Sheldon woke up and looked at his clock. It was flashing four thirty five.
He was in trouble.
With a frown he put on his watch and housecoat and left his room. After attending to his bathroom needs he stepped over the railroad tracks that lay to the left of the couch and grabbed the remote. Turning on the tv he switched to BBC America—Doctor Who was on. He clicked on the virtual guide and checked the time. July Fourth. Six thirty five am. Shifting the channel to CNN he found 'Saturday Express' on the air; he clicked the remote again and again: CBS This Morning—Saturday; Fox Morning—Saturday.
"Impossible," he whispered as he clicked back to Doctor Who. The absolute, however, was obviously erroneous as he was in fact experiencing another Saturday.
His mind clicked into gear as he thought over what physics had to say on the subject. Travel into the future was theoretically possible using velocity-based time dilation under the theory of special relativity or gravitational time dilation under general relativity. Going backwards in time was less likely as it required the resolution of causality. More logical explanations of his experience had him stepping into multiple parallel universes or closed timelike curves. The question which he couldn't answer was why this was affecting only him. Most importantly, how did he make it stop?
Forty minutes later Leonard dragged himself into the kitchen towards the coffee maker. The pot was empty. He groaned.
"Damn power outage." He switched on the coffee maker and slumped into the easy chair to watch the ending of Doctor Who.
As the credits rolled Sheldon turned to his roommate. "I've got a riddle for you."
"Could it wait until I've had my coffee?" moaned Leonard as he took off his glasses to rub his face.
"I guess," Sheldon pouted. Leonard rarely had an original thought when he was sufficiently alert so he'd be next to useless in this condition. Getting up from his spot Sheldon made his way into the kitchen and prepared his cereal. "Social convention dictates some sort of friendly banter." He returned to the couch. "From what I understand I was difficult yesterday."
"Who said that?" Leonard stammered.
"Not important. Is it true?"
Leonard cocked his head to the side and took a deep breath. "You drove me nuts at lunch when you completely trashed my experiment. You continued to badger me all the way home, during which time we had to stop at Pottery Barn to exchange your Star Wars towels and the Hobby Shop to pick up your railroad crossing signs."
Sheldon nodded. "I see."
"I still don't see why you couldn't have gotten the stuff on Sunday," yawned Leonard.
"The Hobby Shop's closed," Sheldon said neutrally.
The door opened and Penny entered. "Dear God tell me you've got coffee," she pleaded. Sheldon checked his watch.
"Coming up," smiled Leonard. He got up and went to the kitchen to prepare two cups.
"Anyways, I'll be finished work at three so I'll meet you at Ostler Park at around five thirty," said Penny as she leaned against the counter.
Leonard handed her a cup. "So you're sure you don't want us to wait for you?"
"No. You've got the whole day to roam around and explore. Go on. Have fun." She took a sip of coffee and sighed.
Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Bazinga," he muttered.
"Aww, what's wrong with you, Moonpie?" asked Penny.
Sheldon scowled. "Don't call me Moonpie. Only Meemaw calls me that."
"Be nice. There's a rule about breaking Sheldon before noon," Leonard said with a smirk.
Penny smiled in return. "Now you know why I start my day at eleven."
Sheldon frowned as his friends completed their exchange. As far as he could tell Penny and Leonard had no idea they were repeating actions and dialogue. Whatever was happening affected everybody save him; likewise it could be said that only he was affected by the sense of recurrence.
"PotAto, potAHto," he sighed.
"What?" asked Penny.
"Oh, just deciding whether or not I've stepped into a parallel earth or am experiencing a closed timelike curve," said Sheldon before taking a bite of his cereal.
"'Closed time'—what?" She looked to Leonard.
"Closed timelike curve," Leonard answered. "It's a worldline, which is the unique path an object—you, me, this coffee cup—takes through 4-dimentional spacetime. It's different than an orbit because it factors in time. In this case the path is 'closed' so it returns to its starting point."
"You mean a circle," Penny reasoned.
"Um—yeah." Leonard said after a moment. "Although why you're bringing up time travel before eight in the morning is beyond me," he said to his roommate.
"I'm repeating the same day," Sheldon said simply.
"Too early for crazy, Sheldon," Penny muttered before taking a sip of her coffee.
