Visit to the Twenty-first Century

Nonetheless, after his experience with the muggers, he was frightened to approach anyone. He walked aimlessly in a straight line until his legs gave out. He rested for a while by sitting on the curb and continued on. By this time, he was hungry and thirsty. Nowhere did he see any public fountains or food stands.

A hot sun beat down on him, causing him to sweat. He removed his shirt and was still warm. After a while, he took off the jeans -- and finally his underwear. He walked on in the nude except for his shoes and socks, carrying his garments in his arm. People he passed either glared at him or chuckled. Finally, he recognized the blue uniform of a lawman. He tapped him on shoulder. "Your Royal Highness, am I walking in the right direction to get to ..."

The cop turned and shook his head. "Just what I need today. A nut. This heat must bring them out. Okay buddy, what're you doing walking around in the buff?"

"Oh. Am I breaking a taboo? It was hot." Obsidian vaguely recalled from the classes that there'd been some rule against appearing without clothes.

"Put your hands behind your back. I'm taking you in for indecent exposure." He snapped handcuffs on Obsidian and led him to the back seat of his patrol car.

***

When they got to the station, the cop stood over Obsidian with his gun drawn while the time traveler dressed. He handcuffed him again and led him to a desk. When they were both seated, the cop booted up his desktop and began to interrogate Obsidian. "Name?"

"Obsidian."

"Is that your first name or your last name?"

"I don't understand. I've had the same name all my life."

The cop shook his head. "I'll put down Obsidian Doe. Permanent address?"

"What?"

The cop sighed. It was going to one of those days. "Where do you live?"

"Enceladus."

"Oh brother. Did you think that I wouldn't know that Enceladus is a moon of Saturn? It just so happens that I took astronomy in college." He squinted at Obsidian. "With that accent, I figure you for an illegal. I guess I'll have to notify the IMS." He picked up his phone and talked for a while. When he hung up, he said, "The IMS guys will be here later this afternoon. I'll have to put you in a holding cell until then."

Obsidian pointed to the phone. "May I use your communication device?"

"Okay. You get one call." He shoved the phone toward Obsidian.

"I'm afraid I don't know how to use it."

The cop shook his head again. "Who do you want to call?"

"The tour bus driver at Port Authority." He figured that he'd try to get the facts of what happened into the thick head of Fifty Five.

"What's the name of the tour company?"

"TAC Tours."

The cop dialed Port Authority and asked about a tour bus with that name. He waited a while and said, "Uh huh," a few times. When he hung up, he said, "Sorry, your tour left without you -- if you're really with a tour."

The officer locked him up with a nasty-looking character in ragged clothes. The minute the cop left the area, his cell mate came up and grabbed Obsidian by the collar. "Hey ass hole, I don't like your looks. I should beat you up."

Obsidian almost messed his jeans. "What? Why?"

"All right, I'll give you a break.