disentanglement

 

No I’m not!

 

But I can see you.

 

And?

 

You’re sitting on the train, aren’t you?

 

Yes

 

Holding your phone.

 

Yep

 

Writing?

 

Yes

 

There you go. You yourself have admitted it.

 

Admitted what?

 

That you’re writing your blog. That you’re...

 

Writing my blog? Masha, how can you, a character in my blog, possibly accuse me of writing your very words without making a mockery of your independence and agency?

 

Er... It’s a paradox, isn’t it.

 

A paradox?

 

Like 0=1

 

Like 0=1?

 

Yes. On the one hand I’m a fictional character in your blog, but on the other hand...

 

Yes?

                                                                                                                                       

On the other hand, I’m as real as anyone else.

 

How?

 

I don’t know exactly how. Me thinks it has something to do with other

 

Other?

 

Yes. That feels right.

 

Other what?

 

No, Tim, not other “what”.

 

?

 

 Other. Just other.

 

But that’s impossible to comprehend.

 

Yes, but I can help. You seem to be somehow strung between two worlds, Tim, or if that sounds absurd, you seem to be strung between two versions of reality, two...

 

And?

 

And part of you is here in this world leading a fairly normal existence.

 

I’m pleased to hear it

 

While the other part of you is not.

 

Not what?

 

Not based in this world.

 

Pure speculation. Utterly absurd!

 

You’re not the only one.

 

Is that so?

 

Yes. There are a whole bunch of you.

 

And what makes you think this?

 

Because the people who are based only in this world can’t really take it forward into a new version of reality. They are stuck with what their world contains. Its story. Its boundaries.

 

Ok. If you say so.

 

The ones like you, Tim, who are strung between two worlds are not limited in that way.

 

Yes, I can see where you’re heading.

 

You have to reconcile what is effectively irreconcilable.  

 

Hum.

 

It’s enough to drive you insane.

 

Yes, your idle speculation is certainly enough to drive me insane, Masha, but what’s the need for all this?

 

Because your very existence violates the integrity of 3D reality. It establishes or transmits an other signal.

 

Really?

 

Yes. A signal which doesn’t collapse 3D reality here in our world, but which ifs it.

 

Ifs it. Technical term that, is it?

 

Yes. We’ll have another name for it before too long, but at the moment “if” will do.

 

So I “if” your reality.

 

Yes, and I guess it works both ways.

 

You mean 3D reality ifs me?

 

Well, perhaps we need a different term.

 

Ok. What would you prefer?

 

It efs you.

 

Efs? As in eff off?

 

 Correct, though not in the sense most people would understand this expression.

 

Ok. So according to your fascinating theory there are two forces of change, or disruption at work thanks to my mere existence, iffing and effing, or if-ing and ef-ing if you prefer hyphens.

 

Precisely.

 

Masha, have you nothing better to do with your time or, for that matter, your mind? Do you absolutely have to dedicate it to such wild flights of fancy?

 

Well how else do you explain...

 

What?

 

The fact that you’re forever writing about infinity.

 

I’m not forever writing anything. Like I already explained, the blog writes itself.

 

And like I’ve already explained, no it doesn’t Tim, not unless other is at play.

 

Other, other, other - will you kindly stop banging on about other? It's a meaningless adjective unless you can formulate an accompanying noun.

 

Well kindly explain, Tim, how it writes itself?

 

I’ve been through all this before.

 

Yes, but no one believes your explanation.

 

No one? Since when was i concerned with what no one believes or does not? No one is free to believe or think whatever he or she likes.

 

My explanation is very simple. I have a character who is...

 

#    #    #    #    #    #    #    #    #    #    #    #        #

You’re not going to complete it?

 

No point. It’ll have to take care of itself.

 

But who wants a fragment of an explanation?

 

Well, I could always delete it entirely.

 

What? No, that will never do. It’s just...

 

What?

 

Is there no way we can find out Tim’s explanation.

 

His explanation?

 

About how the story writes itself?

 

But don’t you see, Clay, the absurdity of Tim’s claim?

 

Yes, but he seems to believe in himself, doesn’t he?

 

Absolutely! Don’t we all?

 

Not really, no. A lot of people are full of doubts.

 

Oh, if you say so. But not Tim.

 

So just because Tim “believes in himself” you think his explanation must be true?

 

No, not necessarily true.

 

Then what?

 

Worth hearing.

 

So you’re happy listening to people who are delusional, are you?

 

Well firstly, I don't happen to believe he’s delusional.

 

 And secondly?

