3:30 PM PST
"Why don't you go shopping with the kids," Marty suggested, "while Calvin and I take a look at what's in the appliances section? How long do you think it would take you to pick up all the items that you need? We can meet you in the front of the store, where Auntie Anne's Pretzels is. I figured that, uh, we might need to replace a few items."
"It should really take us no longer than half an hour," Jennifer replied. "By the way, are you two sure this is really a good idea?" Jennifer then leaned over to whisper in Marty's ear, "Doc says that it's really not good to know too much about the future."
"Come on, Jenn," Marty protested, as he whispered back in her ear, "if it's okay for Doc to know a lot about the future, than what's the harm of us knowing? He sent us here to pick up a few items for him from OfficeMAX, just to remind you."
"I guess you have a point," Jennifer whispered back. Then, in her normal voice, she said, "All right, kids! We're going to do some shopping now. You can all pick out one one bag of candy and one box of sugared cereal each. If you kids are well-behaved while we shop, you can pick out a pretzel at Auntie Anne's. How does that sound?"
The kids nodded, as Marlene teased, "Whew! You and Daddy were telling secrets to each other, weren't you? Now that's really not fair! What were the two of discussing together? Come and tell us, Mommy! What was the big secret that you two had?"
"Now, that is none of your business, Marly," Jennifer admonished, gently. "We were just discussing adult things with each other. It's really nothing that you kids need to know about. Now you kids all stay with me, and don't any of you run off."
Marty and Calvin turned to each other and smiled. It sure was strange being able to spend time with their future kids like that, as well as the older version of Jennifer. It looked as if the kids were all adorable, even if they could rather curious people.
"It's very strange to think I'm going to have twins," Calvin said, quietly - as the two of them headed toward the kitchen appliance aisle. "On top of everything, it's really such a surreal experience to think I'll have a future wife. At least, I really hope that my future wife and I are still married - and that we're not divorced, or something."
"It's just better that you don't find out," Marty reminded his twin. "It's probably risky enough how you found out who your future kids are." Marty caught of something, as he gasped, "Calvin, look! The Black and Decker Hydrator! This is so awesome!"
Calvin took a close look at the package, before he said, "Yeah, it's cool! It says here that this machine is 'voice-operated'! I wonder if that was what Mom used to hydrate the pizza - when you and Jennifer were in 2015 with Doc, a few months ago."
"What the hell is this?" Marty asked, as he caught sight of another appliance. "This is called the toaster flash? It says on here how this machine can toast your bread within five seconds! I'm not exactly sure what to make of this, you know."
"I see what you mean, Marty," Calvin replied. "I mean, isn't the toaster already fast enough? Do we really become impatient in the future, that everything sure needs to be done within a matter of seconds? Boy, I guess I'm already becoming real cynical of the future - and I'm not even eighteen! Forward time travel can be very surreal!"
"I see what you mean, Cal," Marty said, nodding. Then he lifted up another package, as he gasped, "The nanowave? Check this out, Calvin! This is quite determined to be twenty times faster than the microwave! Now everything is getting so ridiculous!"
"Yeah, I'll say," Calvin said, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm sure things progressed faster in this world - but I certainly don't remember anyone owning a microwave during the 1970s, and this is only three decades later. I am in such disbelief!"
"Well, I guess we shouldn't be too critical," Marty replied. "I'm rather sure some of the people from the 1950s might say the same thing about 1980s appliances. Gee, that's a microstove? It says how this is 25 times faster than a conventional oven. I guess we can get used to these items eventually, but this is just too strange."
"Let's go check the household appliance section," Calvin suggested. "I wonder what we'll see in that section. I guess the future is rather cool, but I sure can understand why the older generations might really consider us to be impatient and lazy."
"Well, when you think about it," Marty said, quietly, "I guess there is really no crime in making our lives rather easier for ourselves. It's only that, well, I think the 1980s are already as fast-paced as it is. I'm not rather looking forward to things becoming even more fast-paced. I just hope we never lose sight of value of taking our time."