Leonard smiled. "When doesn't he have time for crazy?" Sheldon tossed him a scowl.
"Guess he's making every second count this morning," Penny replied.
Sheldon gave an annoyed gaspy laugh. "As unamusing as the last two times you said it."
Penny wasn't sure of the joke. "Sheldon, I didn't—"
"Penny, what time are you heading to the fireworks?" asked Sheldon. "Around three thirty?"
"Something like that, yes."
"Perfect. I have some work I'd like to complete this afternoon and three thirty would be an acceptable departure time."
Penny's jaw dropped. "You're coming with me?"
"Why not? It allows me to work on my project and gives you the added benefit of companionship on the drive." Sheldon gave a twitchy smile. Penny closed her eyes and drank deeply from her cup before setting it on the counter.
"I've got to get going. Thanks for the coffee." She planted a kiss on Leonard's cheek. "Always interesting talking with you, Sheldon."
"I'll expect you between three fifteen and three thirty," Sheldon managed to slip in before she closed the door.
"Just to confirm, you're not coming with Raj, Howard and me?" Leonard asked in what he hoped was a neutral tone.
"No. I have a lot of—"
"Terrific!" Leonard went to the washroom with a gigantic grin on his face.
Sheldon turned to his whiteboard. He had a lot to think about.
XxX
At three twenty seven Sheldon heard the sound of keys in the hall.
He frowned as he stared at his formula on the whiteboard. He needed more data if he was to discern the extent of the closed timelike curve.
"'Circle' indeed," he murmured to himself. "Why not go all the way and call it a 'time loop'?" His thoughts returned to his work until the apartment door opened and Penny entered—showered, dressed and ready to go.
"All set," she said cheerily.
Sheldon nodded before slinging his messenger bag across his shoulder.
Penny rolled her eyes as he silently walked past. "And just to think I've got two hours of 'vintage Sheldon Cooper whimsy' to go."
After locking the door they went down the stairs. Penny looked to the physicist. "You're quiet," she said.
"Just thinking," he replied.
"I'd say 'about what' but we both know I'd be lost after that point," Penny smirked.
"True." He twitched a smile as she thwapped him on the arm. "Not everyone has the skills to reason out quantum theory."
"You mean patience. I don't know how you can spend your time comparing atoms. One's as good as any."
Sheldon pursed his lips. "Your attitude is appalling."
"Eh, it's all relative," she shrugged.
There was a pause as he looked at her in surprise.
XxX
Sheldon leaned back in the seat and held his breath as Penny changed lanes to pass the sedan.
"'Resume breathing, Scotty.' 'Aye, aye, Captain,'" she chuckled. Sheldon pursed his lips but his wide eyes didn't leave the road until their vehicle returned to their lane.
"How you call this driving I'll never understand," he sputtered as he glanced at his watch.
"I drove the family tractor and pickup truck before I was sixteen. I'm a good driver," Penny replied.
"That we haven't died in a ball of fire doesn't mean your driving skills are sound. Besides passing before a bridge you changed lanes without signaling, crowded another vehicle's bumper and continue to drive ten to fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit," Sheldon cited.
Penny took a moment to glare at her passenger. "You want to walk, Sheldon?"
A twitch passed over his lips. "No."
"Then zip it."
The car was silent.
Miles passed before Penny caught a glimpse of Sheldon staring out the side window.
"Ok Moonpie, spill it," she said.
He turned to face her. "What exactly am I supposed to divulge?"
"How 'bout why you're not jabbering my ear off with crazy car games or punch line 'bazingas'," Penny replied.
He stared ahead at the road. "Like I said before, I'm thinking."
"Ah. Ok. I'll shut up."
Silence in the car.
Sheldon let out a disgruntled sigh as his eyebrows furrowed. Penny again looked at him through her mirror but didn't say anything.
More miles passed.
"You know, maybe I won't understand but sometimes talking out your problem makes it easier to sort out," she said.
"Somehow I doubt what I have to say will be something you'll want to hear," he said dubiously.
"Try me." She beamed a smile at her passenger.
"All right. I'll give you a little scenario and you tell me what's happening." Penny sat a little straighter in her excitement. "It's been three days in a row you've woken up to the same day—Saturday."
