| Part 1-
March 9, 2006 11:34 AM: �Did you catch the doc�s philosophy lecture this morning?� Paul asked the group. He was the closest thing to a leader the group had. It wasn�t that they were shiftless, or underachievers. Quite the opposite, no one could lead a group of minds like theirs. �He says that one branch of philosophy believes that reality is shaped by perception.� They were tucked away in a back corner of the dining hall, deliberately isolating themselves from the others. �Yeah, then you asked to see him after class,� Eric added. �What�d ya talk about?� �Our final project.� He leaned back in his chair, letting the expectation set in. �I made the greatest offer ever.� His next words came slowly and well planned. �A project that cannot be matched� will never be matched. This will blow away Einstein, Hawking, Plato, and other person you can think of. I offered to prove that belief correct in its logical and, simultaneously, borderline implausible extrapolation. I got the idea when that stoner kid asked if we could theoretically make the desks disappear. We�ll do it by adjusting scale.� �Have you been in your roommate�s stash again?� laughed Erica. The average looking brunette with the above-average chest always doubted his plans, but kept an open mind as well. �Hey, you�re a big part of this plan. Remember last week during your meditation?� The others leaned in closer. None of the others had heard this before. �I told you, it only seemed like my bed got bigger.� �Yeah, and you were letting your mind wander to the possibility of shrinking after you saw those websites. Look, we�ve all bent spoons and levitated some shit.� His voice dropped like it was a conspiracy. �We need to kick it up a notch.� �Or seven,� Libby added. She tossed back her auburn hair that fell below her shoulders. �This is too much. Besides, can we risk a project this big? Geniuses aren�t supposed to flunk out of college, or get expelled as lunatics.� Paul sighed deeply. �Then we just bust out a few tricks we can do, Matilda stuff. On some level, we�re already altering reality through changing perceptions. Besides, excellence is about reaching for another level, going beyond the simple and cautious to achieve what others don�t dare because of fear and/or ignorance.� Erica jumped in at that point. �It would be a little cool if not only it really happened, but I could do it again and to someone else.� �Like my idiot bitch of a roommate?� Libby asked. �I�m still not saying it�ll work, but she would make a good test subject.� �Can any sane and/or intelligent person have that much devotion to those factory made boy-bands and Britney Spears?� asked Eric. �Her music is hardly the thing to pay any attention to.� �Is there any way to focus on this?� Paul demanded. �While Eric does provide sound evidence in the case to shrink Libby�s roommate, it�s imperative that you keep your minds disciplined.� �Yeah, because we have so much trouble with that,� joked Libby. The group split up except for Erica and Eric. Eric worked his way through the rest of a rapidly cooling basket of poutine, nudging the fries around with his index finger in a futile attempt to find some semblance of the appetite he�d enjoyed minutes before. Erica kept staring at him, her mouth opening slightly. �What is it?� Eric asked, knowing what was coming, what always came when she acted that way. �I was just� you know� wondering what you were� uh� doing later on.� Her face reddened slightly. Her next words jumbled together. �I need some help studying for the Physics exam. Maybe you could help me and I�d order us a pizza.� He sighed and took her hands. �I�ll help you if you genuinely need help. Otherwise I�ll just remind you again that I�m already in a relationship.� The red darkened a few shades. �That�s� uh� umm� that�s cool� yeah that�s what I meant. That�s all I wanted anyways. So� uh� cool. Meet me at my room for six and we�ll review our notes.� |
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