"I need you to answer a question for me, Alyssa, can you do that, sweetheart?"
I nodded sleepily, eyes still closed, suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion.
"Tell me the date, Alyssa. Tell me the month, the day and the year, alright? Tell me now, love, what's the date?"
And so I told him.
Had my own eyes been open I might have noticed the look of shock reflected in his.
He let me sleep for a couple of hours before lifting the washcloth and gently stroking my forehead. My eyes fluttered open and consciousness returned.
"How do you feel?" he asked me quietly. "Still dizzy?"
I thought for a moment. "I don't think so," I replied.
"I'm going to hand you a newspaper and I want you to say the first thing that pops into your head, OK?"
I nodded, slightly puzzled and shifted myself to a sitting position.
I glanced at a short article on page 1 and read it out loud.
"Goodbye Fairness Doctrine For Good - This week, the FCC repeals its 38-year old policy requiring broadcasters to air all sides of controversial public issues. The decision to junk the fairness doctrine comes a month and a half after President Reagan vetoed legislation that would have made the policy law."
"What's the first thing that comes into your head," he pressed me.
"Brady should have ducked," I commented dryly.
Walker shouted with laughter.
"What's with the old newspaper?" I asked.
He stopped laughing.
"Alyssa... This is today's newspaper."
I looked at the date. August 1, 1987 and met his eyes.
"Oh. Shit. Are you kidding me?"
He shook his head no.
"How is this even possible?" I asked him.
"I wish I knew," he said.