Mario ran through the blizzard snow, which was accumulating outside an Columbia University academic building.  He saw the blue Nissan sedan with its hazard lights flashing, which Emmy told him about minutes before. 

He almost fell on some ice before he reached the door.  He opened the back door and tumbled into the seat.  EC gave him a heart-warming smile.  She wore a green toboggan and her full-length silver puffy coat. He closed the door. 

“Hi!” EC said.

“Hi.  Thanks for picking me up.  Right on time. I didn’t think you would make it due to the storm.”

“No problem.  You can thank the Uber driver.  Rose is awesome.”

“Thanks Rose.”

“My pleasure.  Should we continue to the last stop?” Rose asked.

“Yes, please.  Thanks.”  

The blue car pulled away from the curb and drove away from the university. Mario removed the snow from his hat and coat.  He flicked it at EC.  She flicked it back.

“So, where are you taking me?” Mario asked. 

“It’s a surprise.  It’s just my way of saying thank you for your friendship.  I hope you like it.”

“If I knew what it was, then I could thank you properly.” 

“You will find out soon enough.  You brat.” She laughed. “How were classes?” 

“Fine so far.  Start of a new semester.  Professors love their syllabi.  I love how they give you all the work upfront.  I am so done.” He complained.

“This is your last semester, right?  Don’t worry college boy, it is almost over.” 

“I know.” He leaned back and closed his eyes.

“Want to know what I did today?”

“No, not really.”

EC punched him in the arm with a tiny electrical orb. 

“Ouch!  Sorry.  You pack a wallop with those little arms.” He sat up. “What did you do today, honey?”

“Sarcasm is not pretty on you.  What’s wrong?”

“Just tired.  I had to work a double shift yesterday at -el ristorante-. I was driving and then one of the cooks called off.  I was in the kitchen all night.  I didn’t get home until after midnight.  Feeling a little overwhelmed.”

“I understand.  We can do this another night.  No problem.  Rose, I am going to-”

Mario interrupted her, “No.  You did all this planning.  I just need a coffee or an energy drink.  Don’t cancel.”

“Your wish is my command.” Emmy commented.  She pulled out of her purse two small aluminum cans. “This is a healthy energy drink and this is an espresso shot.” 

“What?  This is so great.  Just what I needed. I love yo– your drink selections. Thanks.” He pointed to the energy drink.

 She gave him both. “I have to do something to help poor struggling college kids.”     

He opened the energy drink and chugged it.  “Ahh! So good. You are an angel.”

“You’re welcome.  Would you like to know what I discovered today?”  

Mario was feeling better. “Does it have to do with what's his name?” 

“Good guess.  I was riding the train into Manhattan, when I looked up and saw a huge billboard with his gigantic toothy grin and his stupid face looking at me.”

“Seriously?” 

“It was his advertisement for his free mental health facility, New Life Clinics.  He is opening them all around the city, starting in Manhattan.”  

 “When does it open?”

“This week on 39th Street. I went to the location and checked it out.  He wasn’t there, but guess who was putting the finishing touches in the lobby?”

“His blond accomplice.  Savannah.  No?  Samantha.  No.  Sandra.  Right?”

“Glad you were listening.”  She punched him in the arm again. “When I called City Hall to inquire about the clinics, our villian had the full endorsement and funding of a clinic in each borough from New York’s mayor, governor, and senators through a GEMS Corporation, whatever that is.  He is up to something and it is not good.” 

“Listen, EC, I believe you.  This guy ruined your life and your mom, but you just can’t make accusations about someone without proof.”  He held her hand.  “I believe you. I do.  I bet everyone right now thinks he is the savior of the mental health problem.  We can’t do a frontal assault.  We have to gather intel.  Interview patients.  Take pictures.  Infiltrate somehow.”   

   “I agree.  That’s why I made an appointment for you on Friday.”

“What?” 

“Friday at four thirty p.m.  Don’t be late.  I gave a fake name; Charlie White.  I even purchased a miniature spy camera you can wear.  It’s so cool.”

“EC, seriously, I can’t go in there.”

“Yes you can.  I can’t.  I will be recognized right away.  Don’t worry.  It’s like going to a regular doctor visit.  Only, you just talk about your feelings and usually family problems.”

Mario ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.  “All right for you.  I’ll do it on one condition.”

Emmy said, “Anything.  I promise to have your back, Halo.”

“You have to-I can’t believe I’m asking this- you have to-” His nerves caused him to sweat.

“What?” Emmy leaned in close and stared into his beautiful espresso eyes.   

 “Go on a date–”

“A date?  Sure no problem–”

“-with my old roommate.”

“Oh.”

“I told him, Charlie, all about you.  He got very enthusiastic.  I told him we were just friends and he asked me to set him up with you.  I kinda owe him from a bet I lost about the Jets.”

“Was it the playoffs?  I told you they weren’t going to make it.  The Bills were playing stellar and Miami and New England were already a lock.”

Mario moaned. “I know.  I know.”

“What does -Charlie- know about me?”  Emmy asked and edged closer.

“I told him you were smart, beautiful, funny, sweet as honey, from North Carolina, and loved dogs.”

“Mmm.  Does -Charlie- like dogs?” She scooted closer to him. 

“Yes and he has family in North Carolina.”

EC touched legs with him.  “Is there anything else I should know about -Charlie-?”

He pulled out his phone and scrolled some pictures.  “This is him and me at the first Jets game of the season.” 

“Oh.”  She mumbled to herself, “He’s real.”

