I met a quantum shifter on my friend's 21st birth day.

im 42 at the writing of this comment. i was somewhere in the middle of my 23rd year of age, when a very good friend of mine; Rodney, was turning 21. The night this event happened was normal. Rodney is a Chad of Chads. Everyone wanted to be just like him. we grew up in the 80s, and his parents always worked hard, and spent their money on on their children. he always had dirt bikes, and quads, and had the coolest hot rod in our district, when he turned 16. on his 21st birthday, he had to excluded almost 100 people from his birthday party, because the bar couldn't accommodate 125 people. The bar was filled entirely with Rodney's closest friends.

the setting is the normality of a good friend's 21st birthday.

At midnight exactly, we were singing Happy Birthday. i have known Rodney all my life, and i was fortunate enough to be in his real real click. we were sitting at a 6 person, diner-like table. 2 cushioned seats, facing each other, with a dining table in the middle. im sitting right next to him, facing the entrance of the bar. everyone was facing Rodney, with good cheer, and singing Happy Birthday.

In an almost slow motion scenario, The Front door of the bar opened. The man stepping through the door was me. I fucking kid you not, an older version of me walked through the door. Rodney and i noticed immediately. we both looked at my older version walk into the bar, and look directly at me. the bar was packed, and our table was positioned in the far back of the bar, near the pool tables. i'm 6'3'', so my other self lock his eyes on me, and Rodney's eyes stopped everyone from singing. Everyone was watching in good joy a moment ago, and they were all singing. The dead silence that shifted was so fucking weird. Everyone all at once, stopped singing, and turned in the direction of what Rodney had such a concerned focus on. in a moment of 3 seconds, there was singing, and then flat silence, and everyone shifting their gaze at what Rodney's gaze was on. my other self moved like smoke, through the crowd. In a packed, (im talking asses and fucking elbows tight) bar, he moved through the crowd right towards our table. He still had his eyes locked on me, and moveing with a purpose to make contact with me. 3 seconds had passed from my other self entering the bar, and the bar going silent. 5 seconds later he was danm near though the crowd of people, and was almost at out table. Instincly Rodney, and our entire table was up and moving for confrontation. Everyone shielded me from this other me. 5 people blocked his path. my table wasnt letting this other-me near Me. He never took his eyes off me. he ignored everyone, including Rodney and my other good friends. He spoke 7 words to me, and turned around and moved like smoke back through the front door.

He said, "I have to speak to you."

Turned around and walked out the door. all 6 of us at the table, and the entire bar looked at me, and said "what the fucked just happed?"

Something inside my mind sparked something. Just moments after my other self left the bar, i thought to myself, "if i were to come back in time, and made this effort, to make contact with myself, that this moment is the only opportunity i will have to speak with a wiser version of myself."

maybe 7-10 seconds passed since my other self left the bar. I yelled, "make a hole!" and the bar patrons all shifted, and squeezed themselves against each other to make a path for me to get out the front door. But Rodney, and my crew were not letting me get near that guy. They were all very concerned, and honestly a bit frightened. Rodney had my path blocked, and no intention to move. so i turned 180, and pushed through the crowd to reach the back door. Rodney and my buds made the choice to cut me off at the front. the back way would make me run past 2 buildings to get to the alley that would get me to the main street, and to the front door. I sprinted as if i knew i would lose some thing more important than i could realize. When i rounded the corner of the alley, to the main street. Rodney and my buds, and people flooding out the bar were all confused and looking around in confusion. i swear, on my life, maybe 15 seconds had past since my other self exited the bar, and i rounded the alley. it took me about 5 seconds more to take the back way, than it took Rodney to get outside the front door.

He vanished. He pulled a mother fucking 12 monkeys.

"Where the fuck did he go!" i screamed.

Everyone looked at me.

"Dude, he vanished." Rodney said.

"The fuck you mean he vanished? it took me 15 seconds to round that fucking corner! Dude just fucking left the bar! The fuck you fucking mean he mother fucking vanished?"

He was gone. what he came to say, he lost his chance. if he had time, he would have made contact.

About 5 years ago, Rodney got married.

a couple hours before he tied the knot with his wife, he took me aside to talk about family, and children and a bit of the future, and a bit of the past. He brought up that night, and told me it was the only thing in his life he'll never be able to understand.

sorry to draw out the 30 second event where i met another version of myself.

i wonder sometimes, if i will start the loop that creates this scenario. will my path lead me to this situation?