At once she rolled her eyes. "Oh God Sheldon this isn't that 'I'm in a parallel universe' stuff from this morning is it?"
"Do you want to play or not?" he snapped.
"Ok, ok, my bad. Continue," she soothed.
"Now, as far as you can tell everything's repeating itself in exactly the same sequence—dialogue, events. In fact you find yourself the sole anomaly in that you can distinctly remember each prior day."
"So no one else knows things are repeating except me?" He shook his head. Penny bit her lip as she thought. "Am I repeating the same things or can I change my routine?"
Sheldon smiled. "Good question. You've managed to cause slight variances by your actions or inactions as the case may be." Penny frowned. "For example you might have said 'A' on the first day which triggered a response of 'B' or you said 'B' on the second day which garnered 'C' as a response or you could have said nothing at all and the entire event never transpires."
"What happens then?" she asked. Sheldon gave her a questioning look. "When events that should happen don't. Does that change everything that follows?"
"No. There's a set sequence of master events. The details can be shuffled around or omitted without endangering the overall narrative."
"What are the 'master events'?"
"Irrelevant."
"Maybe not. Maybe I'm stuck until I do something. Or not do something. You know what I mean." Penny had a thought. "So the first thing I'd do is map things out so I could experiment in an organized way."
"I believe there's hope for you yet," said Sheldon with a pleased expression.
The car began to slow down.
"What the frak?" Penny gasped.
"Here we go again," Sheldon sighed.
XxX
Sheldon woke up and looked at his clock. It was flashing four thirty five.
He got up and went to relieve himself in the washroom before venturing to the living room. He sat down at his desk and began devising a chart to plot his days on the computer. True, it wouldn't stay but seeing it visually would help keep things organized in his mind.
A half hour later Sheldon closed the laptop and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. He clicked on the coffee maker and took his cereal and juice to the couch and settled himself to watch Doctor Who.
"Let the experiment commence," he said with a smile.
Five minutes later Leonard dragged himself into the kitchen towards the coffee maker.
"Thank God," he mumbled as he poured himself a cup.
"I took the liberty of switching on the coffee maker since the power outage canceled the timer feature," said Sheldon between bites.
"Thank you," sighed Leonard as he sat in the easy chair to watch the end of Doctor Who.
As the credits rolled Sheldon turned to his roommate. "I've got a riddle for you. It's been four days in a row you've woken up to Saturday. As far as you've observed events pass in a specific order. You are the only one aware of the repetition and furthermore you can cause alterations to the sequence of events by choosing to do or say or not do or say different things. How can such a scenario be possible?"
"You could have stepped into a series of parallel universes or have encountered a closed timelike curve," said Leonard before taking a sip of his coffee. "Of course the parallel world theory would require some fancy footwork."
"Explain."
"Well for one thing, you obviously exist. So what happened to the 'you' in the parallel world? Unless of course you appear on the other side of the planet or someplace where you'll never meet your double."
"No. In this case we'll say you wake up every morning in the apartment at precisely the same time."
"Interesting." Leonard took a moment to think. "The chances of both you and your 'other you' simultaneously slipping into parallel universes are ridiculous so I'd rule that out."
"As have I. Since causality breaks down in a closed timelike curve I find it the more logical assumption."
"However if you keep propagating a field configuration of closed timelike worldlines will eventually result in—"
The door opened and Penny entered. "Dear God tell me you've got coffee," she pleaded.
"Coming up," smiled Leonard. He got up and went to the kitchen to prepare a cup.
"Anyways, I'll be finished work at three so I'll meet you at Ostler Park at around five thirty," said Penny as she leaned against the counter.
Leonard handed her a cup. "So you're sure you don't want us to wait for you?"
"No. You've got the whole day to roam around and explore. Go on. Have fun." She took a sip of coffee and sighed.
"Penny, since you're leaving for the fireworks at three thirty, I'd like a ride," Sheldon said. .
Penny nearly spit out her coffee. "You're coming with me?"
"Why not?" Sheldon gave a twitchy smile. Penny closed her eyes and drank deeply from her cup.
Leonard did his best to suppress his smile. "Well if you're sure that's what you want to do. I mean I totally understand you wanting to stay later. It gives you a second go at getting there." He caught Penny's glare out of the corner of his eye.
