Tricky "Future in the Past."

[Mila2015]

Hi again!
If I use past tense and want to say something about future, I would say:

"I decided to be careful, realizing that if I got off the road, I wouldn't be able to put out my car by myself."
(past tense used to describe the future unless "would" is used. At least, this is what my editor taught me.)

But what about the following sentence?

"I imagined the expression on his face after I tell my fantasy and even contemplated how Tom would play along if we both pretended getting stuck in time."

 

[Tarheel]

I don't get the first part, so let's focus on the second part. Say:

I imagined the expression on his face after I told him my fantasy and even contemplated how Tom would play along if we both pretended getting stuck in time.

 

[Mila2015]

OK, so I should use the past tense even after "after" (no pun intended) when I mean that I would tell him about it in the future.
Thank you.

 

[Mila2015]

Tarheel, since the first sentence was difficult to read, I can provide with another example.
"I decided to be careful, realizing that if I said(spoke) wrong words, I wouldn't be able to take them back."
Is this better?

 

[Tarheel]

Especially after "after".
;-)

 

[Tarheel]

Tarheel, since the first sentence was difficult to read, I can provide with another example.
"I decided to be careful, realizing that if I said(spoke) wrong words, I wouldn't be able to take them back."
Is this better?

Yes, that is good.