Chapter 77

Dan had played a major part in the downfall of the inner cabinet. He was a campaigner for women's rights and for a fairer education system. He was in the vanguard once more when he, a member of the leadership class, married Serena from the labour zone. It was covered in the newspapers like a society wedding.

Grace walked slowly down the aisle delivering petals in a meticulous way. The role of page boy was undertaken by Alex in a more robust manner. He had thrown a tantrum when he was not allowed to ride the infamous tricycle during the ceremony. He did not need it to cause mayhem. He just ran up and down instead.

Ryan was the best man and all of the conspirators, including General Markov, attended the wedding. Martin was there too as were a number of Ryan's soldiers who insisted on forming an arch as they left the ceremony. They raised their immobilisers to honour the inventor. The guests hurried through, nervous of being stung by accident.

There was a party afterwards in the garden of Dan and Serena's home. Markov was proving particularly adept on the barbecue as he lined up the sausages and chops in neat rows. Phyllis wore her, teal coloured hat all day. She had never had anything so magnificent and had sobbed when Dan had presented it to her.

Eric watched the celebrations from the periphery. It was only a few years since he had seen his daughter Samantha marry Dan. The laughter, banter and the children gradually drew him in. He wasn't entirely sure how Dan had dreamed up the "birdie" dance but he found himself taking part.

Derek had delivered a marvellous speech at the party. It had imagined a future where women were in charge of everything. He described Dan's role in such a marriage.

"Make sure that you keep the house tidy. Take care with your appearance. When Serena comes home from her management job, she doesn't want to see you looking scruffy and complaining about all you have done. Pour her drink. Massage her feet and then get her dinner."

They didn't discuss it at the party, but they would get together soon. Derek was the only one in this world who knew where Dan was from. There would be time now to go into more detail about the differences between the two Earths and the lessons which could be learned. What were the changes that the OWG needed to take?

He was more realistic than a lot of people. Dan watched the clamour for immediate change and knew that it was not possible. Small tweaks could be made, but the big stuff would take a lot longer.

"I'm more equal now so I'll have none of your nonsense Dan."

Phyllis had fun with the notion that her whole life would instantly change now that Salter had been thrown out.

"You put your feet up and I will put the kettle on."

He had often made the tea before the regime change, so it made no difference in his household.

Around the world there had been a number of riots as crowds demanded their rights. The Ellis immobiliser saved many lives when it was used in preference to guns. The population calmed down with small groups keeping up the pressure on the government.

The police were no longer so focused on suppressing agitators. The main source of their dissatisfaction had gone and the people were having their concerns addressed. The OWG's monopoly on all goods and produce was also being relaxed. Farmers sold speciality crops and excess produce. Arts and crafts were resurgent now that the makers could profit from their work.

One of the first examples of free enterprise came from Dan. He bought some equipment and set up a small company producing Ellis blocks. Homes everywhere had the small bricks scattered across floors causing discomfort to the bare foot. The demand was huge and in response Dan introduced franchising so that they could be manufactured abroad.

Books were written, both fiction and nonfiction. Plays were put on and films were made. Music went through dramatic changes and Dan watched it all with both fascination and a sense of déjà vu. There was anticipation too as he looked forward to some good, guitar based rock.

Grumpy old men throughout the world spoke of the end of civilisation and the ruination of the world. The women who were married to, or servants of, the grumpy old men saw little change in their circumstances. It would come. There would be the first female manager, the first woman doctor and at some point, the first lady government minister. There would be fewer grumpy old men left by then.

Derek had joined Dan and Serena for dinner. She had left them in the dining room to chat. The two of them would emerge hours later oblivious to how much time had passed. She wondered what they talked about. Dan would give her a brief recap, but it didn't satisfy her curiosity.

"What are your thoughts then Dan? You arrive on this world and things start to happen. Coincidence?"

A wry smile spread across Dan's face. "If you are suggesting that it was some sort of divine intervention, I'm not sure. I have a bit of a problem with that benevolent guiding hand sort of thing. It is interesting though."

When he was wiping food off of Alex' face or trying to solve some problem at work he did not feel like an instrument of the Gods. He wasn't going to be announcing that he was the chosen one any time soon. The timing of his arrival and subsequent events did make him wonder about it all.

He could take something apart and tell you how it worked. He could use logic to explain a lot of the physical processes in the world. How he had woken up on a different Earth would probably always remain a mystery. Dan's brain began to hurt when he tried to understand how such a thing could have happened.

He would never claim that he was responsible for the scheme which had brought down Nicholas Salter and forced changes on the OWG. He had played his part mostly because he had been in the right place at the right time. And then he had gone full circle. Why was he in the right place at the right time?

"What do you think?" asked Dan.

He began to wonder if Derek was going to answer. Dan watched him frown and then smile before eventually replying.

"Haven't got a clue my boy. If I hadn't seen the mobile phone with the pictures on it, I would have thought you were quite mad. Something strange occurred that neither of us can explain. I think we will have to leave it at that and forever ponder the reasons behind it."

The conversation turned to the OWG and what they needed to do differently. What would Dan suggest knowing what the future looked like? It was one future. Things might take place in a slightly altered order or steps might be completely missed out. It would be exciting to watch it all unfold.

Dan admitted that even on his Earth inequality was still rife. All sorts of prejudices and corruption existed. There was a woman prime minister, but females tended to be underrepresented in all areas of working life. They were still subject to inappropriate behaviour from men. They were paid less.

"Do you miss your old life?"

A sharp intake of breath was followed by a long exhalation. Dan had been fairly fatalistic about his arrival in this world. He did not know how he got here and therefore would not know how to get back. His son Alex was alive here, but not there. Right from the beginning it had been a complicated issue.

He did think about the old Sam. There were times when he thought how useful a computer, mobile phone, earphones for music, shops which opened late at night and a thousand more things would be. When Bertie had stolen the gas and then killed people he wanted to be just about anywhere else.

Serena. That was the clincher. His children, of course, and the chance to make a contribution to how the world was run also made him want to stay. If he was ripped out of this world now he would struggle to fit back into the modern world. He would be forever looking around for his son. He would most likely forever be searching for Serena.

"I feel sorry for the Dan from this world that ended up in mine. If that is what happened"

Derek tried to picture himself in the type of place that Dan had described. He would be the equivalent of a dinosaur in medical terms. It wasn't that long ago that they had still been using leeches. He would love to visit though. Take a look at all that equipment in a modern hospital. It would be both educational and mind blowing.

"Does anyone else know your story? Have you told Serena?"

"No."

The doctor raised his eyebrows. Dan kept trying to find the words, but he could not find an excuse for his failure to tell his wife. It was something that he had to address. He was hiding a huge part of himself from one of the most important people in his life.

"Your right of course. Don't you ever get fed up of being so wise?"

"No, get me some more port."

Dan fetched the mobile phone and made sure that it had power. He looked at the photographs and the video on it. It was time to have the talk with Serena. It was the night after Derek's visit. This was something that could not wait any longer. The children were in bed and Phyllis and Peter had retreated to their annexe.

"I am going to tell you my, slightly weird, life story."

Serena smiled. Nothing was straightforward with Dan.

The end.