Theory of Relativity, A by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-09-09T01:35:07+00:00

Theory[113-221] 6/5/01 11:59 AM Page 175

A Theory of Relativity

175

“If all this is true,” Dennis Reilly added, “then why aren’t chimpanzees evolving to be more like humans?”

“Because,” Gordon sighed, “they’re good at being chimpanzees.

Look, let’s get back to Gunther’s point. If you were a little kid and you made a drawing of a man and a drawing of a chimpanzee, they would look almost alike, right? At least more alike then a drawing of a chimpanzee and a chicken? What does that tell you?”

“Well, why aren’t lizards evolving to be more like humans?”

“Because they don’t need to! Human beings aren’t the most evolved species on earth.”

“They are! They can think!”

“In fact, there are probably bacteria on the floor of the Atlantic ocean more highly evolved than human beings . . . because they’ve had more time.”

“You’re saying a human being is no better than a bacteria?” Woffling again.

“Not better at being a bacteria! Look, you guys, evolution is not a theory. It’s a fact. The theory part is about how exactly it happened, because we weren’t there to see it happen. I don’t know how. I’m not a Presbyterian minister. I’m not a cell biologist. I’m a science teacher—”

“Do you believe in God?” Reilly asked, adding, “Einstein believed in God.”

“Maybe God created evolution,” Kelly Rafferty sang out, “to give us something to do.”

The buzzer sounded. There was a God.

Gordon dropped his head on the shelf of his cupped hands. “Read chapter four for tomorrow,” he blurted. As they all thundered out the door, he could hear Gunther declaiming to all and sundry that he wasn’t no bacteria, and if a man wasn’t better than an ape, why was a man made in the image of God. There’d be a nice phone call from Mrs. Woffling tomorrow. And then he noticed, felt, a presence next to his desk.

Kelly Rafferty.

“Mr. McKenna,” she said shyly, “my mom told me about—”about that night at the lodge, Gordon thought; my career sinks slowly in the Theory[113-221] 6/5/01 11:59 AM Page 176

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JACQUELYN MITCHARD

west; this is the end; no more worries about day care—“about your little baby . . .” Gordon’s heart resumed ordinary rhythms. “I can’t baby-sit in Tall Trees because I bus. But Melinda Gallo and Kathy Zurich baby-sit all the time. And they said I could tell you they’d help you out, because you seem kind of tired.”

“How about two days a week after school and Sundays?” Kelly blinked. “Well, I’ll ask them.”

Gordon had to ask, too. He had to ask Hart Rooney whether it violated any policy, however obscure, to ask one of his students to baby-sit for him. Rooney had smiled, looking not one day older than he had when Gordon mowed his lawn. “Why, Gordon,” he said easily, “I never had a baby-sitter who didn’t go to this school. Where else would you find teenagers? Just be careful they don’t get into the beer or drive your car.”

And so they came, Melinda and Kathy, his saviors, his baggy-pants saints, Wednesdays and Thursdays

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