This is a short preview of Misplaced Fools, a prelude to the upcoming novel The Futility of Esoterica. It is a late version of chapter two of the book. Misplaced Fools is a satirical story about time travel, tenure, and the foolishness of the wizards of the University of Esoterica. I might also take a few jabs at string theory ("squiggle theory.") Chapter Two Albie Easelstein smirked in triumph, lifting his head from the mathematical chaos spread across his desk. Ninety pages of dense mathematics had finally paid off. A startling truth emerged from his work: time travel was possible! Neat nine-dimensional sketches interrupted the equations. They weren’t flat approximations of nine-dimensional geometry; they were nine-dimensional geometrical constructs rising from the page to baffle the senses. Creating them required considerable expertise and a magical stylus. Don’t attempt it at home unless you enjoy losing your sanity. If you do, you are likely to become a raving lunatic. Your friends will find you in your basement gibbering about tentacled monsters and anti-vaccination conspiracies. “Esmer, I’ve mathematically proven time travel is possible!” Albie’s voice rang with excitement.  Esmer Hamilton glanced across the cramped office she shared with Easelstein. She flicked a tanned...

This is a short preview of Misplaced Fools, a satire on time travel and tenure. It is a prelude to my upcoming novel The Futility of Esoterica.