Blind Hindsight

Tristan rattles the chained doors of what was his store. The eviction notice solidly taped on the inside of the glass reminds him that he should have paid the rent on time this month.
Tristan turns away from yet another failed business, another attempt to improve his life. He knows that his businesses would be big, that they have great potential, but what holds him back, every single time, is his lack of funding. He always finds at least one good investor, who fronts the capital for him for a few months based on his business plans, but for some reason or another, they pull their funding before he's able to stand on his own, and within a year, he has to close his doors…or in this case they were locked on him.
"I could have made this one work, I could have made all of them work." Tristan lets out an exasperated sigh, "Maybe in another life." Tristan begins walking away from his latest failure, the sky beginning to lighten as the sun rises over the city.
The light stretches across the street, breaking through the shadows to reveal someone walking towards Tristan, the sound of their footsteps hidden behind his own. Without a second though Tristan mutters "Good morning" to the stranger as they draw near.
"Doesn't seem to be too good for you."
The voice sounds familiar, prompting Tristan to raise his eyes and meet the other man's gaze. The shock that fires through Tristan is staggering as he finds himself face to face with…himself. "What in the world?"
"This world, another world, they're pretty similar. The minor differences are negligible." The other Tristan smiles their awkward smile, the same one that Tristan uses when he is talking to possible investors. "Yes, I really am another you. You're smart enough to understand that this meeting comes with a pitch. Right?"
"How is this…" Tristan cuts himself off, knowing that the "how" isn't really that important. "Why are you here? You mentioned a pitch? Are you trying to sell me something?"
"There we are, that's the business acumen I was hoping to find. We have some plans to go over."
The two Tristan's return to the crummy one bedroom apartment that Tristan is on the verge of losing, drinking water from the tap as they get comfortable.
"I have to say, I'm not used to these kinds of accommodations, but I think I'll grow to like them."
"You mentioned plans, and a pitch. I gather you're interested in some sort of business venture here since you noted my 'acumen.'" Tristan who just lost his store uses air quotes around the word acumen, since at this point he's not feeling too adept at business.
"That's right. I would like for us to switch places."
"What do you mean by that?"
"As I'm sure you've reasoned out, I'm you."
"It wasn't that hard, you even have the same shit eating grin I do. Thing is, I don't have a twin, so how is it that you're my doppelganger?"
"I'm you, from a separate timeline, one where our parents actually made good investments, and we have a fair amount of money associated with our name. Enough that you wouldn't need investors for your startup businesses, just a small loan from," The second Tristan screws up his face, "Dad. Even the thought of borrowing money from him leaves a bad taste in my mouth."
"You don't have a good relationship with Dad?"
"No, he was a great Dad, provided everything we needed, it's just that now, he's going to cut me off, unless I start my own business, which to be honest, I don't want to do. You see, unlike you, I don't want to open a business. Don't get me wrong, I'm not lazy or anything, it's just that the idea of being the big boss doesn't appeal to me. I'd be happier working in a construction site, or a forge, or a factory, but preferably something I'd be able to use my hands."
"So why don't you go ahead and tell him that? He's always been a reasonable man."
"Oh, he thinks that's beneath me, wouldn't hear of it. In fact, when I did get a job placing rebar, within a week he bought out the company and fired me from it. He really doesn't want me to be a blue collar worker."
Tristan scratches his head. "So he's just as overbearing as my Dad huh?"
"Maybe a bit worse since he has the means to actually control my life. This is where you come in though. You want to have a business of your own, and to be the owner, the boss, take on all of that responsibility. Right?"
"I guess I have the same thoughts as you, that I want something I built with my own hands, just with the added perk of not having someone else tell me what to do. I hate that."
The Tristan from the other timeline smiles, a small laugh escaping his throat. "Well, you'd have Dad on your ass for a while, until you pay him back the loan, but if you trade places with me, you can have all of that. Probably more too."
Tristan takes a drink of water, noting a bitter taste as he does so. "What would you get out of this swap?"
"I would get a bit more freedom, I'd be able to do those manual labors that I like, and not bear any burden of responsibility. Don't you see? You would be the perfect son that my version of Dad wants, and I'm guessing I'd be the perfect son your version wants."
"You have a point, Dad here wants me to get my head out of the clouds, and as he says it, out my nose to the grindstone. He thinks all of my business attempts have been a waste of time, and to be honest, after this morning, I was about to cave and go ask him for a job."
Tristan checks his expensive looking watch. "Well, I wish I could give you more time to think this through, but unfortunately, time is a luxury we don't truly have. My window to return to my timeline will shut in about three hours."
"It all sounds too good to be true, but I'm really leaning towards taking you up on this offer."
"What are your hangups?"
"Are Mom and Dad really the same people in your timeline as they are here?"
"Does Mom still bake cookies for all her friends' special occasions? Does Dad still talk incessantly about how he got the scar on the back of his hand?"
"You know about the scar? And what kind of cookies does your Mom bake?"
"Dad got the scar from his time in the military, saved his best friend, our so-called Uncle Tristan, from a machine gun incident that left that raptor claw scar on the back of his left hand. Mom baked all kinds of cookies, but her forte is with the sugar cookies."
Tristan smiles hearing this. "In your timeline, did you date a girl named Khloe?"
"The only girl we ever loved. Promised to marry her when we satisfied Dad, and had the approval from both of our parents. Same for you?"
"Yeah, she's still waiting for Dad to agree, but he hasn't since I haven't given up on my business dreams."
"Same on my end, the only difference being that Dad is waiting for me to start my business."
"Does your Khloe have that one tattoo that no one else knows about?"
"The two-tailed cat on her right thigh."
Both Tristan's sigh with the memory of Khloe. "Alright, you've convinced me. Where do we need to go? How do I get to my new home?"
Tristan removes the expensive looking watch. "You just put this on, and press the button on the left side of the watch face."
Tristan takes possession of the watch, instantly recognizing that it has more components than a regular watch, along with additional weight. Wrapping the timepiece around his left wrist he takes one final look around the apartment. Turning to the other Tristan he smiles, the most sincere smile he has ever made. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not leaving you with much, but I wish you the best."
"You're leaving me with all the opportunities that come with freedom. I know you'll be just fine in your new life." Tristan's smile as he says this is still a coaxing, almost devious smile.
Tristan raises his left hand with the watch, gripping his wrist with his finger wrapped over the sole button on the left side. "Goodbye. Goodbye to all my failures." Little pressure forces the button down, activating the internal mechanics, causing the face to light up, forcing the world around him to darken.
Slowly the watch face begins to dim, allowing the world to brighten, to fill his senses. The first difference Tristan notices is that the other Tristan is no longer in front of him, and even the dingy apartment has been replaced.
Tristan's new surroundings are a cold steel room, with several armed individuals training their weapons on him.
"Tristan Dyeden, place your hands over your head and interlock your fingers!"
"What? What's going on? I don't underst…" A sudden strike drives the wind from Tristan's lungs, doubling him over in pain.
"Tristan Dyeden, you're being taken into custody in accordance with your sentencing. Additionally, you are charged with new charges of illegal temporal shifting, and the murder of Khloe Massen. You have the right to remain silent…"
Tristan begins to realize that he has been deceived, that the other Tristan was only trying to gain his own freedom. "No. I'm not the man you think I am! Please! Listen!"
The officers pay no heed as they take him into custody, to serve the sentence of the other Tristan.