My ancestor arrived at Jamestown in 1607, wading onto the shore with his fellow asylum seekers. Yes, they all wanted to escape something. Religious persecution gets a lot of press, but also political dysphoria, bullying, crime—the usual. Having no choice, they began to build a village. What a shock when they discovered the new land was already occupied! The American Powhatans showed up with weapons wearing painted-on masks, and they informed the intruders they could not stay. The aliens had blunderbusses and could have shot the Americans, but they were vastly outnumbered, so they self-deported. It was a good day for the Americans, who learned about gun powder—a useful tool to ward off invaders. Sadly, my ancestor was lost at sea while searching for another landing place. The strange thing is that I’m writing this now, even though I don’t exist.
Existential
