A. T. T. A
By Greg Beatty

o, tell me again what A. T. T. A. stands for?"

"Sigh. Association of Anti-Time Travel Activists."

"You don't have to say 'Sigh,' you know. Just sigh and I'll get the idea. But do you really think you need to take action against time travel. The risk seems a bit, well--"

"Theoretical?"

"In a word, yes."

"Think of the terrible possibilities that loom before us, though. The paradoxes. Waking up in a different universe."

"Like one in which George W. Bush won the American election?"

"Don't even joke! That's why I have to act, and if you'll excuse me, I have to do so now. Excuse me, Ms. Henderson?"

"Yes? Well, Mrs. Henderson, really."

"Pardon me. I didn't realize you'd kept your husband's name after the accident. None of the official forms indicated this. In any case, my apologies for the mistake, and for bringing some of the terrible memories back into freshness. I'm afraid I have to do so again, though. We still haven't gotten a response from you regarding the key question. Would you like your children's names placed on the memorial along with the other victims, or would you prefer them kept anonymous, due to the nature of the 'incident'?"

"Names? Incident! What happened to my children? Who are you?"

"Oh my. May I see your watch? Oh dear. This is 2004. I'm sorry dear, would you do your best to forget all of this? I'll be back to see you in 2006. We'll talk again then. Have a nice day."

"Wait. That's how you take action against time travel? You mess with people's minds?"

"You think Mrs. Henderson is going to support any funding for time travel any time soon?"

"Well, no, but--that was so cruel!"

"That, my friend, was merely a side benefit. No one said you couldn't enjoy activism. Here, you give it a try. This next one's named Allan Wayne. His daughter's away in the Peace Corps."

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