Sheldon got up and headed towards the sink. "Did you know the 'second' is the base unit of time in the International System of Units? Between nineteen sixty and nineteen sixty seven it was defined in terms of the period of the Earth's orbit around the Sun but nowadays it's defined more accurately through atomic means."
"Fascinating," Penny said drolly.
"Isn't it?" Sheldon said brightly. "In sixteen eighty, London clockmaker William—"
"Sheldon, remember we had that talk about sarcasm the other week?" said Leonard. After another frustrating round of sarcastic remarks from Penny, Leonard had used his whiteboard to write out a formula showing a direct cause-effect to Sheldon's overzealous recitation of facts.
"How is she going to learn anything if she isn't exposed to information? It's not like she taxes her brain working her menial job, reading tabloid magazines or watching the falsely labeled 'reality' tv."
"Hey," Penny snapped.
Sheldon turned to the waitress. "Were you to spend your free time on more educational pursuits you could possibly improve your mediocre lot in life."
"Excuse me?"
"Not that I'm suggesting you'd improve your social or financial standing much above what it is now. Education can only do so much for the base product." Sheldon paused as he rinsed out his bowl. "Perhaps you could return to community college for a food services diploma and become an assistant manager."
"Why not full manager?" growled Penny.
Sheldon put the bowl and spoon into the drain rack. "The managerial position requires a level of responsibility I've never seen you demonstrate. Somehow I doubt being an attendant at the Corn Queen's Court makes you leadership material."
"Goodbye Sheldon," Penny snapped as she made for the door.
"I'll expect you between three fifteen and three thirty," Sheldon managed to slip in before the door closed.
Leonard shook his head in disgust. "You're something else."
"What?" asked a puzzled Sheldon.
"First you ask her for a ride then you essentially call her stupid and her existence, mediocre." Leonard put down his mug and made for the bathroom. Sheldon stood at the hall's entrance.
"I was merely attempting to engage Penny in conversation," Sheldon replied.
"The only thing you're engaging is her temper," warned Leonard.
"So I see," murmured Sheldon as his roommate shut the bathroom door.
XxX
Sheldon leaned back in the seat and held his breath as Penny changed lanes to pass the sedan. He looked to Penny, who stared straight ahead with the same scowl on her face that she'd worn for most of the trip.
"The driver's manual states passing left of a centerline is not permitted thirty meters from a viaduct, tunnel or in this case, bridge," he said in a shaky voice.
"Fascinating."
"I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I think that you're upset."
"Gee, ya think?"
"So I'm right? You know I'm not very good at—"
"I'm upset, Sheldon!"
"Well all right then. Given your demeanor could I surmise that I'm the source of your ire?"
"Where the hell do you get off telling me I'm too dumb to be a manager at a frakking restaurant?" she growled. "Yeah, I might not have gone to university at eleven but I'm not an idiot." She glanced at him. "You are always so damn smug about your education and your memory and all the awards but somehow you can't remember not to be an asshat to other people."
Sheldon was taken aback. "I'm not trying to be mean."
"Well you are."
"Penny, I'm only relating observations."
"Well, observe this: if you have an observation about me just zip your hole, okay? Because I'm already hard enough on myself without you pointing out that I've been here for two years and haven't gotten even one raise much less a promotion."
Again she glanced at Sheldon, who took the cue and made a zipping motion with his fingers against his lips.
They drove in silence. But that didn't mean he wasn't thinking.
XxX
Sheldon's Log: Stardate 62612.8
From an event perspective, today has gone on exactly like the previous three Saturdays. I'm unsure as to the cause of this phenomenon but feel satisfied that there is a sequence of events that results in Penny's car breaking down on the highway and our missing the fireworks. Perhaps I should focus on fixing Penny's vehicle, so as to change up the sequence? Further study is needed.
There is also Penny to consider. She has informed me that my observations about her are upsetting. How is she supposed to improve herself if she is unaware of her destructive actions? Nevertheless, I am her friend and as such will do my best to honour her wishes and say nothing even though I have my misgivings about the entire endeavor.
Tomorrow, she will have an attentive and sympathetic friend.
I feel like a puppy.
End Log.
