Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life After Which Everything Was Different

by Chuck Palahniuk

This prompted a story idea. In so many families a parent is compelled to make long work-related trips...so, what about a story where the family cat climbed into the suitcase? The departing traveler boarded an overnight flight to Europe, and when he landed he found a text or voicemail from his spouse saying the cat was missing. Dread mounts. He gets to his hotel and can’t bring himself to open the suitcase. Most likely, the beloved cat is inside. He doesn’t want to find out if it’s alive or dead. The story resonated with me because it demonstrates the philosophical paradox of Schrödinger’s cat. Look it up. The cat story could be the entire story—ending with the man weeping beside a locked suitcase. Or pressing his ear to the side. Or forlornly petting the side of the suitcase. Or, being merciful, he finds the dead cat and phones his wife to say the cat’s not there therefore it must be in the home, still. Or...? Or the cat isn’t a cat. Their toddler loves her daddy so much that she climbs into the suitcase. The man is oblivious and disconnected while flying to Europe. In London he’s met by the police who demand to look in his suitcase. Or he finds a frantic voicemail from his wife—their child is missing. Whether it’s a cat or a baby inside the suitcase, whether it’s dead or alive, the story is still a depiction of the Schrödinger’s cat paradox.