Relativity

A quite remarkable event happened the other day.

As I was enjoying my daily half hour set aside

Reading Sky & Telescope, Science News, Scientific American, and maybe a book

I came to the end of the half hour (carefully timed)

And found that I had read a great deal more than usual in that half hour.

Not bad for a slow reader because I read everything as if it were a physics textbook.

Well, getting up I walked across the room only to find

The living room bathed in sunset orange

And when I looked out the window I saw a young couple

Walking very slowly along the sidewalk in front of the house.

They were even talking slowly, though I couldn't hear them.

I stepped outside and then they were walking and talking normally

But when I went back in the house they were slow again

Though by this time they were a long way away.

Strange. To test my hypothesis I put a new battery-powered clock outside

With a large face and fresh batteries

Initially synchronized with my watch, but it soon became apparent

One hour had elapsed inside but only 30 minutes outside

So now when I really want to be productive and get lots done

I work at home instead of at the office

And wonder, should I build a bigger house?

David Oesper