“Look at this”, he said and showed her a small video clip of a cartoon cat chasing a mouse. Miriam did not know how amusing she found it until she let out a slight giggle.
“So the corners of your mouth do turn up”, he said and gave her a slight rub on the shoulders.
Miriam winced slightly from his touch and he soon enough withdrew his hand after realizing his mistake.
“I have to go”, Miriam said and got to her feet. She looked at her wrist watch and did not want to annoy Naomi in any way.
“So soon?”
“Yes”
“Can I see you again?”
Miriam thought of the question for a minute and knew it would be hard sneaking out of the house with the same reason. She however thought of the cartoon that she had just seen and wouldn’t mind to see it again.
“Day after tomorrow”, she answered she turned on her heel and said a polite goodbye and went back with the direction that she had appeared.
“Bye, see you soon”, he echoed after her.
She walked and ran the rest of the way home and did not stop to chase any rabbits or look at their young ones as she somehow always did. She saw the cabin approach her from a distance and threw another quick look at her watch. It was only 4:30pm and she hoped her sister would not be mad with her.
Miriam walked in through the back door into the usual house noise and went straight to her sisters’ room. She knocked slightly on the wooden door and patiently waited for an approval before pushing the door forward and letting herself in slowly.
“Get in and lock the door behind you”, Sarah commanded and patted her bed for her to seat on. Miriam obediently followed instructions and sat on the bed next to Sarah and opposite Naomi. She gave them both an expectant look as she waited to be sworn into the next secret bond.
THE END
Miriam's Dilemma
Chapter 1
-The whole new world-
Miriam had just celebrated her eleventh birthday, and her entire family was proud of her. She was the perfect specimen by all Amish standards, and her parents were really happy to have her as their daughter. Even at that young age, Miriam was considered a young woman with all the necessary qualities to make a perfect Amish wife. She was smart, religious as well as very hardworking.
And speaking of hard work, Miriam was giving it her best both when it came to school as well as in her chores at home. And also for that, her parents were happy. But for some reason, her father was always scared for her.
New technology isn't acceptable in the strict Amish traditions. But with the kind of education that their children were being given, it was starting to look as though the new technology was going to infiltrate and ruin each and everything they stood for, and that was bad for the family name.
And being a strong member of the Amish way of life and a very respected member of the Amish society, Miriam's husband was a troubled man. And that was one thing that his wife of twenty-five years, Ruth was able to see.
"You do not have to worry about a thing my dear husband. Your daughters have a good upbringing. Trust me when I tell you that they are very well aware of what is good and what is not."
"I know that Ruth. But you know how technology makes life easy. It wouldn't be difficult for them to opt for the easier life. Times have changed. Younger people always want to take shortcuts in life. And that is what is killing the outside world and keeping up safe and reserved."
"But that is something that is beyond our control. No matter how hard we kneel down and pray, we just can't wish this all to go away. So it would be in our best interest to keep on reminding our children what is best for them. They are smart, and I have confidence that with prayers, they will not fall into temptation."
"Amen to that. All we need to do is engulf this homestead with lots of prayers to ensure that nothing like that ever comes to happen."
The food was being prepared by Miriam and her elderly sisters, Esther and Naomi. Esther was three years her senior while Naomi was a year older than Esther. And according to the Amish custom, they were almost at the marriage age, and they had some young men from respected families courting them.
Miriam was supposed to watch them closely so that she could learn from them each and every step of the way. It was exciting for Miriam since each and every girl her age always looked forward to getting married since raising a family was the most honorable thing for an Amish girl to do. Just being incredible, God fearing woman was important to the Amish people to the point that it was considered sacred.
Her sisters treasured her in turn, making sure that she was always well advised and taken care of effectively. They also made sure that they brought her along with the chaperone during their dating so that Miriam could pick up one or two things about the adult life that she wasn't so far away from.
They also answered all of her curious questions and made her happy since she always had some scoop to tell her friends at school as well as at church, though it was forbidden for young ones to talk about topics that were considered reserved for the adults.
But amid all of this, Miriam also had another obsession, and that had everything to do with the other world, or the outside world as they would refer to it.
Despite the fact that their ways clearly forbade technology, it didn’t seem like a bad thing especially if it could be under surveillance. But even though she felt that way, Miriam knew that it would break her parents’ hearts if at all she was to bring that issue up at any given moment.
And that was how she figured that it would be a good thing just to keep some of these things to herself.
In school, they learned about a hell lot of things including cell phones, computers, fuel and electric powered cars, airplanes, hi-tech electrical equipment used in hospitals to increase the chances of healing.
Back in their village, most people were always made comfortable” right before the patient was presented sprinkled with holy water to gain God’s favor and healing since they didn’t put that much trust in hospitals and its new technology.