“What was that?”

 “He looks like the real deal.  He is handsome.  He looks familiar.” Emmy said. “Is he on television or Youtube?”

“Yes, sort of.  He’s a pitch man for a new–”

“Whitening toothpaste! It is supposed to clean your teeth like Oxiclean cleans clothes.  I love that infomercial.  Pearly Whites!  His smile at the end is so cheesy. -Ching-”  She gave a mocking smile.

“So will you do it?  It’s just one date.”

She teased Mario by quoting the jingle, “ ‘Mama likes them Pearly Whites.’  Sure. If I must suffer for the cause,” She dramatically placed her hand on her forehead and fake swooned, “then I shall suffer with this handsome fellow.”

“Are you finished?”  Mario sounded annoyed.  “When is a good time for you?

“Anytime and anywhere?”  EC took the phone from Mario and showed the Uber driver.  “Rose, what ya think?  Should I go on a date with this guy?”  

Rose briefly looked, “The infomercial hottie!  Go for it girl.  Cha-Ching.”

“It’s settled.  You pick the time.” Emmy announced and handed back his phone. 

“Great.  Just great.”  Mario perked up. “Speaking of time.  I heard a lecture this morning on time travel.”

“You are taking a science class as a senior?”

“No. I mean yes.  I was walking past one of the large lecture auditoriums and I read the placard: Time Travel 101: How the movies got it wrong.” 

“Fascinating.”  Emmy did her best Mr. Spock impression.

“Sarcasm is not pretty on you.  Anyway, I missed my regular class and stayed for the whole lecture. I got a free three-ring binder." He showed her the notebook with large 'G' on the cover.  "I have like ten pages of notes.  I learned so much about Newton and Einstein and theories about the nature of time.  The professor had an interesting view….”

“There are theories about time?  I thought time was ....time.”

“Newton believed time was a constant and ever progressing forward while space could change in the various forms of matter and energy.  Einstein theorized time and space are intertwined and you cannot have one without affecting the other.  The only constant was the speed of light.  Modern physicists have proven Einstein correct mathematically and experimentally in quantum physics.”

“You lost me at Einstein.” Emmy scratched her nose.

“Einstein proved time travel is possible.  If an object has enough power to move fast enough it can bend spacetime and move forward in time.”

“So?”

He whispered,  “So I believe, when you do what you do, you aren’t slowing time down.  You make yourself move so fast it appears time has slowed to you, but the world is speeding by, then we catch up with you in the next minute.”

“When I use the orbs, I zap myself to the future?”

“Possibly. Probably.  So after the lecture, I asked the professor if it was theoretically possible that static/natural electricity would have enough power to cause an object to time travel to the future.  He pulled me over to the side and asked me If I was pranking him or serious.  I reassured him it was not a prank.  He has been doing experiments with Tesla coils, which harness and use static electricity from the ground and air, to power electronics.  No wires. His testing has shown him the potential of static electricity as a clean energy resource.  The professor theorized that the right amount of static electricity at the right spacetime frequency at the right time with the right conduit could possibly be strong enough to send an object to the future.  Time is the one universal scientific quality which allows for change in space and energy.  So he believes if you find the right time-wavelength, a person could bend time to the future or the past.” 

“Wow.  This is mind boggling. There is a lot which has to go right."

“I know and you do it without thinking."

Emmy scratched her hat, "I do. Did you tell him about me?"

 "I signed up for his class.  My Pop Pop told me once, in high school, our family was related to Tesla.  I have to review my notes.”  He reached for his bag.

"Mario, did you tell this professor about me?"

He pulled out his notebook. "What I don't understand is how..."

Emmy gently touched his face and made him stare into her deep blue eyes. "Did you tell him about me?"

He gave his most charming smile. "Yes, but let me explain...."

“You know what is the most mind-blowing?” Emmy hushed.

“What?” Mario searched his backpack. He put on reading glasses.

“What a big nerd you are. Nerd.” She nudged him with her knee.  She mocked him with a nerdy voice, “I have to review my notes.” 

"So you are not mad at me?"

"No, I trust you." Emmy removed his glasses and placed them on herself.  She whispered, “Nerd.” 

“Ha ha very funny. I’m not a nerd.”

Emmy handed back the glasses and noticed the binder cover. "Is this the free binder?" She reached for her phone.

"Yes, why?"

She displayed a picture of a billboard for New Life Clinics. "This is the same symbol. GEMS Corporation."

They were speechless.

A moment later the car slowed down.  Rose pulled over to the sidewalk.

 “This is your stop folks. Have a great night.” She whispered, “Emmy, have fun on your next outing with Pearly Whites.”

She smirked and waved goodbye. "Thanks."

Mario put on his hat and got out of the car.  He held the door for EC.  When she exited, he closed the door.  They walked to a canopy covered entrance.

The blue neon lights of the club read –Rick’s Cafe–.  A bundled up doorman with a captain’s hat opened the front door for them.

“Welcome to Rick’s Cafe.” He shivered.

They made it inside and shook off the snow and cold.  The doorman asked for their coats and brought them to the coat checker.  Emmy rubbed the gold ring on her right hand and spun it three times. The visitors were given a vintage ticket for their belongings. Soft 1940's jazz music drifted down from ancient square speakers.

As Mario looked more closely at the lobby, the set up of the beautiful bar and ceiling fans, he recognized the tables, chairs, stairs, and timeless grand piano. He realized Emmy had somehow taken him to his favorite movie.  He had been transported in time to the set of Casablanca.