This Must Be the Place

by Elly Bangs

Release: 2 February 2009
Format: Short Story
Genres: Science Fiction, Music and Musicals
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

At a bar, Andrea meets a loopy man who seems to already know her; he leaves a mysterious message on a napkin, which turns out to be a hint about their next meeting where the man is younger and no longer knows her.

— Michael Main

If I had the power to decide never to meet him again, I reasoned, surely I had the power to change the course of the relationship for the better.

DEBUT

“This Must Be the Place,” in Strange Horizons, 2 February 2009.

VARIANTS

3 English variants

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Circa AD 1970 to 1999: 1984, where the action is.
Circa AD 2000 to 2099: Loren came from some time around 2028.

Timeline Models

Single Static Timeline

Time Travel Methods

Time Vehicles (motorized)

Themes

Save “Lois”!

Groupings

Strange Horizons (periodical)

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From circa 2028 ⋙ to 1 January 1984. Note: Loren’s first time coming back.
From 1 January 1985 ⋙ to 1 January 1984. Multiple trips. Note: Loren’s repeated jumps back.
From Seattle, 1985 ⋙ to circa 1965. Note: Andrea’s first jump.