Yesterday I received an e-mail from the FamilySearch website. In it I was told that today is the birthday of my great-great-grandfather's grandfather. What a thrill! At that moment, I remembered his stern look in the photo used in my family tree. An impressive man in terms of his stature, his neatly trimmed white beard and his air of proud ownership in the photos where he poses very erect next to a beautiful younger woman, his wife. I lovingly twirl around my finger the diamond solitaire. This solitaire, which he once gave to his wife, was passed down from generation to generation until it was given to me by my grandmother as a graduation present.

The half-orange gold ring, made from an alloy that is no longer used today, and featuring an old-cut diamond, no longer has much commercial value, but is worth it as a souvenir. A beautiful souvenir! I would love to be able to thank him personally for this gift that he has unwittingly given me. In the message I received, FamilySearch sent me a link to share with my social media acquaintances the importance of this day, but if they don't care about my birthday, why should they care about the birthday of my great-great-grandfather's grandfather? "There must be a better way to thank him...".

As I prepare my breakfast, I read the news published on the internet earlier today on a virtual screen that floats in front of the kitchen counter. The level of UV radiation is high, several neighborhoods in Porto Alegre are partially covered by the waters of the Guaíba river due to the combined effects of this year's super El Niño and rising sea levels. Iinsect pests have formed due to the flooding and the danger of a new epidemic of Dengue and Chikungunya is increasing. "Nothing too unusual, but I think it would be best not to go out today. Maybe I'll go for a walk in the shopping center?" 

I cover myself in sunscreen and catch an UBERfloat outside my condominium. Today's driver is a gentle type and asks me how high above the water I want to go. "Above the buildings, please," I tell him. Most drivers pretend to ignore the fact that we passengers have the right to choose how high we go. But since moving on a thin air cushion near the surface of the water uses less fuel, they usually leave the hovercraft in default mode. I speed through the streets of Porto Alegre, envying the residents of the penthouse apartments, far from these still and smelly waters, and the boat owners, who take advantage of this beautiful weekend day to stroll along the tributaries of the Guaíba river.

At last I arrive at the shopping center docks, where my Uber is parked on the surface of the water and calmly sways to the rhythm of the waves licking the quay. "The mall must be full today," I say to the driver, because in these days of high radiation many people come to do remote work under the UV-shielded glass dome. I start to wander around the mall first floor and soon notice that there's a group of people in the back making a big noise. Full of curiosity, I approach the crowd and see in the center of the group a man dressed in rags, with a red scarf tied around his neck and carrying a stick with a rusty knife stuck in the end, like a spear. He comes with a shallow wound on his chest, covered in a crust of dried blood. "Those disgraced chimangos who were allied with Florêncio da Cunha have paid for their sins today.  I've avenged my ancestors. If I had more time, I'd change the course of history," he shouts emotionally, raising his closed fist in the air.  He leaves surrounded by a group of nurses, all dressed in white, who rush to sedate him.

In the center of the confusion, I see a gleaming egg-shaped machine with a transparent acrylic shield that slowly closes at the front. Inside, there is a small seat in front of a panel full of electronic controls.  On the backrest, blue lights flash non-stop. Standing next to it, the saleswoman explains to the curious masses how the Egg time machine, which has just been installed in the central corridor of this wing of the mall, works. "Due to its small internal dimensions and the short duration of time travel, this machine is perfect for those who want to travel back in time without spending too much. A 4-hour experience you'll never forget."

Ever since these machines were launched, people have channeled their negative energies into disputes about the past. Now, on social media, people no longer argue about politics, soccer, or the economy; everyone blames their ancestors for the ecological and social chaos that took place in the 2040s, or their distant relatives for their derisory inheritances. It's fashionable to travel back in time to try to change the course of history. But scientists insist that this should be avoided.

My current goal is far from grandiose. I just wanted to thank my great-great-grandfather's grandfather for the beautiful ring I inherited and take the opportunity to get to know him and his wife more closely, whom I fell in love with while researching my family tree. "Maybe today would be the perfect day to visit my ancestors!" I think out loud, as I imagine myself sitting in their beautiful living room, all made up of turned rosewood furniture, which today makes up the living room on my grandmother's farm. I can already taste the fudge and other treats in my mouth as I pay for this adventure with my credit card.