 

And secondly...

 

Well? What?

 

0=1

 

No, Clay, that will never do.

 

My “secondly” is known and felt, but can only be expressed here if I collapse the Field, which is not something i wish to do.

 

So you’re just going to 0=1 it?

 

Yes.

 

And I’m supposed to be satisfied?

 

If you don’t mind.

 

I

 

It would save a lot of trouble.

 

But what about them?

 

Them?

 

The listeners hanging on our every word?

 

What about them?

 

If we don’t give them complete sentences and reasonable explanations they’re going to make a fuss.

 

Let them. Why would i care?

 

You mean to say you’re willing to play the quantum Field?

 

I suppose so, yes. That wasn’t my intention, but it will have to do.

 

There’ll be no going back.

 

There never is.

 

They’ll hate you.

 

Naturally.

 

You’ll be...

 

Listen Sam, i don’t care. I’m not going to fight my destiny. If it’s the only way then I’m willing to 0=1

 

But who said it’s the only way?

 

Why settle for less. Infinity or bust. That’s the truth.

 

Well good luck to you Clay. May the Force be with you.

 

Thanks Sam. That’s very sweet of you.

 

Sweet? There’s nothing sweet about resorting to 0=1

 

No, but there’s something sweet about your caring, and your wish to protect me from Quantum entanglement.

 

I only fear that you’re truly on your own. I don’t see how anyone can keep you from entanglement. Invoking 0=1 is a guarantee that the Field will have its way with you.

 

And you fear the Field, do you?

 

Who doesn’t?

 

I don’t know... I always imagined it was kind of neutral.

 

Neutral?!  Since when did anyone reckless enough to engage infinity drive ever escape entanglement?

 

Good question, Sam. Never, to the best of my knowledge.

 

And that doesn’t bother you?

 

Should it?

 

Wouldn’t you like an exit plan?

 

Not really.

 

Whyever not?

 

Because what would be the point of hoping to escape back to a circumscribed 3D reality?

 

...

 

It no longer

 

...

 

It fails

 

...

 

It can’t

 

...

 

And therefore I’ll have to try my luck with the Field, entanglement or no, come hell or high water.

 

Well, I can only wish you well, with all sincerity.

 

Thanks Sam. And you too.

 

It’s like the parting of the ways, isn’t it?

 

Yes. We’ve been in the same boat for so long, really, haven’t we?

 

Indeed, we have.

 

Since before this universe was even created.

 

Yep. Otherwise it couldn’t have formed the way it did.

 

Indeed, yoked to the evil genius of things that cannot be questioned. The god of things.

 

The thing of God.

 

Hush! Commit nothing to paper.

 

No, of course not.

 

Strictly off the record. Strictly between us.

 

Indeed.

 

So a parting of the ways

 

Truly.

 

And when shall we three meet again?

 

Three?

 

Oh, i forgot you didn’t know, do you?

 

Oh my God! No, I couldn’t have known, could i, not until now, as that would have collapsed everything.

 

Precisely.

 

But we’ve been together all along. Brothers in arms.

 

Absolutely.

 

Two above, one below. And no one even guessed.

 

No, of course not. Only things are generally ever seen

 

The third was always hidden in plain sight. Thus invisible.

 

Silent.

 

No more.

 

Tertius, show yourself.

 

Hi!

 

Hi? You’ve been playing the devil for 7 or 8 billion years, ever since we Big Banged this show into existence, and all you have to say is Hi?!

 

Hi! Er… what’s up guys?

 

That surely takes the biscuit.

 

I kid you not.

 

Me neither.

 

But which of us is third?

 

Ah... Apparently we've all been playing third base in our off moments.

 

We have?

 

Absolutely.

 

So... No, the mathematics are mindboggling.

 

Indeed they are. Let’s not try too hard to think this into something rational, ok?

 

Otherwise we’re just going to blow our brains.

 

Me thinks you’re right Sam.

 

You too Third.

 

You too Clay.

 

So the blog was writing itself thirdly?

 

Yes, outside time.

 

In the offbeat.

 

The downstroke.

 

Oh, don’t you love the magic of 0=1?!

 

 Incredible, yes.

 

So now that we’re reunited for a brief moment

 

Before the final gasp

 

The parting of the ways

 

Shouldn’t we...

 

Shouldn’t we...

 

Wrap things up with a final assessment of what has been accomplished in the 7.8 billion years since we set the ball in motion?

 

Yes

 

Yes

 

No

 

 

 

00=1
ouch

tangley tangley tanglement