“You may delay, but time will not.” ― Benjamin Franklin

I think I may have hit upon a simple way that this "it doesn't exist unless somebody observes it" quantum mechanics stuff can be demonstrated—sort of. But I humbly submit that my proof demonstrates perhaps a whole new, inverse school of quantum mechanics, in which a thing ONLY exists if I'm not paying attention.

I have before me a watch with three "hands"—second, minute and hour hands. The second hand sweeps along in full and easy view—a delightful display of mechanical regularity.

The other hands are problematic. Both of them are, like the second hand, in constant motion. Or so I'm told.

But no matter how closely I monitor the hour hand, I cannot see it move—supposedly because it moves too slowly. Furthermore, the minute hand allegedly revolves around the watch face at many times the speed of the hour hand; and yet, I cannot see it move, either.

I have to rely on the swift and elegant second hand, which has the reputation of moving at many times the speed of the minute hand—and many, many times the speed of the hour hand—before gazing at my watch provides any entertainment at all.

Something is not right about this. Are things moving before my very eyes—not microscopic little things, but great, big, visible suckers—all unseen?

Doubtful. Unless (and here's where we enter uncharted territory) like some kind of anti-matter cousin of quantum mechanics, a watch works like this: when I'm observing the minute and hour hands, they know it, somehow—and therefore DO NOT MOVE. No matter how intently and how patiently I observe, and for low long, they won't budge.

But not LOOKING at them, as it turns out, isn't the only requirement; I mustn't be THINKING about them either. If I merely pretend to have lost interest, and then cast them quick and furtive glances, they aren't fooled: they stand stubbornly still. Looking away doesn't do the trick.

In fact, I can be staring right at the minute hand—as, from the point of view of the hour hand, it supposedly SCREAMS past—and believe for just an instant that I saw it move, because it's in a slightly different place. But I have to admit, alas, that I didn't see it move, really: my mind just wandered during that instant, and the sneaky bugger took advantage.

The only way to guarantee the movement of these slower hands is to let my attention lapse and have a look later—at which time they will be in different positions. Therefore they move, indeed; but they do not move unless I'm not looking and not thinking about them.

I'm sure it's not just my watch, and not just me; I've tried it with several of my watches, other people's watches, even wall clocks. Same results every time. I also welcome the contribution of any scientist's own experiments.

This is an entirely new species of quantum mechanics, completely inverted and yet still as silly and incomprehensible as the regular version, if not more so—and surely, therefore, at least as valuable.