an MRI of my head a while back and this brought me right back to being in the metal tube. For some reason, my technician only played Billy Joel the whole time I was in there, felt like I was on the verge of being teleported to New Jersey (of all places!)
Right? If every MRI played oldies that would increase the chance that randomness would transport some of us back in time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
I really enjoyed it !
I'm very glad to hear that, Donna.
This brings up an interesting point that doesn’t normally get addressed in these types of stories (what would you call it? Mental time travel?) like the movie “13 going on 30”. If your old self goes back into the body of your younger self or vice versa, what happens to the original consciousness that was there? I suppose the normal outcome in this situation is that the original consciousness was overwritten, so the idea that both consciouses swap places is a very unique take on the genre.
I wrote this story from experience. I'm older now, older than when I slid into the MRI twenty-two years ago.
I don't remember my life between age twenty-two and now, and that's kind of sad. I can only hope that my older, experienced self is making good use of a decades of acquired wisdom and experience in my youthful body.
One of my favorite novels about somebody waking up in their younger body is Replay by Ken Grimwood. It's a terrific time travel tale.
As for the original consciousness, it's one of those mysteries that difficult, perhaps impossible, to solve.
Nice twist Bill. I like the link to Ferris Wheel too!
Thank you, Alistair. I enjoy writing twisty stories. I'm glad you liked The MRI and The Ferris Wheel. More to come!
Whoa! What just happened Bill Alder? I'm an ER Nurse I know all the tricks to these MRIs they can def... take you places to the unknown. Excellent read.
You're an ER nurse! I didn't know. That's great.
My mind wandered during an MRI I had last month, and this story is what came about.
I'm glad you enjoyed "The MRI."
I'm sorry I misspelled your last name.
I prefer the first Casey MRI. But what if my new life was awful? We can’t control everything. And I had a pretty good life. Glad it’s fiction. 🤓
I'd love to be a character in a novel, especially one of those characters in a long series who never ages.
The next time I have to get an MRI, I will be reminded of this story! Nicely done, Bill! :) Let's hope I won't need an MRI ...
Thanks, Christina.
I hope I didn't scary anyone away from a MRI, including myself. ;-)
Well done, Bill. Who doesn't want to have a portal into the past for a right proper do over? Oh yeah, me. I liked it though. Well done. Interesting concept.
Thanks, Ben. There's a lot I'd do differently if I had the change.
I'm glad you enjoyed The MRI.
Yahoo, I'm getting a PET scan this week. Look out world, here I come again.
Good luck with your PET scan. I'm sure you'll remain in 2023. Time travel is a very rare side effect.
My god man your good.
Thank you, Kathy.
"He ached everywhere ...varicose veins hurt ...insomnia ... hearing ... peed every five minutes...acid reflux ... His back." Get out of that MRI, Casey! It's all normal... sounds like you are just getting old. Clever story, Bill!
Thanks, Sharron. I'm happy you enjoyed The MRI.
That would suck. Go back in time 50 years and thinking you have a chance to change things but you get yanked back before you can do anything.
A warning to all of us: If the MRI starts misbehaving, get out right away.
Ah, the multiverse, she can be a fickle beast. This was great, Bill, I really enjoyed how you used the MRI. Very original!
Thanks, Brian. I'm glad you liked The MRI.
I going to think long and hard the next time my doctor suggests a ride in the MRI.
Time is not kind to any of us.
I do wish it was.