[ WP ] You call the phone number of one of your old houses , only to hear a younger version of yourself answer

Day drinking on a Saturday. What had become of me, I wondered as I set down yet another empty bottle. 
 
 Weekends had become almost painful in my early adulthood as I found myself, more often than not, with no plans and no one to spend them with. When I was a kid, weekends were revered in a sort of mystical way, as if those two sacred days were somehow more significant than any other and held some special power over me. But nowadays, weekends only brought sadness. 
 
 I thought about all those weekends I squandered as a kid, watching cartoons or simply lying in bed. Other times I would spend all day in the basement playing Nintendo and stay up all night watching TV. I missed those days, those weekends, that house. 
 
 That house. That quaint little house near the end of the road, around the corner from the hill and a few blocks from the pond. I still remembered so much about it that sometimes it felt as though I'd never completely left. 
 
 Then I had a thought. I still remembered the old phone number for the landline we had at that house. I recited it aloud and surprised myself with the accuracy. My drunken mind thought it might be a good idea to dial that number, so I picked up my cell phone and did just that. 
 
 As the phone rang, it occurred to me that I had n't planned on what to say should someone answer. Before I could even begin to piece together a legitimate opener, someone picked up at around the third or fourth ring. 
 
 `` Hello?'' A small, somewhat familiar voice inquired. 
 
 `` Uh, hi,'' I stammered, still not sure what to do. 
 
 `` Who is this?'' The voice asked. 
 
 `` Uh, my name is Todd...'' I started thinking that I should just hang up now but something about the voice on the other end kept me engaged. `` Can I ask who I'm speaking to?'' 
 
 `` Um, this is Todd.'' The boy replied. `` Can I help you with something?'' 
 
 I do n't know what drove me to keep the conversation going, but I had to know. `` Your last name... Is n't Carmichael, is it?'' I asked, worried that I was overstepping some perceived boundaries. 
 
 `` Uh... Yeah?'' He replied, sounding a bit agitated now. `` Who are you?'' 
 
 I thought about a way to say what I need to say that would n't sound completely insane. I could not think of one, so I just said it. 
 
 `` I, uh, I think I'm you.'' 
 
 There was a pause. 
 
 `` What?'' This response was hardly necessary. 
 
 `` You sounded familiar... We have the same name and I used to live in that same house.'' 
 
 `` Mister, I do n't know what you're trying to say but I do n't believe-'' 
 
 Something suddenly struck me like a bolt of lightning. 
 
 `` There's a holographic Pokemon card in your sock drawer! Uh, uh, a Chancey I think!'' 
 
 I was shouting now, and not really sure why. 
 
 `` How... What... Who are you?'' The words were laced with a mixture of confusion and intrigue. 
 
 `` I already told you, Todd, it's me - you!'' 
 
 
 `` That's stupid. It does n't mean anything. This is some kind of joke. Dave, is that you pulling some kind of-'' 
 
 `` You have a crush on Tara Wells from math class!'' 
 
 Silence. I knew I had hit hard with that one. No one else but me would have that information. 
 
 `` I... Uh... Wh-'' Young Todd was clearly taken aback. 
 
 `` Look, man, relax, it's me. You, only older. I'm not gon na judge.'' 
 
 `` Older? Like in the future?'' 
 
 `` Yep.'' I felt like I could have said more. 
 
 `` Well, then what's my future like?'' I could hear the desperation in my younger self pouring through his words. 
 
 `` Well, uh, let's see,'' I was halfway through another beer at this point and knew I could n't possibly outline every detail of my own life, so I did my best to share the highlights. `` You're gon na move around a bit for no reason and then move back. You're gon na finish highschool, and then do a few years in the military. Uh, then you're gon na get your degree and get a pretty decent job.'' I drummed my fingers on the countertop hoping to inspire some memories to surface. `` That's pretty much the gist of it, I think.'' 
 
 `` That's it?'' Young me sounded disappointed. 
 
 `` Well, of course not, but I ca n't remember every little detail right now.'' 
 I tipped my head back to take a swig of beer, and in that moment a stark realization hit me. `` Oh, wait,'' I started. `` There's something else.'' 
 
 `` Okay, what it is?'' 
 
 I sighed heavily. `` In about twelve years, you're going to meet a girl named Anna. Whatever you do...'' I paused and thought about what I was about to do. If I really was talking to my past self, what would the consequences be? Would I still be the same person I am now if I go through with this? 
 
 `` What? What is it?'' Young me inquired. I took a deep breath, sighed again and answered. 
 
 `` Just... Just be a good kid, alright?'' I could feel a tear fighting its way to the surface. `` And stop being so hard on yourself, Todd.'' 
 
 With that, I hung up the phone, finished my beer, and turned out the light.
