Chapter One
Saturday, June 2, 2001
10:47 A.M.
Hill Valley, California
"Just a second!"
Clara shouted at the ringing telephone in vain as she ran from the living room of the Brown mansion to the kitchen. Just one ring before the machine would have picked it up, Clara answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this the home of Dr. Emmett Brown?" came a male voice on the other end.
"Who is this?"
The man cleared his throat, "My name is Jim Door. I'm a genealogist from Seattle. I happen to be in the Hill Valley area today, and I believe that Doctor Brown is my third cousin. I would like to meet him. Who is this?"
"I'm Clara, his wife. Could you hold on just a second?"
"Certainly."
Clara left and walked over to Doc's office and clock room, which was located directly next to the spacious living room.
Clara knocked softly at the door.
"Come in," Doc said after a moment.
Clara peeked into the office. Doc was bent over a prototype autovac, an automatic, robotic vacuum that was nearing its public debut.
"What is it, dear?" he said.
"There's a phone call for you," Clara said, "A man who says he's your third cousin. He would like to meet you."
"Third cousin?" Doc thought briefly about his family tree. Third cousins shared great-great grandparents, of which every person has sixteen. A rather distant relationship for someone to be interested in, as far as Doc was concerned. Perhaps it was Doc's fame.
Doc turned to the phone to his left and picked it up, "I have it dear. Hello?"
"Doctor Brown?" came the high-pitched male voice on the other end, "Did your wife explain who I am?"
"Yes," Doc said as Clara closed the door, "But I don't have your name."
"Jim Door," the man said, "And boy, am I glad I found you!"
"Indeed," Doc said, frowning. He couldn't remember any "Doors" in his family, but marriage could account for that. "How are we related, precisely?"
"Third cousins," Door said.
"I mean, can you be a little more specific?"
Door hesitated as a click came across the line—likely Clara hanging up the other end. Door said, "I'm descended from your mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's sister," he said slowly, as if counting the number off of his fingers, "Do you know a lot about your family history?" He sounded nervous about the prospect.
"Unfortunately, no," Doc said, "I don't think I even have the resources to find the name of that relative."
"That would be, uh, Sarah Franks," Door said, hesitating, "I have a tree that I can show you on."
Doc started to get suspicious, "What is it that you do for a living, Mr. Door?"
"I'm a professional genealogist," Door said, "And I've finally gotten around to researching this side of my family. I had a vacation, and I decided to visit Hill Valley. I apologize for not phoning ahead—"
"No, no, no, no, no, not at all!" Doc said, "In fact, could you stop by today?"
"Absolutely!" Door said, excited, "When's a good time for you?"
Doc looked over at the autovac and said, "Oh, about two-thirty, I imagine. We're at Number Two, Spyglass Court. Let me give you the directions."
Doc gave Door the directions and said, "So I'll see you at two-thirty. Just knock."
"Thank you, Doctor Brown! Would you mind if I take photos of you and your wife? For the record?"
"Not at all," Doc said, "I'll see you then."
Doc hung up and returned to work on the autovac.
About ten minutes later, another knock at the door of his office came.
Doc set down his soldering iron, "Yes?"
Clara poked her head in the office, "What happened, Emmett?"
"I scheduled a meeting with Mr. Door at two-thirty."
"Today?"
Doc raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"
"Emmett, the house isn't ready for visitors!"
Doc shrugged. Only his lab wasn't neat enough, in his view.
"Clara, dear, the house is fine."
"Ugh!" Clara shouted, turning to leave.
Doc shook his head, and followed, to help her "tidy up" before Mr. Door arrived.