The old man called himself Lord Windermere. He moved silently and spoke softly. This had always given comfort to The One in the past.
The past was not the present. It never is. Just as tomorrow never comes. One can only wake up within the brackets of today. We all travel in time this way. We just forget we are doing it.
Lord Windermere held court only for The One. Throughout the youth of The One, Windermere had inspired and mentored him. Now, by all calculations of the outside world, The One was an adult. He could buy alcohol, rent a car, register for the draft and place dollar bills in the garters of strippers. Now that he could do all these things, he wanted answers.
"This world is not capable of understanding your duality. To be but a man and to be but one person is what they know. For you, this life is a preparation for an upcoming tomorrow.
The One always understood everything Lord Windermere told him. Since his birth and the unexpected expiration of his parents, Windermere had counseled him. This did not mean that The One accepted and believed everything he was told by his mentor. It only meant that he understood.
"You have great talents, but they must be suppressed. Success in this world is predicated by meeting and exceeding the expectations of others. It has nothing to do with success within."
As always, The One nodded and gave no verbal response. Lord Windermere could read his thoughts through the portals that were his eyes.
Lord Windermere knew that The One doubted his mission as it was told to him. He was deeply troubled by the seductions and temptations of the living, breathing world. For one with so much talent, intelligence, wisdom and energy it was difficult to resist the empty drone of worldly success. In any field The One entered, he would quickly rise to the top. Politics, philosophy, business, science, and a wide range of artistic endeavors were all fields he could dominate if he so chose. Lord Windermere advised him to resist. For this was the final test of The One's readiness for true success.
"To go into this world and dominate with your abilities would be a critical error. Why would I not allow you to play games in school? This football or this baseball were games you would dominate. Then you would be known as a player of games and your legacy would be this. You cannot have a singular legacy. Your legacy is not for this place in which we now exist. They must forget you in order for you to learn your true identity elsewhere. Otherwise this world's history will own your soul."
The One nodded again, and Lord Windermere opened the lid of the great chest behind him. It held all of the great writings and thoughts of The One. His ideas for eliminating poverty, ending war, growing a more perfect apple and methods by which he could buy the world a Coke all rested safely in the great chest. No one would ever find them there. Lord Windermere made certain of that. Now his great novel, the one that would change the nature of literary history was placed in the great chest as well.
The One stepped away.
Lord Windermere closed the chest and activated the locking mechanism that was responsive only to his touch.
"Return to your work at the gas station. Spend time with your friends from the pub. Try not to fall prey to the temptations of success and achievement. The danger is too great. I will not lose you to history."
The One nodded once more and left the room. Once clearly out of Lord Windermere's view he shook his head and wondered aloud. Spoken words were fine as long as Windermere did not hear them. | 