"It's like with speed-reading lessons that we hear about," Calvin commented. "I sure enjoy relaxing to a very good book, and I think speed-reading would take all the fun and enjoyment out of it. Reading is something that should be done for relaxation!"
"I really agree," Marty replied. He then gasped, "Oh, boy! Thumbplates! This is just like what I saw on the door of our future home in Hilldale - only, I sure hope we no longer live in Hilldale! From what Doc said, that place will become very rundown by the next thirty years. Now, I really must admit that these things look very cool!"
"They sure do look neat," Calvin replied. "It says right on here that these come with personalized welcome messages. It's one really good way to keep out burglars, and you don't even need to worry about losing your keys. It is very convenient."
"Hey, look!" gasped Marty. "Here are the scene screens! It sure looks like a shade, and you can catch all kinds of scenic views on this thing. I rather wish I could bring this back with us. It's better then seeing the rather boring sight of your neighbour's house. No offence to our neighbours, of course! This could be very lovely!"
"Hey, check this out!" gasped Calvin. "This is a Smart Speaker, and this says here it is easier and more convenient to use than the Clapper. I'm sure we might recognize the familiar jingle by now, but just how many of the people really use the Clapper?"
"Some of my friends do have the Clapper," Marty replied, "and it just is convenient for not having to fumble around in the dark. You could even turn off the lights from your bed, if you don't have the lamp right next to you. So it is real handy to have."
"Well, maybe we should try it sometime," suggested Calvin. Then he said, "Look! We also have a vacuum-robot! It says here that this will vacuum the floor all by itself. At least, that thing does not guarantee that it can vacuum all three storeys of the house in a matter of five seconds. Also, maybe by 2015, such a thing will be possible."
"There was even this automatic dog-walker," Marty explained, "when we stopped at Hilldale to get Jennifer from our future home. Also, as USA Today was reporting the hoverboard rampage caused by Griff and his gang, there was actually an automatic floating camera that USA Today sent to film that event. It was very surreal to me."
"Well, anyway," Calvin said, sighing, "I suppose we really looked at enough futuristic appliances for now. I noticed that, in the grocery store section, there was the section where they had dehydrated foods. I suppose that would rather give us more room in the refrigerator or the freezer. I wonder how something like that will be possible."
"We should check and see if they still have cotton underwear," suggested Marty. "It will just be important to people like Doc, who are allergic to all synthetics. Think we shoud maybe check out the clothing section, and see what they have over there?"
"I guess we have time," Calvin replied, as he checked his watch. "I wonder what we could be doing at the park, and..." Calvin suddenly gasped, "What the hell is an MP3 player? And an Ipod! What the hell are MP3s and podcasts? This is just way weird!"
Marty spent a couple of minutes reading the package, before he said, "I guess an MP3 is some sort of sound file that you can listen to on the computer. Apparently, MP3s are usually about five megabytes. I guess that MP3 player could store up to four jigabytes of music, or about 800 MP3s. Whoa, this is really heavy!"
"Oh, boy," Calvin breathed, "more computer stuff." Then he exclaimed, "Hey, look! Videophones! I guess these things are still rather new! Apparently, you would input certain information about yourself into a database - and, as other people who have videophones call you, your info would show up across the bottom of the screen."
"Jennifer told me a little bit about that," Marty replied. "I guess Needles had called up my older self, and he really tried to get me to partake in an illegal scheme which had ended up getting me fired from my job. She said the videophone worked like that!"
"Well, Marty, head to the clothing section," Calvin suggested. "I wonder if shoes with power laces and self-fitting jackets have been invented yet. I do love the idea of the shoes with power laces. It probably does make wearing shoes less of a hassle."
Marty smiled at Calvin, as the two of them left the appliance section. While he was at it, he would check out the sports gear section - and find out just what they had in the way of hoverboard. He wondered if the Pit Bull hoverboard was invented, yet.