Most young people were secretly not happy with this, but it wasn’t in their place to utter a word.
And for a moment, Miriam knew that change was inevitable. And even though it might end up taking years to take effect, she was confident that the Amish were going to change their ways and embrace the technology one way or the other.
Another thing she was sure about was the fact that she didn’t want to be the first one to bring that idea up. She had seen people get excommunicated first hand because of bringing or even getting suspected of handling contraband and that she didn’t want to fall victim of the same.
Naomi was always the one who could tell when her little sister was deep in thought. It was one cold evening when the three sisters were seated in the candlelit kitchen preparing supper. As usual, Miriam always zoned out when she had something in her mind, and Naomi saw it.
“Ok, come clean with me. What is bothering you, little sister?”
“It's nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Miriam lied
But Naomi wasn’t a fool especially when it came to her adorable little sister. She knew that something was up. And even though she wasn’t ready to come clean, one of these fine days she was going to come clean and when that time happened, Naomi was most definitely going to try her level best to advise her accordingly.
So all she did was smile at her little sister right before turning her head into the pot that was boiling with stew on the three-stoned fireplace and continued stirring.
Chapter 2
-Daydreaming-
As usual, Miriam got to school a couple of minutes earlier than any other student. That meant that she had some little time to think about the interesting lesson that they had the previous day that got her thinking.
The lesson was about technology. They were studying about the different sides of technology according to curate’s egg hypothesis. And that was the reason she thought it wouldn’t be such a difficult thing for the Amis
h to adopt technology and to regulate it. But this wasn’t going to be an easy thing to begin with especially when it came to their elders.
They resented the outside world cultures with a passion. And anyone who showed an interest in the outside world, as well as their technology, was either punished or treated as an outcast. But the harsh repercussions didn’t stop them some of them from being curious. Over the years, Miriam had witnessed cases of some young people running away from the community and never came back.
How incredible would it be just to pick up a cell phone and call someone, tell them how you felt and hung up? Yes, the Amish people still used quills to write long letters and have them posted like it was still the medieval era.
Miriam didn’t hate her way of life. As a matter of fact, being Amish was a source of pride, and it goes without saying that it was a sense of belonging to the people. But the huge problem here was the fact that they were missing out and that alone made Miriam, as well as a good number of young Amish people to feel a little bit curious and left out.
And as Miriam was seated on the wooden bench under a tree waiting for the other students to come over, she thought how cool it would be to talk to your friends via Facebook other than having to wait until they got to school, or church or the playground.
One by one, the little kids started trickling into the school. The school was made out of wood. The walls made of tree logs and the roof was thatched using hey. The girls wore these long handmade cotton dresses that made them look like Catholic nuns with another piece to cover up their heads.
The boys, on the other hand, wore black suspender trousers with white, long-sleeved shirts. They all loved and looked forward to school since it was the only place they could be able to see the outside world through the eyes of their teachers.
And one thing was in common, they all wanted to go out there and see it with their very own eyes.
“Hey Miriam, how was your weekend?”
“It was great. Thank you, Sam.”
Sam was her best friend. He too was a little bit curious about the outside world but for some reasons, they didn’t want to talk about this openly since there was always consequences.
“I heard that today we were going to learn about the outside world.”
“I guess. What do you think our parents would do if they found out?”
“Of course they already know. But we ought to know, it's our right to know. But the problem is and will always be trying to introduce that kind of technology at our place. That would be difficult, near impossible thing.”
“But it will come to happen, Miriam, sooner than later. And I will give you a call and tell you ‘I told you so.' Just wait and see.”
“The only way you will be communicating me will be through a letter and needless to say, you will be telling me that I was right all along.”
“but there are people who have cell phones as we speak. I don’t know how they managed to sneak them in, but they just happen to have them.”
Miriam was quiet for a moment. As far as she was concerned, she only got to see the mobile phones in the books but she had never seen one, let alone touching it.
“Have you ever seen a cell phone before?”
“No. But I know I would like to see one. Even if it meant just getting to see it for the first time and giving it back to the owner.”
“Same here. But you know we can’t be talking about such things.”
Other students were starting to trickle in, and the school keeper was opening the heavy wooden doors for the students to take their places and wait for Mrs. Obrien to start her lesson for the day.
***
The day went through a little sluggish than Miriam expected. From time to time, her curious mind would slide into a trance where she would try to create images about how the outside world operated. The cars, computers, trains and people who aren't writing letters using quills and stuff like that. She also envisioned the world where people went to hospitals with modern equipment where people wouldn’t die of simple ailments that could be treatable.
