Well, actually, we do that now, but without using a machine. It's called Daylight Saving Time. You know, "Spring forward, fall back." Our next opportunity to enjoy time travel comes around this Sunday when, at 2:00 a.m., we are supposed to wake from a sound sleep in order set our clocks ahead one hour. Of course, it's more convenient to do this Saturday night — or just buy those handy "atomic clocks."
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| (Appalachian State Univ image) |
Daylight Savings causes lots of problems for church folk. For example, one fine spring day a couple years before I headed off to seminary, I walked into All Saints Church in East Lansing for the 10:00 Sunday Eucharist, and was baffled to find the nave full of people. The rector liked to preach at length, so even though I'd forgotten to set my clocks forward the night before, I was still able to receive communion.
A Detroit area stockbroker provides a couple examples of how this twice-a-year time travel can upset the smooth functioning of our lives:
"Take Laura Cirioli of North Carolina, for instance. In November 2007, she gave birth to her son Peter at 1:32 a.m., and 34 minutes later, to her daughter Allison. However, because daylight saving time ended at 2:00 a.m. and all the hospital's clocks were moved back an hour, Allison was officially born before her older brother, at 1:06 a.m.
In March 2007, phone records not accounting for the time change mistakenly identified a Pennsylvania honor student as the main suspect for a late-night bomb-threat. He merely called an automated line for class schedule information — the real culprit actually called an hour later."
Remember to "spring forward" this Saturday evening, March 9. And enjoy your time travel! •••
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