Spanish Banner: Intercambio de Enlaces
Spanish Banner: Intercambio de Enlaces.

Encounter



"Excuse me."
She was almost through the door into her hotel room. She wouldn't see him until she turned, but she recognized the voice. No, it couldn't be. She had seen him at the breakfast, but she was convinced he wouldn't observe her.
"May I help you?" She asked with a small smile.
"Pardon me if I am wrong, but don't I you from the Polytechnique?"
"Yes."
He put out his hand, and she took it.
"I'm Phillip. I'm from the United States," he paused, "and I see that we are neighbors. There is a door between our rooms."
In her mind she saw him walking through it, into her room.
"Yes. I study physics. What do you study?"
"I studied math, and then I switched to chemical engineering because I wanted more of a challenge. Would you like to have dinner with me?"
"O.K. I need to change into other clothes."
He looked at her for a second. "I guess I should change too. I'm going to have to get used to going to nice places which have dress codes." He smiled.
They went to a quiet restaurant with coral colored table clothes, and small shaded lamps. The waiter poured water from a silver pitcher.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"I'd like a glass of red wine," Maria answered.
"What brand, madame?"
"That one." She pointed at a word (Rieussec) with a mid-range price.
The waiter repeated the word and wrote it down. He then looked at Phillip.
"Is there a famous French beer?" Phillip asked. The waiter gave him a strange look.
"O.k. I'd like a red wine too. The same brand please."
She smiled at his impudence.
"That was funny. I never would have thought to ask a French waiter that."
"We don't want to talk about – it – but we can talk about physics, if we don't talk about – it, right?"
"Gotcha."
"I was reviewing the files today on conservation. Conservation of mass, and later, with nuclear reactions, it involved an adjustment to conservation of mass and energy together."
"I read the file about chaos. I didn't understand how they would use fractals to determine the circumference of the British Isles."
He laughed. "I bet you didn't spend too much time worrying about that question!"
"Maybe we could check the world wide web for more information on Chaos theory."
"I think we should use our first monthly stipend to purchase laptop computers.
"Yeah. But there's that rule about not taking anything into or out of the building."
"Good point. I guess that we buy the computers and never take them inside the building."
"I want to learn calculus."
"Me too."
When the waiter returned, they ordered duck.





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