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A LITTLE COMIC · 4 PANELS

Still Might Fit

I once left a parcel on the table for several days, although I had checked its tracking page twice a day before it arrived. Every time I walked past, I moved it somewhere slightly more convenient. Eventually it had occupied most of the table without ever being opened.

It reminded me, rather loosely, of Schrödinger's cat. The thought experiment concerns the strange implications of applying quantum mechanics to an everyday object. My parcel was an ordinary case of not knowing yet. I was enjoying that part.

A man keeps a parcel of trousers in a smaller size sealed, invoking Schrödinger to preserve hope that they fit. When his partner mentions tomorrow's return deadline, he starts peeling off the tape.

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Comic transcript

Panel 1. Tom and Anna stand beside a sealed parcel on a table.

Anna: “Your new trousers?”

Tom: “One size down.”

Panel 2. Anna gestures towards the box. Tom rests a protective hand on its lid.

Anna: “Aren't you going to try them?”

Panel 3. Tom raises a finger. Anna looks unconvinced.

Tom: “Schrödinger.”

Tom: “While the box stays shut, they might fit.”

Panel 4. Tom starts peeling the tape from the parcel. Its contents remain hidden.

Anna: “The return window closes tomorrow.”

ROOM FOR ONE MORE?

The Attachment

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