Over the Hedge: Time Warp, Part One

Time Warp, Part One

1/21/2021

18 January 2007

When I left Chicago, I wasn’t sure how often I would bother coming back. I didn’t grow up in the city, though it was close enough that I’d been there occasionally for things like concerts or school outings. I’d only lived there a couple years, and while I had made some friends during that time, very few of them were strong enough relationships to last once I was away for an extended period. I had kept in touch with a couple people here and there, but most of those had faded somewhat as time went on. My roommates from the last apartment I stayed in there had mostly vanished while I was away. I had quickly begun to run out of reasons to be there on a personal visit; and as I walked through O’Hare for the first time in a long while, I knew only one person would be waiting for me, and she would know I was mostly here on business.

Though I doubt Nan would ever admit to something that sounded so cold.

She was waiting by the luggage return by the time I got there, and gave me a big hug as soon as I was close enough to grab. We talked about the flight and Pittsburgh’s airport while we waited for my bag to come—Nan had no idea there was a t-rex skeleton there and was reasonably surprised—but as soon as it did and we were in her car her demeanor shifted.

“What’s that boy done to you?” she asked, sternly, as the car started moving.

“What do you mean? Rick? He’s been great, mostly.”

“No, no, not the boyfriend—”

“Not really a boyfriend, we—”

“The Anchor.” I paused and looked at her for a moment, confused.

“What makes you think he’s done something to me?”

“It’s your aura, child! Did you think I wouldn’t notice? There’s something about it, something…limiting it.”

“Well, I hadn’t noticed.”

“I think you’ve been spending too much time with him. Like a goldfish.”

“A…goldfish.” She wagged her finger at me.

“Like a goldfish! You know! They only grow as big as their tank lets them! That boy’s aura is a powerful one, and it constricts yours, and then your energy gets used to it and stops trying to recover.”

“You think spending too much time around Matteson will have a permanent effect on me?”

“Nothing is permanent, darling. But you start finding it harder to do magic, you best get away from him for a good long while. You might not lose it forever, but you lose it long enough that you forget how to do it again? Might as well be forever.”

“I’ll…I guess I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You do that,” she said, patting my knee. “Now, tell me all about this not-a-boyfriend.”