Theory of Teleportation

by Moira Kuo


My daughter wants to know
the definition of the word
relevant.  Related to, I say.
What?  Connected to.  We’re 

in the car.  My daughter 
wants to know if scientists
are inspired by fiction.  How 

does Albert Einstein come up
with his ideas?  Focus and
imagination, I say.

The road’s blocked.
We might be late.  She needs
to go to school… She says,

I don’t get it.  Did Einstein read
science fiction?  I need to 
make this turn.  Probably.  


That’s how I came up with 
my theory of teleportation. Do you 
want to hear it?  
             I hear it.  

her mind slides past
these very tiny lines
and I hate to break them.

What’s your
theory of teleportation? Do 
you have one, Mom?

I say I don’t.  Here.  She’s 
unbuckled, out of the car, I’m 
waving.  Gone.  How  


did she go that fast?


* * * * *

Moira Kuo is a writer in the Philadelphia area.  She has previously published in BOMBFIRE, Flyway, The Front Porch Review, The Monongahela Review, and others. She has an MFA in creative writing from Rutgers-Newark, and she lives with her husband and two great kids.