A Late Night Walk
The stars following their course across the darkened sky shone their light upon four figures as they walked by the road side. The cars which whizzed past took no notice of the group, but then, why should the group have been noticed by a world they were not noticing. The four walked, unaware of the cars passing them, they were absorbed in a world of Lewis Structures, and Plato, Robots, and the Venerable Bede.
If you had been watching the group you would have noticed that instead of four youths, there was one father, two daughters, and a son. You would have heard one of the daughters speak, her voice ringing with an excitement that lends itself to those who enjoy what they are speaking of.
“Daddy, I’m learning the most amazing things. In Chemistry I am in the midst of combining atoms to make covalent compounds, it’s fascinating. Here, let me show you.”
The four had found their way to a diner which resided at the end of the road. They had been shown to a booth by a window, and had sat down, the daughter who had just spoken was next to her Dad, and the son was next to his sister. In front of the four were placed 2 caramel apple crisps and each had a glass of water. The daughter busied herself with scratching diagrams on the back of a receipt. She looked up after a while and addressed the other girl, her sister. “Bethany, what are they called, the little diagrams? I understand how they work but I can’t remember the name.”
The sister didn’t answer directly., her face registered the expression of one thinking very hard. Then she spoke, “I can’t think of it, all that comes to mind is the Venn Diagram, and that’s not right.” The sister sighed then fell back to musing about the possible names it could have. The title of every theory or diagram she had learned ran through her mind repeating themselves over and over again.
Quiet reigned for a few moments, each thinking their own thoughts, then it was time to leave. The caramel Apple Crisps were gone and the plates had vanished from the table. A waitress presented the father with a bill and soon they were headed home.
It was the son’s turn to speak, “I’ve been reading Isaak Asimov. The book I’m reading now, is the first book of his which doesn’t have robots in it.”
The father smiled, and made some comment. Then the daughter spoke again, “You know, some people believe that computers are higher life forms.” The son caught on to this topic and began speaking, “I think Asimov might believe that, all the robots in his books were like real people, feelings and all.”
This comment sprang up a whole conversation about what Asimov believed and what it meant to be a secular humanist. The topic continued with little pause till they had reached home.
If you had been listening you would have heard snippet of conversation and a merry laughter or a quiet chuckle come from the hallway they were walking down. Then you would have heard a door swing shut and in a instant the air would have turned still once more, and you would wonder to yourself whether there really had been anyone there, or if perhaps you were only hearing voices in your head.
If you had been watching the group you would have noticed that instead of four youths, there was one father, two daughters, and a son. You would have heard one of the daughters speak, her voice ringing with an excitement that lends itself to those who enjoy what they are speaking of.
“Daddy, I’m learning the most amazing things. In Chemistry I am in the midst of combining atoms to make covalent compounds, it’s fascinating. Here, let me show you.”
The four had found their way to a diner which resided at the end of the road. They had been shown to a booth by a window, and had sat down, the daughter who had just spoken was next to her Dad, and the son was next to his sister. In front of the four were placed 2 caramel apple crisps and each had a glass of water. The daughter busied herself with scratching diagrams on the back of a receipt. She looked up after a while and addressed the other girl, her sister. “Bethany, what are they called, the little diagrams? I understand how they work but I can’t remember the name.”
The sister didn’t answer directly., her face registered the expression of one thinking very hard. Then she spoke, “I can’t think of it, all that comes to mind is the Venn Diagram, and that’s not right.” The sister sighed then fell back to musing about the possible names it could have. The title of every theory or diagram she had learned ran through her mind repeating themselves over and over again.
Quiet reigned for a few moments, each thinking their own thoughts, then it was time to leave. The caramel Apple Crisps were gone and the plates had vanished from the table. A waitress presented the father with a bill and soon they were headed home.
It was the son’s turn to speak, “I’ve been reading Isaak Asimov. The book I’m reading now, is the first book of his which doesn’t have robots in it.”
The father smiled, and made some comment. Then the daughter spoke again, “You know, some people believe that computers are higher life forms.” The son caught on to this topic and began speaking, “I think Asimov might believe that, all the robots in his books were like real people, feelings and all.”
This comment sprang up a whole conversation about what Asimov believed and what it meant to be a secular humanist. The topic continued with little pause till they had reached home.
If you had been listening you would have heard snippet of conversation and a merry laughter or a quiet chuckle come from the hallway they were walking down. Then you would have heard a door swing shut and in a instant the air would have turned still once more, and you would wonder to yourself whether there really had been anyone there, or if perhaps you were only hearing voices in your head.
posted by Bethany | 8:54 PM
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