The most interesting thing happened to me today. I was as usual waiting on High Street for a customer calling out to random people who wanted their shoes to be polished. "Half a penny for shining your shoes sir, have a seat sir", I kept yelling hoping someone with dirty shoes would walk by. Usually, if I worked till afternoon, I'd make enough to buy myself a loaf of bread and some tea. But the weather seemed gloomy and my stomach was already growling with hunger. The war had made everything in the country expensive and I was finding it difficult to earn a few pennies.
It was quite cold and I checked my pocket watch. It showed 8 am. One would say it was rather quite odd for an orphan like me to own a pocket watch. But that was the only thing my mother left me before she discarded her mortal coil. On the rear of the watch was engraved the initials R.W. It was a gold plated watch with a silver chain. It apparently belonged to my father who I had never seen. My mother had never married and an illegitimate affair resulted in my birth. Even on her death bed, she did not disclose anything to me. So I remained a bastard. One day I hoped to find the owner of the pocket watch. I would never sell it, even if I had to die of poverty.
"Young lad, are you going to stare at your fancy watch all day or even bother shining my shoes" came the voice. I looked up to see a well dressed gentleman in his thirties holding a newspaper staring at me waiting for a reply. "Yes, Yes, please sir" I stammered, "Please sit sir", motioning him to sit on the high chair. His face was very familiar and I was staring at him with wide eyes. He took a seat and started to read his paper. I started to polish his shoe.
"The Germans are mad, they may bomb London anytime" he said, without taking the paper off. "Fear not young lad, you are not going to die yet" he kept talking folding his newspaper now and looking directly at me. "The war is a bad thing sir" I said. "Indeed, it is. How old are you son?", he asked. "Ten years old, sir", I replied. "Tsk Tsk, you must be having a hard time poor lad", he said switching his leg as I was finished with one shoe. "One day I will be rich like you sir." I said, smiling with confidence. "Oh! that is the ambition of every young lad here. But success is not for all, it is for a selected few." he said, almost sadistically. "What do you do sir?", I asked. "Who me?, Oh, I am just a time traveller. I travel back in time to set things right.", he said. I chuckled and got finished with both his shoes.
"All done sir!", I looked up to see him smiling at me, his face looking even more familiar. "Alright then, keep this 10£ note" he said handing me a big note. I was shocked. "But, sir, it just cost you a penny, I don't have change for such a big amount, I am sorry sir.", I said hoping he had some spare pennies in his pocket. I was afraid he would walk away without paying me anything. A lot of customers did that and I would just stand there helpless. "Oh, keep it. It's for you boy. Your life is about to change with what I just gave you.", he laughed, more sadistically this time. "But sir, I cannot accept this, it is too much" I replied, I had never touched a 10£ note in my life until then, and my hands were trembling already. "Boy, don't argue with me, I have places to go" as he said this, he took out his pocket watch to check the time and I stood there watching as if hypnotised. It looked exactly like mine, silver chain and the watch itself gold plated. On the rear were the initials R.W. "Use that money wisely, it is your bridge to your future. See you soon.", he winked, patted my back and walked away.
I just stood there holding the money. Could it have been a replica, or someone else had the same pocket watch that looked like mine. But it was way too similar. Then it struck me. The familiar face. It was mine. An older version of my face. I tried to find the man again. But he had disappeared among the crowd.
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