Here by Mistake

Three teens mistakenly travel through time to 1960s New Orleans. Can they ever get back?

Brandon, Sarah, and Stephen—three teens from the small town of Rollings, New York—have just begun their summer. Wondering how to pass the time, Brandon suggests they explore the treasures in the basement of his Aunt Faye’s mansion. The only problem: the kids are forbidden access to the house.

Never one to step away from a challenge, Brandon manages to obtain a key. The dark basement holds a trove of gold coins, a knight’s armor, a grizzly bear on a pedestal, and… an elaborately decorated niche. This unusual furnishing draws the kids’ attention, and before they realize what has happened, they’ve transported through the niche to New Orleans, 1965.

Learning about the past has always fascinated this trio, but to actually live in 1965—and in a strange town? They need to find the niche to return home!

Searching for the niche affords the kids an education unlike any they have known. Gas is 31¢ a gallon. Cars are long and low. TVs lack remote controls. Howard Johnsons are restaurants instead of hotels. And, sadly, racial discrimination is much in evidence.

Between episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, the kids plan their return—both to their hometown and to their millennium. Aware not to change anything that might affect the future, they pursue the niche while trying to avoid notice. Will they succeed? What if they see an opportunity to change the future for the better? Peril and promise await them on the path toward home.

David Ciferri is a clinical social worker who has frequently
used storytelling in his work. He was born and raised in
upstate New York.