Kindred Time

In the Chapter of Octavia Butler's "Kindred" Titled The Fall, There is a brief section where Dana attempts to explain to a young white son of a slave owner named Rufus that she and her white husband are from the future.  The idea of a black telling a white kid during slave times that he could not say the n word was un heard of.  Things like this and interracial couples are shown to be hard to fathom even by the young.  This is Butlers way of creating a scene showing how people of their time would react  once introduced to more equal times, regarding slaves.  Butler writes “I mean we come from a different time as well as a different place. I told you it was hard to understand,” in order to initiate the confusion.
This section and these ideas are greatly
 interesting because the young Rufus was earlier revealed as a very distant relative.  It is like she is teaching her elder to respect blacks, possibly resulting in his future companionship with one.  Though this may be revealed towards completion of the text, the tension it creates is very striking, and it provokes thoughts like Dana having knowledge of who he is, and knowledge of the past to assist her in being cautious.  Without knowledge and awareness she knows it could cost her her life.  A twist in this section was when she brought her husband with her to that time through touch, possibly relieving the ghastly nature of his wife disappearing, making the stories more believable.  
Butler, Octavia (2004-001). Kindred (Bluestreak) (p. 62). Beacon Press. Kindle Edition.