When my fears about the future took over, and my imagination plagued me with fires, floods, earthquakes, and suffocating heat waves, I did my research. But in the end, the rail lines went elsewhere, the upstart port cities like Seattle and Portland and Milwaukee grabbed the lion’s share of trade, and the great future never arrived. Just like me, the younger version of Roverton believed in a great future for itself that turned out to be an illusion. The dreams of a bustling future died; perched on its lakeside fastness, the town continued its placid course. When my fears about the future took over, and my imagination plagued me with fires, floods, earthquakes, and suffocating heat waves, I did my research.