by Carolynn Bjorkman
As she watched him look around, observing how others ate, she grinned behind her burger as he painstakingly began to eat. This was totally foreign to him and she couldn’t understand why. Except for the explanation he had suggested, which was really beginning to nag at her. It just didn’t happen. It was beyond reason. But at the same time, she had a gut instinct that he truly needed her help. Also, that he was no danger to her. And in Los Angeles, a strange man that invades one’s privacy is nearly always a danger.
Slurping her shake purposely, to see his reaction, Jenna pursed her lips in a barely concealed grin when he looked up in surprise. “Try it, you’ll like it!” she challenged. She offered him some of the ice cream delicacy. Zorro looked at the material of the straw and frowned in question and amazement. Things were made of such strange things.
“Doesn’t anyone use a fork and knife?” he asked. Jenna’s grin began to grow in unbelievable delight. It must be like a parent’s when their baby experiences something for the first time.
“No, Mr. Zorro, not in a burger joint. Fast food is for the most part, finger food. But we do show a little class now and then and use silverware.” She cocked her head and asked, “Don’t you like it?”
Zorro swallowed before answering, but nodding his head back and forth with indecision. “It is unlike anything I have eaten before, but it is acceptable. It is better than being hungry. I am simply more accustomed to Spanish food, of course.”
“’Of course’”, Jenna mimicked. “Well, there are plenty of ethnic restaurants around here. Especially Mexican food, due largely to the Mexican influence. We could try any cuisine you want, depending on how long you’re going to be around.” She knew she was fishing for answers.
“That is just the point. I do not know. I don’t even know where I am,” Zorro replied, a touch of confusion and frustration in his voice.
Jenna folded her hands in front of her face and kept watching him as he continued eating. She heaved a big sigh and came to a conclusion. “Okay, tell you what. Call me crazy, but I’m going to use at least some of my vacation time to help you. I don’t think this is quite the place to plan out a strategy. As soon as you’re done, we’ll drive to the beach. It’s a great place to talk, relax, and think. How’s that sound?”
Zorro looked at her blankly. “The beach?” The questioning lilt to his voice told Jenna he needed a translation.
Jenna sighed. She’d be a walking Webster’s dictionary before long. “The shoreline? Where the Pacific meets the land?” Zorro raised his head in comprehension and nodded slightly. Jenna got up, took him by the elbow and said, “C’mon, this way. We’ll take the back roads.” As they got out in the car again, she looked doubtfully at him. “First, tho, we’ve gotta do something about your clothes. You’ve got mineral stains on you, and these just won’t do for the beach. We’ll stop at Target or something.”
Zorro nodded in acceptance. The senorita may as well be speaking a foreign language for all he understood. He knew his surroundings were not of his home or time. It defied reason to think he had somehow stepped into the future, but better that than another world. He chuckled to himself: this was another world. At least to him it was.
The two of them left the restaurant and took off for the nearest department store. The lights and sounds, and crowded surroundings of houses and businesses captivated Zorro. Within minutes, Jenna pulled into a parking lot. She turned to the stranger in the passenger seat to ask him his size in clothes. The question on the tip of her tongue, she stopped. He was looking around at all the other vehicles. Jenna felt a jolt of humor at the innocent look to his discovery. At the same time, she felt that nagging frustration of her own disbelief. No one that looked like this guy could not be unaware of every man’s area of expertise: the automobile. It started bugging her.
“Wait here,” she suggested, “I’ll be out in a bit. You just enjoy the scenery.” Zorro looked up at her only to see her walking away. He decided he’d better stay put. People looked so strangely dressed. Dark glasses on, strange hair colors, women in short pants and not much shirt covering. His head began to swim and he rubbed his tired eyes as he felt the beginnings of ache in his head. He leaned his head back on the headrest and tried to relax. That should help. Within seconds he was asleep.
Jenna returned shortly after to find Zorro looking like innocence itself in his sleep. She almost gave in to not waking him, knowing how she disliked being woken from a sound sleep. But she climbed in the driver’s seat and put the bags in the back. The rustle of the plastic bags woke him up with a start.
“Wakey, wakey,” she said with a smile. “I have to tell you that you may wear the Medal of Honor for bravery, but I wouldn’t go falling asleep in an open top car in Los Angeles. You could get your throat slit and never know it.”
Zorro looked at her as if she were speaking ancient Greek. As soon as he thought he understood her meaning, she’d say something extra to confuse it all. But bits and pieces were clear enough: there’s a time and a place for everything, including sleep.
“My head began to ache, that’s all,” he said quietly. “I just wanted to close my eyes and relieve the pain.”
“Not a problem, Zorro, I’ve got Tylen…I’ve got something to help get rid of headaches.” She knew if she’d mentioned a brand name, he’d look at her like she had two heads or something and that, in itself, was beginning to give her a headache. “Anyway,” she continued, “I got you a few basics in clothes. Shorts, jogging pants, a T-shirt, sneaks, and a pair of…”she pulled some sunglasses out and began to put them on him, “..shades, a la California style! You’ve got to at least look like you fit in until we get you situated.” Once again, the look of craziness at her words showed on his face. Jenna groaned softly, “Ohhhh never mind. Just trust me, okay?” Zorro studied her for a moment then broke into a broad smile and nodded. Whatever she purchased and tried to convey to him was beyond his comprehension, but it would definitely be an adventure and that could be rather fun, he mused.
The car pulled out and headed for the expressway, away from the Los Angeles skyline. It wasn’t long before they were driving along the coast. Zorro looked out at the ocean, remembering when he had arrived home from the university. At least the ocean looked familiar. There were people out on the water in strange small things that appeared to be boats, but going amazingly fast and pulling someone by a rope. He shook his head. There was no doubt in his mind. Somehow he’d crossed a time barrier to the future. As unbelievable as it seemed, there could be no other explanation. This was definitely not the past, nor his own time. He thought about it and decided to experience as much as possible. But that there were other things he may not want to know, like what happened to his family. Some things are better off left to the unknown.
Jenna found a secluded area of the shoreline and veered off down a dirt road where there seemed to be no one else. Putting the car into park and shutting off the engine, she turned around to collect the shopping bags from the rear seat. She rummaged through them pulling out various pieces of clothing and handing them to Zorro. Finished, Jenna put the remainder of articles back, looked up grinning, with a look of satisfaction on her face.
“Go change.” She ordered.
“Change?” asked Zorro.
Jenna looked around, saw some bushes that would hide his actions, and pointed to them. “Go change your clothes. Don’t worry, this is California. No one is going to be bothered if you change your clothes in the bushes. And besides, who’s around to complain?” She gave him an impatient shove, and out he went. Minutes later, he returned, but he didn’t seem to be falling over in gratitude. He was grumbling, and Jenna found it rather funny. “What’s wrong? You look fine.”
“I’m not certain I agree. Never have I seen anything like these…clothes! Not even on the poorest peon in the pueblo!” he countered.
Jenna frowned in confused amazement at his choice of words. “‘Peon’? ‘Pueblo’?”She repeated. “C’mon, Zorro, this is not a reservation. Will you relax? This is the twentieth century! You look perfectly normal!”
His head shot up and he pulled the sunglasses off hastily. “What did you say?”
“I said this is the twentieth century and you…”
“Twentieth century!? What year is this, senorita?” he asked in a panic.
Jenna looked at him like he’d grown another head for a change. What?! Was she speaking Swahili? Her exasperation began growing again. “This is 2000, A.D. So okay, it’s the twenty-first century. I do apologize!”
Never in her life had she seen a guy faint so dead away!
