Changing Places with Yourself

Chapter 2

I was still confused about how and why my soul was switched with hers leaving all of my memories from my other life intact. It makes no sense to let me relive my youth while making her die in my place.  I began to try to call my parents' phone number as well as my brothers’ numbers, at least two of the three of them that I had memorized.  Nothing more valid and I went online to try to locate them by their addresses only those streets don’t exist in my hometown anymore.  I seem to be in the same year as I died in the other reality.  She has all the most up-to-date phones and other electronics.  I pull out her cell phone to check her contact list when I saw a strange symbol in place of the phone's icon.  Pressing it and hitting the speaker icon the following message plays:

“Thank you for calling Trans-Dimensional Switching Services.  We know you have many options on which carrier to choose when deciding to switch souls with your namesakes and another dimension and are super pleased that you chose our services.  If you are confused about what's going on, please press 1 now to have all your questions answered.  If you would like to hear the optional lives to connect with, please press 2 now.  If this is an emergency, please press 3.  If you’re finished with this call, please press 8 or hang up, but be aware our icon will disappear from your phone as we are a one-time use service. To hear these options again, please press 9.

I press 9 then 1 when the option came back up.

Thank you for pressing option 1.  We understand how confusing this can be waking up in your namesake’s body, but we are here to help you through this trying time.  First, we will go over a few common questions asked by newcomers.  1) Why did this happen?  Your namesake in this dimension contacted us about the service and chose to switch places with you.  2) Why am I a younger version of myself?  Your namesake couldn’t handle the pressures of their current life so they chose yours after hearing about you and how you were going to die.  3) What about my family?  They will grieve for you, but we have made sure that there is a will, even though you didn't have one in place, that will follow your wishes and instructions. Thanks to your namesake, and a million-dollar life insurance policy listing your youngest brother, Tim, as the beneficiary.  Also, please know that your pets are well taken care of so rest easy.  Feel free to go to the local shelter and adopt a new pet that will have the same personality as the ones that you remember.  4)  Did my former body really die?  Yes.  Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid the accident you were in, which is why your namesake chose to switch places with you.  5)  Why me?  Your namesake has recorded a short message to explain why your lives were switched.  Once completed you’ll be given the option to ask any questions you still might have to one of our helpful operators, who are standing by to assist you.  If you wish to hear the message, please press 5.

I hit 5.

“Hi, Becky.  I know this is confusing.  Why would a younger version of you want to give a chance for you to do it all over again?  I listened to your profile and came to admire your strength and your intelligence.  I’m not as strong-willed as you and if I stayed here I would have been killed anyway.  So, I decided to let you have a second chance at love, kids, and family.  After I heard your profile I was allowed to share your thoughts for a few days.  I know if anyone deserves to be a wife and mother it's you, and it saddens me how things transpired in your own life to prevent you from finding true love.  Maybe here in this dimension, you can use the money that's at your disposal to make changes you couldn't afford in your own dimension.  Please take full advantage of this opportunity I’ve given you.  I know you will be able to handle the haters in our senior year of high school and find a way to excel like I never could have.  Finally, I want to say, Thank you, for giving me a chance to see life through your eyes and making my death have meaning.  I can't wait to see your family and mine in heaven and play with those animals you had throughout your life, I never had a chance to get a pet myself.  Oh, in case you're wondering, my parents from this dimension gave this transfer their blessing and said they would be watching over you for me.  Have a wonderful life, Becky!  I look forward to meeting and heaven in the way distant future.”

This is the end of the recording to hear it again, please press 5.  If you still have questions and wish to speak with our helpful staff, please press 0.

I press 0.

Operator: Thank you for contacting Trans-Dimensional Switching Services, my name is Kara and we are on a recorded line.  How may I help you, Miss David?

Me: Hi, Kara, I hope you're having a great day.  I just have a few questions.

Kara: (giggles) I can see you've had some customer service jobs in the past.  Your phone presence is awesome and yes my day is going great thanks to your call.  What would you like to know?

Me:  Will I keep all the old memories from my other life or will they fade as her memories become stronger?

Kara:  That is a very good question.   Most new transfers will eventually let those memories go since they can’t go back to their old dimension, but you will form new ones as you live out this life.

Me:  Does that mean my skills will disappear too?  I love writing, knitting, and needlework.

Kara:  None of that will fade, in fact, you’re gaining all the skills that your namesake had in this dimension because we found it eases the transition as you accept your new reality.

Me:  How long will it be before her memories are fully downloaded into my mind?

