THE MISTAKEN TIME TRAVELLER

I set the time coordinates for May
The year 2020, ten years from now,
I made the jump but, much to my dismay,
to a parallel universe somehow.
Gas was priced low, but streets seemed deserted.
Open storefronts were few and far between.
Notices in their windows alerted
adherence regarding “Covid-19.”
As though for surgery, patrons were masked,
I suppose the entire populace,
because they took one look, and I was asked
to leave unless I wore one. Such a fuss!
None sick, the air seemed breathable to me.
Too weird, I returned immediately.
