Time Corps 7

Col Khan begins, "the training jump, let's get one thing straight. Just because it is not dangerous, doesn't make it a holiday. Each of you will be thrown about 20 years back into the past from what you're used to and a different country. You'll be a tourist, but it's training. See you have to unlearn 20 years of history before you go. A practice in shifting time and place at the same time. Privately, I will give you each your assignment."

"Right Indira, Ireland, 1980, the safe part, the South, the Republic. Your cover story is a Canadian history student on summer vacation. Your Drop Zone is near Cork, you'll walk clean to Donegal. Say 15 miles a day, stay at bed and breakfasts. You'll have a Canadian passport of the time and more than sufficient Irish funds. Your main job is socialize, at breakfast in the B&B, wherever you eat supper, people you meet randomly. Since you are already a Canadian and a history grad, your cover story should hold water. Sound like fun?"
"Sounds great Col."

I have never in my whole life experienced anything so wonderful. The scenery is magnificent, the people friendly beyond belief. I follow the west coast as much as possible as opposed to straight line. I'm on the road 30 heavenly days.
Every morning in the B&B, it's a different host and/or hostess to talk with, plus whoever else is staying there.
Several people even end up asking about my thesis, I can tell the truth, New France.
I'm halfway high from all the exercise, the fresh ocean air.
It comes as an anti-climax, a crashing disappointment as I make my rendezvous on a lonely wind-swept backroad in County Donegal. I feel utterly morose, uncommunicative, not wishing the magic of it to end. Curiously, the crew seems used to this.
The Col spends almost a full day debriefing me, asking questions about various interactions.
"So," she says, pride in her voice, "not one person questioned your cover story."
"Col," I grin, "there are advantages to a thesis describing 1700, all in the past, nothing to unlearn. Not like say a technician or journalist."
She laughs, "so, figure those people asking about the thesis were interested or just polite?"
"Obviously interested, they too had pet times and places in history."
"So, what did people think of Pierre Trudeau?"
"Almost universal admiration, anyone who mentioned him. Felt he had very much improved Canada's image in the world."
"Hear anyone royally trash him?"
"Yes, engineering student from Calgary."
We both laugh.

As I see people return from tour, I start to understand the true genius of Col Khan. She succeeded in arranging a positive experience for everyone. What are the odds of that happening randomly?
Heidi did a month of hiking in the Black Forest, cover story a German-American student trying to keep in touch with Old Country culture.
Betty Lou was hiking on Vancouver Island, cover story American worker on vacation.
Everyone returned fit, happy, successful, confident.