that. Allow me to explain. We are now in 1st June andââ the professor consulted his pocketwatchââit is getting on for four oâclock.â
âSoâ¦soâ¦so Iâm more than a month in the past?â asked Julius.
âPrecisely.â
âWhat? Soâ¦soâ¦that means that there is another me right now in London, running home from school?â
âCorrect.â
âBut thatâs impossible. How can there be two of me?â
âThere canât, not in the usual run of things. But when travelling in the time dimension things are a little more complicated.â
âSoâ¦soâ¦hang onâ¦am I in London as well or am I not? What if I travelled to London to talk to myself ?â
âThat wouldnât be wise, young fella, you see, there would be a temporal coincidence event of catastrophic proportions. There is no knowing what would result,â said Mr Flynn.
âSoâ¦soâ¦wait a minute. You said that it was impossible for there to be two of me. So how can there be a temporal coincidence if we meet?â
âMy word, heâs a sharp one, Professor,â said Mr Flynn, giving Julius another slap on the back.
âHe is indeed, Danny. You see, Julius, the spatialâ temporal continuum you are existing in at this precise moment, in London, is the only one there is. It is what we call the actual present .â
âButâ¦what about the me here in Tibet?â
âHold on, I havenât finished yet. The spatialâ temporal existence simultaneously here in Tibet is what we in the time business call a potential present . Your own individual potential present does not actually exist in the usual way. You exist in potential. Now, if you go to London and interact with the âyouâ in that actual present then the two presents become actual . Because the universe cannot contain two actual presents in the same place, wellâ¦things get a bit catastrophic.â
âA bit catastrophic, Professor?â
âHe means storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, that sort of thing.â
âButâ¦there is still a Julius Caesar Higgins in London right now?â
âCorrect, but he actually exists. You, here in Tibet, potentially exist.â
âBut I feel real,â said Julius, slapping his sides.
âAnd so you are, my boyâ¦in a way.â
Julius felt like running to the top of the hill again.
âI wouldnât worry too much about all this, young fella. Iâve been travelling back and forth so often Iâve forgotten if Iâm a potential or an actual me anymore and it doesnât seem to have done me any harm,â said Mr Flynn.
âYou see, Julius. Our little emergency time-jump has placed you in what we call a time loop . You are in the extraordinary position of having gone back in time to organise events for your own future. An extraordinarily delicate and dangerous procedure.â
âMy future? Did you say dangerous ?â
âYes, my boy. But do not be alarmed. I know precisely what I am doing.â
âIâm not sure Iââ
âRemember the note, wrapped around the key?â said the professor.
âThe note? The one you gave to me in Warwick Lane? The one I gave to you in the backyard?â
âPrecisely. You wrote that note, or rather, you will write that note and I will deliver it to you to give back to me.â
âButâ¦but what do I say?â said Julius.
âOh, I couldnât possibly tell you that,â said the professor. âIt would create a double paradox and then things would really start to get complicated.â
Julius sat cross-legged at a small writing desk at the back of the cave. Outside the sun was sinking low, and a single candle lit the blank sheet of paper before him. After a little thought he dipped the quill into an ink bottle and began to write:
Dear Professor Fox and Mr Flynn,
We have
âSoâ¦soâ¦so Iâm more than a month in the past?â asked Julius.
âPrecisely.â
âWhat? Soâ¦soâ¦that means that there is another me right now in London, running home from school?â
âCorrect.â
âBut thatâs impossible. How can there be two of me?â
âThere canât, not in the usual run of things. But when travelling in the time dimension things are a little more complicated.â
âSoâ¦soâ¦hang onâ¦am I in London as well or am I not? What if I travelled to London to talk to myself ?â
âThat wouldnât be wise, young fella, you see, there would be a temporal coincidence event of catastrophic proportions. There is no knowing what would result,â said Mr Flynn.
âSoâ¦soâ¦wait a minute. You said that it was impossible for there to be two of me. So how can there be a temporal coincidence if we meet?â
âMy word, heâs a sharp one, Professor,â said Mr Flynn, giving Julius another slap on the back.
âHe is indeed, Danny. You see, Julius, the spatialâ temporal continuum you are existing in at this precise moment, in London, is the only one there is. It is what we call the actual present .â
âButâ¦what about the me here in Tibet?â
âHold on, I havenât finished yet. The spatialâ temporal existence simultaneously here in Tibet is what we in the time business call a potential present . Your own individual potential present does not actually exist in the usual way. You exist in potential. Now, if you go to London and interact with the âyouâ in that actual present then the two presents become actual . Because the universe cannot contain two actual presents in the same place, wellâ¦things get a bit catastrophic.â
âA bit catastrophic, Professor?â
âHe means storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, that sort of thing.â
âButâ¦there is still a Julius Caesar Higgins in London right now?â
âCorrect, but he actually exists. You, here in Tibet, potentially exist.â
âBut I feel real,â said Julius, slapping his sides.
âAnd so you are, my boyâ¦in a way.â
Julius felt like running to the top of the hill again.
âI wouldnât worry too much about all this, young fella. Iâve been travelling back and forth so often Iâve forgotten if Iâm a potential or an actual me anymore and it doesnât seem to have done me any harm,â said Mr Flynn.
âYou see, Julius. Our little emergency time-jump has placed you in what we call a time loop . You are in the extraordinary position of having gone back in time to organise events for your own future. An extraordinarily delicate and dangerous procedure.â
âMy future? Did you say dangerous ?â
âYes, my boy. But do not be alarmed. I know precisely what I am doing.â
âIâm not sure Iââ
âRemember the note, wrapped around the key?â said the professor.
âThe note? The one you gave to me in Warwick Lane? The one I gave to you in the backyard?â
âPrecisely. You wrote that note, or rather, you will write that note and I will deliver it to you to give back to me.â
âButâ¦but what do I say?â said Julius.
âOh, I couldnât possibly tell you that,â said the professor. âIt would create a double paradox and then things would really start to get complicated.â
Julius sat cross-legged at a small writing desk at the back of the cave. Outside the sun was sinking low, and a single candle lit the blank sheet of paper before him. After a little thought he dipped the quill into an ink bottle and began to write:
Dear Professor Fox and Mr Flynn,
We have
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