Chapter 4

"Hi David! Throw your bags in the back and hop in!"

"Hi! Thanks for being so prompt! It's cold out here!"

Laura drove away from the Braintree subway station, heading for Route 3 South.

"Do you know the way, Dr. Hamm?"

"I think so. The maps are pretty straightforward... Thanks for remembering not to call me Dr. Hamm out in the open at the Redline station. I really appreciate you not minding all this cloak-and-dagger stuff. It must seem pretty ridiculous..."

"Mind Dr. Hamm? I'm having the time of my life! I feel like the undergrad who came in from the cold! Literally! Even for Boston, this is cold!"

"About -20C, I think. A bit chilly."

"A bit chilly, Dr. Hamm?"

"Well, very cold compared to Cal Tech or even Princeton. But I spent three years in upstate Wisconsin when I was in high school. Getting through winters there is serious business."

"I bet..." David looked at the maps and rechecked their schedule. "We're in fine shape, time-wise. I know the route. I'll point out the turns if you like. Making the 7:45 PM ferry at Woods Hole will be no problem even if we hit some traffic, and we're not going to hit any traffic. I think Martha's Vineyard is going to be almost deserted."

"Sounds good to me. Perfect, in fact."

"I googled a picture of the hotel suite. It's nice. I'll be very comfortable on the couch. The ferry docks at 8:30. It's just a short drive on Beach Road from Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs. We should be all settled in by around 9:30. Reservation is confirmed through till next Sunday. Do you want to get started on the physics tonight Dr. Hamm, or just sack out and start fresh in the morning?"

"Ah... David... You've been so kind to help me set all of this up without asking for the details of the purpose, but... in the interest of a true cloak-and-dagger operation, could you just call me Laura for the next week?"

"Wow! Sure, an honor, Laura."

"Ha! You use the word honor the way I use the word. Not too many people in the U.S. pay attention to the true meaning of the concept. And to answer your question, I think I'll be ready for sleep after we get there. I owe you a lot of explanations though. If you want to get started, I suppose we could work for a bit."

"Oh no. I tend to be an early riser. Just punching out for the night will be fine."

"Great... Thanks again for keeping the ferry and hotel reservations in your name."

"Oh, I'm enjoying this so much, I'd be happy to share the real costs with you."

"David! You are an undergrad, and I have more money than I know what to do with. Just a few years ago I was watching my expenses very carefully. Now my book royalties are greater than my Nobel prize money, which was more than $10M for each, and I'm getting fat salaries from both Cal Tech and Princeton. Don't be ridiculous!"

"Well, if you put it like that..." David said with a smile. He gazed out the window for a while, and then turned and watched Laura drive...

"What David?"

"Oh, I was just thinking how different you look, between now and when you gave your talk in Kresge auditorium. Your talk was fantastic, by the way. But I've never seen you in a ponytail and blue-jeans before. It makes you look a lot younger! Err, am I stepping out of line?"