Alan Lightman by Good Benito

Author:Good Benito
Format: epub
Published: 2013-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

In Bennett's last year, Davis finally finished his monumental textbook and suddenly began acting strangely. When an invitation came for him to give a major address at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society, he startled Bennett and some other of his students by yelling at Dolores to refuse the invitation. Who's got time to prepare a talk for Miami? he shouted from the door of his office. Don't they think I'm doing research anymore? A week later, he was asked to serve on a committee of the National Academy of Sciences. He got so angry he didn't even return the call.

He began working harder and harder at his own research, driving himself at the frantic pace of his students. He began staying at school every night, in his own office, closing his door. One night at midnight, Bennett was coming out of the reference room when he saw Davis emerge from his office with bloodshot eyes and a bitter look on his face. Bennett hardly recognized him. Davis said hello, an odd look of embarrassment swept over his face, and he hurried down the hall. A week later, Tarker, a third-year student, showed up with an elegant solution to the same problem Davis had been working on himself. Davis congratulated Tarker profusely. But he didn't come out of his office until the next morning. He began putting his name last on joint papers with his students, or crossing his name off altogether.

Eventually, Davis stopped publishing altogether, but he remained at Blaine many more years. And his framed wagers remained on the wall, one or two being retired every year as he gradually saw proved the insightful conjectures he'd made in his youth.

When Bennett finished his doctoral thesis, Davis of course gave him a party. A lot of people came. Bennett had made sure of that, by sending invitations to acquaintances of acquaintances, people he didn't know at all.

It was a very warm night in June. The windows were open. Every once in a while, a neighbor would knock at the door and demand that the music be turned down. Davis would invite the neighbor in and offer him beer. We've got a new doctor of philosophy tonight, he said loudly and called for Bennett. Someone hollered, Need a quantum mechanic? What, we're out of beer? discovered Davis. How can that be? He dispatched a graduate student to Limo's to get more beer and pizza.

People took off their shoes and danced. A professor had brought Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac albums. Some people sat in chairs talking physics or waiting for the next car from Limo's to come with more beer. Two

couples no one knew went directly to the Jacuzzi room as soon as they arrived, stripped down to their underwear, and sat in the hot water drinking champagne.

Bennett had been crowned by a western cowboy hat with a diploma dangling from it. He was elated. He walked from room to room, greeting everyone and accepting congratulations. He was full of beer.

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