Well, it did serve more than one purpose: his relationship with his wife was moving in the wrong direction and it seems thr experience shocked him back into appreciating her again.

second benefit: At least he got to kiss a girl from the 30's

third...we can assume she also benefitted, though she could not return to let us know.

and then...fourth, us your readers had a benefit also - a good story to take us out of our own petty worries for a while.