"But you got it."
I shrugged. "It happens to me sometimes. I'll struggle over something, be ready to give up, and some light goes on. There's a favorite saying in my lab. To some extent it applies here."
"Go for it."
"Theory is when you know how it works, but it still doesn't. Practice is when it works, but you don't know why. In physics, theory and practice are joined together: nothing works and no one knows why."
"Works for me," Matt said. He packed up his notes and mine and we left the café. "When are you heading back?" he asked.
"Tomorrow morning on an early flight."
"Would you like a ride to the airport? It's the least I can do since you won't take payment for this."
"I'd love one."
"And will you need a ride when you return?"
Until that moment, I hadn't realized I'd made my decision. "Most definitely."
<><><>
Rose and I spent the rest of Sunday at her favorite pastime, improving the economy of Boston tenfold. Not even elevator music, a poor excuse for holiday songs, could dampen our spirits.
"You know," she said. "I looked up those elements in one of Frank's old chemistry textbooks. There are a lot of them. I thought, wouldn't it be fun if you got to help Matt again, like with the next element. What do you think?"
"Na," I said.
<><> THE END <><>
About the author:
Camille Minichino has published short stories, articles, and twenty-five mystery novels, also writing as Margaret Grace, Ada Madison, and Jean Flowers.
Camille received her Ph.D. in physics from Fordham University, New York City. She has had a long career in research, teaching, and writing. Camille is past-president and of the California Writers Club, NorCal Sisters in Crime, and NorCal Mystery Writers of America. She is currently secretary of NorCal MWA.
Website http://www.minichino.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=527194513
Blog: http://www.minichino.com/wordpress
The Neon Ornaments Page 4