The time I almost fell off the Empire State Building

I remember when I was nine and almost fell off the Empire State Building. I was on the observation deck with my family. I was a natural climber and I scaled up the fence meant to keep people from falling off. I got to the top, looked back and said, “Dad, look at me!!” My dad asked me to wait while he got out the camera. He reached into the backpack my mom carried on her back. My mom was slight and tiny, but she was always the one who carried the heavy backpack filled with snacks, sodas, and various stuff. My dad couldn’t find the camera, lost his temper, and yelled at my mom. My mom nervously screamed back at him that he wasn’t looking in the right place.

Meanwhile a dragonfly buzzed around my head. I turned around quickly, lost my footing, and started to fall off the building. Just then a hand reached out, grabbed my foot, and swiftly pulled me back to the observation deck. I looked around to see who saved my life, but there was no one. Meanwhile, my dad had found the camera and got upset at me for getting back down from the fence before he could take the picture. I tried to explain what had happened, but he got further upset at me for making up stories.

That was July 6th, 1970. Today I took my time-machine back to the observation deck and that same fateful time and day. I wanted to show up and save myself since I figured the future me was the one who pulled the younger me back from the fall of certain death.

There was my sister, dad, mom and I. It was weird to see myself as a kid. I used to eat the worst kinds of crap back then. Soda, candy, hotdogs, and Wonder Bread from dawn to dusk. But I looked so healthy, like a triple-haloed angel.

I moved closer to my family as they approached the edge of the observation deck. As the younger me began to scale the fence, I got right in behind, ready to grab. The young Brooks was now standing on the top of the fence, glowing at the attention he was getting from his dad. Suddenly a dragonfly buzzed around him and he turned to watch it fly by. The now me was shaking with nerve juice, ready to leap and save the day. The younger me looked back at his dad who took the picture, and he quickly and safely climbed back down.

I was stunned and fell to the ground. “How was this possible? This wasn’t what I remembered.”

Suddenly my family was standing in front of me. My mom said, “Sir, are you okay?” I noticed that she wasn’t carrying a backpack. I nodded that I was alright. My dad took my arm and helped me up. He said, “Hey, old-timer, you’re probably dehydrated. Brooks, give him some of water from your canteen.” The younger me unscrewed the cap from his canteen, winked, and offered me a drink.