of time, we experience our every lived moment as an eternal now…”
“But that’s me .”
“… as our temporality grounds us in this subjective experience of psychological time. We’ve evolved to inhabit three spatial dimensions, Jason, and there are limits inherent to that arrangement. Thus, while we are cognizant of time elapsing, who among us can recall every exact detail of a time past? Hmmm ?”
“I don’t care what you say…”
“And what mortal can predict the future? You need to conceive of time as outside you , Jason.”
“I don’t care…”
“Jason,” Kaku tented his finger, “pay attention to me now. Focus.” He held up a single finger. “Do you know what a second is, Jason?” Kaku shook his erect digit. “Nine trillion vibrations of the cesium atom, more or less. My post-graduate work in quantum electrodynamics at the Haldron large collider—”
“You’re crazy. You are fucking insane.”
“If everyone around you is insane save yourself, then what would they call you, Jason?”
“I’m not listening to you.”
“If all around you were blind and you alone had sight, what is your acumen to those lacking vision?”
“I’m not listening! Blah-blah-blah-blah—”
“Really, Jason. So childish.”
“I want to go home.”
“Time is the fourth dimension, Jason. Parenthetically, there are eleven of them.”
“This isn’t real . This can’t be real.”
“Gravity slows time, Jason. Do you understand? The closer you approach the speed of light, the greater your mass. You feel heavier. You feel slower, sluggish. Yet to an outside observer, you are moving faster than the dervish.”
“This isn’t happening.”
“But back to the question of the future, Jason. That is the tantalizing question. That is the—”
“Want to know what’s in your fucking future?” He spat viciously. “I’m going to kill you. I swear to fucking God.”
“What was that?” Kaku grinned, holding a hand up to his ear. “I apologize, Jason. I do not think I heard you.”
“I said I’m going to fuck—ing kill you.”
“What a quaint idea.” The doctor’s smile widened. “Would you entertain another quaint idea? Letter writing. It is a shame…” Kaku reached for the pen atop the legal pad “…that our digital age has rendered the hand written epistle a relic of the past. People no longer write letters, do they?”
Jason stared at Kaku.
“Here, Jason, let us write a letter together then. A letter from you to me, yes? Dear Dr. Kaku —that’s me.” As he spoke, Kaku scribbled. “ Jason — says — he is — going — to — kill — you .” He looked across to Jason. “Is there anything else you would like to add? No? Well, then,” the doctor signed, “ sincerely, myself . That is also me.
“There—” Kaku tore the paper from the pad and folded it in thirds. “Simple and to the point.” He slipped the paper into an envelope. “Let me sign it here…” He scrawled an indecipherable signature across the envelope’s seal. “Tell me, Jason,” Kaku tapped the mahogany box, “do you know what this is?”
Jason’s gaze was smoldering.
“It is a creation of mine, of which I am rather proud. I call it an M-box.” Kaku looked overjoyed explaining it. “I am going to put our letter in this box, and when I reopen it, the letter will not be there. Very exciting, yes? Now, watch.”
Kaku placed the folded letter inside the box. He lowered the lid, looking at Jason expectantly. Jason hadn’t taken his eyes off him the entire time.
“And…” Kaku said expectantly, opening the box.
The letter was gone.
“ Voila !”
“That’s what…” The words felt garbled in Jason’s mouth. “That’s what you wanted to show me today? Your ‘magic’ box?”
“Oh, it’s magical, Jason, but it is not magic.”
“You really are nuts…” Jason felt exhausted. “Coo coo.”
“Name calling…” Kaku shook his head. “Honestly, Jason, I thought you were above such
“But that’s me .”
“… as our temporality grounds us in this subjective experience of psychological time. We’ve evolved to inhabit three spatial dimensions, Jason, and there are limits inherent to that arrangement. Thus, while we are cognizant of time elapsing, who among us can recall every exact detail of a time past? Hmmm ?”
“I don’t care what you say…”
“And what mortal can predict the future? You need to conceive of time as outside you , Jason.”
“I don’t care…”
“Jason,” Kaku tented his finger, “pay attention to me now. Focus.” He held up a single finger. “Do you know what a second is, Jason?” Kaku shook his erect digit. “Nine trillion vibrations of the cesium atom, more or less. My post-graduate work in quantum electrodynamics at the Haldron large collider—”
“You’re crazy. You are fucking insane.”
“If everyone around you is insane save yourself, then what would they call you, Jason?”
“I’m not listening to you.”
“If all around you were blind and you alone had sight, what is your acumen to those lacking vision?”
“I’m not listening! Blah-blah-blah-blah—”
“Really, Jason. So childish.”
“I want to go home.”
“Time is the fourth dimension, Jason. Parenthetically, there are eleven of them.”
“This isn’t real . This can’t be real.”
“Gravity slows time, Jason. Do you understand? The closer you approach the speed of light, the greater your mass. You feel heavier. You feel slower, sluggish. Yet to an outside observer, you are moving faster than the dervish.”
“This isn’t happening.”
“But back to the question of the future, Jason. That is the tantalizing question. That is the—”
“Want to know what’s in your fucking future?” He spat viciously. “I’m going to kill you. I swear to fucking God.”
“What was that?” Kaku grinned, holding a hand up to his ear. “I apologize, Jason. I do not think I heard you.”
“I said I’m going to fuck—ing kill you.”
“What a quaint idea.” The doctor’s smile widened. “Would you entertain another quaint idea? Letter writing. It is a shame…” Kaku reached for the pen atop the legal pad “…that our digital age has rendered the hand written epistle a relic of the past. People no longer write letters, do they?”
Jason stared at Kaku.
“Here, Jason, let us write a letter together then. A letter from you to me, yes? Dear Dr. Kaku —that’s me.” As he spoke, Kaku scribbled. “ Jason — says — he is — going — to — kill — you .” He looked across to Jason. “Is there anything else you would like to add? No? Well, then,” the doctor signed, “ sincerely, myself . That is also me.
“There—” Kaku tore the paper from the pad and folded it in thirds. “Simple and to the point.” He slipped the paper into an envelope. “Let me sign it here…” He scrawled an indecipherable signature across the envelope’s seal. “Tell me, Jason,” Kaku tapped the mahogany box, “do you know what this is?”
Jason’s gaze was smoldering.
“It is a creation of mine, of which I am rather proud. I call it an M-box.” Kaku looked overjoyed explaining it. “I am going to put our letter in this box, and when I reopen it, the letter will not be there. Very exciting, yes? Now, watch.”
Kaku placed the folded letter inside the box. He lowered the lid, looking at Jason expectantly. Jason hadn’t taken his eyes off him the entire time.
“And…” Kaku said expectantly, opening the box.
The letter was gone.
“ Voila !”
“That’s what…” The words felt garbled in Jason’s mouth. “That’s what you wanted to show me today? Your ‘magic’ box?”
“Oh, it’s magical, Jason, but it is not magic.”
“You really are nuts…” Jason felt exhausted. “Coo coo.”
“Name calling…” Kaku shook his head. “Honestly, Jason, I thought you were above such
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