The field notes
How it got out of hand.
The package arrived with instructions, a large warning label, and the unmistakable confidence of an ACME-style mail-order solution. Robert read the directions. Sandy read the part that said “go.”
The rocket fired across the desert, the painted tunnel looked convincing for nearly three seconds, and a speedy blue bird appeared to know exactly how this story would end.
We learned that cartoon physics rewards optimism, momentum, and a willingness to become a dust cloud. The rocket did not reach the shortcut, but it did reach the archive, which is the more important destination.