Letters to John Titor, Rochester’s time traveler

By STEVE LANGE

computer system [from Rochester] in the year 1975.”

The 5100, Titor said, was needed to “debug various legacy code computer programs” in 2036.

He had, he said, made a stop in 2000 to pick up some family photos and check in on family in Rochester.

Over the next four months, Titor ‘s 570 Internet posts described life in 2036. Gave us a glimpse into our own future. Chronicled an upcoming “civil conflict over a U.S. presidential election.” Warned us about Mad Cow Disease. Told us about a nuclear war with Russia.

On March 24, 2001, John Titor signed off. He was heading back to 2036.

At Rochester Magazine, we receive—in this order, at a ratio of maybe 50 to 1 to 1—positive letters, mean letters, and— since November 2020—letters that break our hearts.

A few dozen readers—I hope you know who you are—send us nice notes on a regular basis.

It says a lot about a person when you see their name in your email box or envelope return address and you look forward to reading their message.

The mean letters, though, are far more interesting.

Here’s one from a while back:

“The so-called ‘editor’ of this so-called ‘magazine’ thinks that whatever he says is gospel. You can tell by looking at his stupid picture that he thinks he’s god’s gift to writers.”

There’s more, but the rest of it gets kind of mean.

A few readers—three or four of you, I hope you know who you are—send us unkind notes on a regular basis.

There is one reader who, regularly takes the time to tell me how much he hates whatever it is I’ve written. But at least he sends it to the general email address at the Post Bulletin, so the entire staff can see it, too.

It says a lot about a person when you see their name in your email box or an envelope return address and you dread reading their message.

I learned early on not to take it too personally.

But, over the last few years—since November 1, 2020, specifically—we’ve gotten a number of letters that remind us to live every moment.

November 1, 2020 is when I wrote a long story about John Titor, “The Time Traveler” with Rochester ties.

John Titor was—still is—the most famous “time traveler” of our generation. Twenty-three years ago, he posted on a littleknown Internet discussion board, the Time Travel Forum.

“Greetings,” he wrote. “I am a time traveler from the year 2036. I am on my way home after getting an IBM 5100

Those 570 posts would lead to a website (JohnTitor. com), books (“John Titor: A Time Traveler’s Tale”), a movie (“Time Traveler Zero”), a stage play (“Time Traveler Zero Zero”), a video game (“Steins Gate”).

And they would lead to plenty of people who believe— or desperately hope—that John Titor actually traveled back (then forward) in time.

After the Rochester Magazine story ran, the letters started coming.

Sure, there were the standard letters. I heard from people who claimed to know who was behind the hoax. I heard from three people who claimed to be John Titor. I heard from a woman who claimed to be Titor’s girlfriend (and, well, mother of his child).

But then I started getting the kinds of letters that remind you to pay attention to the time we’re in.

These letters have come from all over the world from people who saw the story online. Then tracked down my email address or posted on our Facebook page.

These are the letters—and I’ve received maybe two dozen—from people who want to travel back in time. To take back something they said. To tell someone they’re sorry. To say “I love you” before it’s too late.

Here’s part of one email: “Hello, sir. I read one article about John Titor who is the time traveler. I want to save my wife by going to the past please, sir, help me. I just want my wife back alive. Please, sir, help me ...”

And this: “If you have any way to contact Mr. Titor, please pass this along to him: ‘Mr. Titor, I will give you everything I have to take a letter back to my children and wife to explain I never meant to hurt them.’”

And this: “I beg you to beg John Titor to carry me back into the time of 12 August 2014. This is the day I tell my precious daughter she has made me disappointed and the last day my precious daughter is alive. I beg you to beg John Titor to carry me back to say ‘I love you’ and tell her she could never disappoint me and I didn’t want her to ever believe that in her last moments.”