Many a times Miriam would want to put up her hand and ask her teacher why it was so difficult for her people to embrace new technology. But she knew the answer. The Amish people didn’t embrace technology since it meant that they would be embracing their demise and that alone was a bad thing indeed.
Chapter 3
-The strange town boy-
Finally, school came to an end, and the teacher bade them goodbye. It had been a very productive day and the students had learned a lot more about the outside world. But as it was customary, they didn’t have to develop a curiosity about the outside world since it was always a bad idea.
Miriam was still in a trance and that she didn’t want to walk with anyone home. She always preferred the company of her thoughts. And now that the teacher had given them another illusion of the outside world, all she did was conjure up images and couldn't help wondering how the nuclear plants would look like as well as the towers. The teacher kept on talking about the idea of having airplanes as a sin since man was trying to imitate God.
But still Miriam had her opinions about everything. The man was in the image and likeness of God. So how on earth was it sin to become creative as well as innovative? It just didn’t make any sense.
The inky sky was starting to press down against earth like a thick, gray blanket and for a moment, Miriam thought dreaded the possibility of the rain falling on her freshly coiffured hair.
The shortest way for her to get home was getting through the ranch that she normally went around before getting to her father’s farm. The ranch owner had created a gate to ensure that it Miriam’s family could do just that though Miriam always preferred going around it for reasons best known to her.
The ranch was clear. It seemed as though the horses were let loose right before the rains. Miriam took another glance at the sky and let out a sigh. Getting rained on wasn’t going to be that incredible evening that she would change into her home clothes and lay in the grass with her big sisters and just watch the sky as they talked about all grown up stuff.
“Oh, could you watch where the heck you are going mama!” yelled a guy in a strange accent.
This new accent made Miriam come to a screeching halt. Miriam didn't understand such slung. Mama? What the hell did that mean? If anything, she was almost the same size as the young boy whom she just met.
“My apologies. I didn’t mean to step on your shoes.” Miriam said as politely as she could.
To her surprise, the young man was staring at her. She stared back at him. It seemed as though two cultures had collided for the first time. The boy had long, strangely coiffured hair and he wore clothes made of fine leather. He was also very clean and had a distinctive scent.
The young man also stared at her as though Miriam had just landed from the mid-eighteenth century. Her spotlessly clean cotton dress that went all the way to her ankles seemed outdated by at least century or two. Her shoes were handmade of unrefined leather, and so was her backpack.
“Hello… forgive my manners. I am Henry. My father is Amish, and my mom is African American. I just came to visit, and I think I lost my way. Could you direct me, please?”
Miriam didn’t quite catch that. It seemed as though she was still admiring the stranger’s clothes and his scintillating scent. Henry had to repeat himself to make sure that she heard him loud and clear. And once Henry was done explaining himself, he had this pretty smile on his face.
“Uh, oh… hey. So, where do you live? I am sure if you told me that I will be in a position to help you out…sir.”
“Sir? No please. You can just call me Henry.” He said gently, stretching his hand for a greeting.
“I am Miriam. I just live across the fence. So, where do you say your parent stays?”
And as they were having a chitchat while standing in the middle of her neighbor’s ranch, Henry took out the phone that he was having in his pocket and tried to make a call. Miriam was surpri
sed. Her heart rate jumped to almost double in a minute, and things just escalated. It seemed as though Henry had pulled out a gun.
“Is everything ok Miriam?”
“Uh, yes. Everything is ok. It's just that…”
“What?”
“It’s just that… I haven’t seen a cellphone in my entire life!”
Henry opened his mouth agape, almost to a point that it looked like a neat “O”. It felt as though he wanted to laugh but midway, he realized that it was rude, and so he had to cut it short.
“It’s ok. Go ahead and laugh.”
“And why would I do that? I understand and respect your culture. Though it seems as though I was surprised to experience it first hand. You see, I am half Amish too. But my father ran away and was excommunicated. He came back when my grandmother got sick and demanded to see him.”
“I am so sorry for your grandmother.”
“Oh, she will be fine. She has been here for seventy years without going to a hospital so she will be fine. Too bad there is no network. Why is it so? How do you guys survive without network?”
“We are Amish. The only network we need is kneeling down, closing our eyes and praying to God. You get my point?”
It was now starting to feel as though Henry was making fun of her, and it was starting to piss her off a little bit. But it wasn’t his fault. It was just strange to imagine how guys his age were living so comfortably without social media.
Finally, Henry was able to find his way home. But before he bade Miriam goodbye and went his way, he turned around and handed the phone to Miriam.
“You can at least touch one and learn how to operate it. It's ok. I won't tell if you won't.”
Chapter 4
-The family meeting-
The Time Turner Page 11
