Billy Costello and his wife, Thalia, are a young couple, in their early twenties, living in 1856 Sacramento, California. Dr. Dulcamara comes to town. He is experimenting with the new medical treatment known as hypnosis, sometimes called mesmerism.

Billy and Thalia readily agree to help Dr. Dulcamara with his experiments and Billy is hypnotized, going into “Dreamland” to test out the procedure. It proves painless and they both agree to continue with the sessions.

Billy and Thalia study up on famous historical people and events, so that when either of them is in Dreamland, he or she may find themselves with the historical person or at a significant historical event, sort of like a “fly-on-the-wall” happening.

In the first session, Billy finds himself, in 1215, at Runnymead Meadow, near London, England, where King John is confronted by the barons who have lost certain privileges that they had earlier earned. King John finally agrees to reinstate the privileges and he signs the Magna Carta restoring their rights.

In the next session, Billy finds himself as an aide to Julius Caesar. It is the Ides of March in 44 B.C. He is present, as an onlooker, during the assassination of the famous Roman. He is not one of the assassins.

In another session, Thalia is a maid, serving Cleopatra and she witnesses the Queen of Egypt’s suicide.

These sessions continue with Billy being present when William Tell shoots the apple from his son’s head and then, when William Tell rouses the Swiss patriots to action.

Another session has Billy attending the meeting where Patrick Henry makes his famous speech, and another time when Betsy Ross is asked to make our first flag.

Other events include the hanging of American Patriot, Nathan Hale, an event that causes Billy much pain and disturbs him greatly.

Billy is also present in ancient Athens when Socrates is tried and convicted and sentenced to death. Later, when Socrates drinks the poison hemlock and dies, Billy is a fly-on-the-wall witness.

He also is present when Johannes Gutenberg invents his version of moveable-type printing and begins to print the first copies of the Bible, which has been translated into the German language.

He is there when Martin Luther posts the 95 theses on the church’s front door. Prior to the posting, he overhears Martin Luther discussing his reasons for the posting, with two fellow priests. They both agree with him (Martin) but warn him of the dire consequences if he follows through with his intention.

Thalia is present when Beethoven, who is totally deaf at the time, conducts the premiere of his Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria, in 1824. At the time, he does not realize that another conductor, at the side, is the one that the orchestra is really following. This episode brings tears to Thalia’s eyes.

Billy finds himself on Christopher Columbus’ ship as they sight land in the New World. He watches Columbus step ashore to claim the land for Spain.

He is also present at George Washington’s death, where the common treatment method is to take blood from the patient. In the case of Washington, too much blood may have been taken, leading to the main cause of his death at age 67.

Each “dream” seems real to the participants and, except for the sad occasions, they generally enjoy their brush with these important historical events. They plan on having more sessions at a later date.

While this is a work of fiction, all historical, geographical, and times (dates) are true-to-life due to extensive research by the author.