A Thought About The Laser Pointer

I love time travel stories. Because what they're really all about is a person displaced from their time and culture and seeing how they can adapt to a new one. Time travel is just a device on how they get there.

One of the most famous books on this is A Connecticut Yankee In king Arthur's Court. In this book a Yankee goes back in time to King Arthur and has a battle of wits over magic with Merlin himself. He wins, of course, but all he's really doing is using what he knows from his time and passing it off as magic, and I believe he uses a lighter.

So here's my variation on it. You go back in time and meet King Arthur and battle Merlin with wits. But in place of a lighter, you have a laser pointer.

So Merlin boasts "AHA! You are good with magic, but I am the greatest sorcerer in the entire land!"

"You respond "Sure, I don't doubt that my good man, but I have a magic you don't possess. I have a magic that you'll never be able to grasp."

When challenged by a haughty wizard, you pull out your magical laser pointer. You aim it at the wall and challenge Merlin to grasp it.

You all know that you can't grasp the light from the pointer. It will show up on the back of your hand if you try to hold it. And from their point of view, it looks like it comes straight from your finger. And when Merlin tries to grasp the light, he sees it on the back of his hand and reacts with great awe and surprise and frustration.

So you've beaten Merlin. THE Merlin of legend. The Merlin who raised the great Stonehenge. The Merlin who gave Arthur the Sword Excalibur! THE MERLIN OF LEGEND!

And you just beat him with a laser pointer.

Ah well, this is just something to ponder anyhoo.

Hey, it could happen.

reply to post by EvilSadamClone


lol i'm reminded of a comic book story similar to yours
at 1st he nearly displaces merlin, but the old boy recovers
desperate our time traveller uses the old" i'm going to put out the sun
if you dare harm/disobey me" trick, based on a pocket almanac he's got

it doesnt work
and he's condemned to be burned at the stake

as the pyre is lit, Merlin sidles up to him, smiles a wicked smile, and whispers:

"nice try, but that solar eclipse was last week,
you see, the gregorian calendar hasn't been invented yet. "