Kara:  Usually they seep in over a week, but given the situation, your namesake was in at the time of the switch we had to increase the speed.  So, you could protect yourself. In your case, tonight, when you go to sleep the rest of her recent memories spending the last five years, will be there when you wake up.

Me:  Why only 5 years?

Kara:  We feel that gives you a fair estimate of what she’s endured.  She chose you because of your courage and heart if anyone can deal with the bullies she’s had in her life it’s you, Miss David.  But if we feel it's necessary, we will incorporate the rest of her memories into your mind over the next month or so.

Me:  Thanks, I dealt with plenty in school myself.  Did she get to see that?

Kara:  Yes, when someone like her makes a final decision on who they want to give their life to all your memories are there for her to experience everything as if she herself were going through it.

Me:  Is that why they say your life flashes before your eyes right before you die?

Kara:  Actually, yes, that is where that phrase comes from.  You are the first person in eons to make that connection.

Me:  Do I win a prize? Just joking.  So, once I disconnect this call the icon for your service will disappear and I won't be able to contact you again?

Kara:  We will be keeping an eye on you for about a year to make sure you’re okay.  If we think you need help the icon will pop back anytime on your phone.  Otherwise a year from today, I'll contact you by text message, to alert you that the icon is back so I can talk to you and see how you're adjusting in your own words.

Me:  How close to my reality is this one?  Other than the street names being different I mean.

Kara:  This dimension is extremely close to the one you were living in.  So, most if not everything else, other than the street names and the family you knew is exactly the same.  Once her memories become yours, you will understand the subtle differences.

Me:  So there’s absolutely no way for me to see any of my family from my dimension here in this one?

Kara:  I understand the pain that you're feeling right now.  Please know the reason you can’t contact them is they don’t know who you are in this reality.  As you go through your daily life now you will meet people who have the physical resemblance and possibly some personality traits of those you knew as your family.  They may become caretakers for you or just good friends as you get older or watch over you in different ways.  They won't know why they feel the need to protect you but you'll know and be able to show them how grateful you are for their care.

Me:  Thank you.  I guess then I don't have any other questions to ask.  Wait.  In this reality, I'm rich?

Kara:  Yes, Miss David, your net worth is over seven hundred million dollars due to multiple investments that your parents have made over the years here.  Also, you have inherited almost 250 million from the grandparents who sold their company for a nice chunk of change and you are their only grandchild.

Me:  Now, I understand why the aunt was so intent on trying to take everything.  Does anyone in her school know how well off she was?

Kara:  No, no one knows.  Yes, that is why the aunt was going to kill her, but we guarantee neither she nor anyone else from her sphere of peers will cause you problems in the future.  Once you saved this body from the imminent danger it was in, the team from our Karma department took over to make sure none of them will mess with you again.  Now that isn’t to say you will never have any drama and the rest of your life, but everything you know from living almost 50 years will guide you through most of it.

Me:  One last thing.  Is there any way to get a message to my brother, Tim?

Kara:  Normally, we don’t.  Because of the swiftness of this transfer, one small exception can be made for you. What would you like the message to be?

Me:  I know you can't tell him what really happened, but could you give him a sense of peace and well-being instead of grief at my passing?  I hate thinking of the pain they're feeling right now and just want them all to know that I love them very much.

I start to cry because I miss them all so much.

Kara:  Ah, Miss David, please don't cry.  We will make sure everyone you love feels that love and has an overwhelming sense of peace tonight as they sleep.  We will do the same for you making your own pain at the loss of them diminish that way you will be able to remember your life without the overwhelming grief of missing them.

Me:  Just out of curiosity how many people switch like this?

Kara:  To date, you’re the 700th person in 2,000 years.

Me:  Wow only 700 and that many years?  I would have thought it would be higher.

Kara:  We only allow those that have an extreme need to use our services and last year we acquired the other companies providing services close or exactly as ours to gain a monopoly in the market.

Me:  Making you the only game in town or in this case every dimension?

Kara:  That's a good way to put it.  If we see you have more questions, I will put the icon back on your phone in the next week.  Otherwise, I’ll speak to you next year and then we’ll keep an eye on you until you hit the age of 21 in this life just to make sure you’re okay.  So, next year on this date the icon will come back after I send you a text asking if you’d like to speak with us again.

Me:  Thank you, Kara. I need to rest my ribs are starting to really hurt now.

Kara:  Have a good rest, Miss David.  Your ribs will be healed in the morning for you.  Please enjoy yourself and take the chances you never did before.  Bye for now.

Me:  Bye.

I hang up the phone and go to bed.  I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.