Path To Paradise --- A Bum's Life

Possibilities

After the commercial break the channel fifteen broadcast cast returned with only Tomasina sitting behind a glass and chrome news desk. A picture of Pheizi Li loomed on the screen behind her. She addressed her audience with a somber low tone.

"Many of you woke up to sad news of Detroit's own Dr. Pheizi Li's passing. Dr. Li was known the world over for his unique perspective on physics. He taught string theory and quantum mechanics for many years at Great Lakes University and was a favorite with the students and faculty. Thirty years ago I had the privilege and pleasure of interviewing Dr. Li on a variety of subjects. Little did I realize at the time, this interview would be one that would go down in the history books. In this exchange Dr. Li and I discussed his humble beginnings. His father, a Chinese national, and mother who hailed from Myanmar also known as Burma, were Jade carvers. They settled in the Heshun Old Town in the county of Tengchong in China. They were the parents of three children. Their youngest child, Pheizi, was born here in Detroit not long after their arrival to the United States. Now, Let's take a look back at that long ago interview,"

****

A grainy image appeared on the TV screen showing a younger leggy Tomasina Sawyer with the same high bouffant hair style, but instead of platinum colored hair Tomasina's tresses were a buttered blonde shade. She greeted Pheizi with a wide smile.

"This is such a pleasure to speak with you," Tomasina said. The thirty year old voice track popped and scratched in certain parts, muting the lilt in her British accent.

Dr. Li sat across from her. He had rapt bright brown eyes. A long grey mustache chord lined the area just above his upper lip and then dripped down the corners of his mouth to his chin. When he smiled, a warm pleasantness shone through.

"Ms. Sawyer, the pleasure is all mine," he replied in a deep rich melodious voice.

Tomasina gazed at him with wide eyes. The notes she balanced on her crossed legs nearly fell. She rallied quick and brought her hand over them. The camera moved in for a close shot of her face, and despite the fuzz of the old film, a gush of red spreading over her cheeks was obvious. She straightened her peplum blazer by tugging at the bottom and then squared her shoulders, and looked directly at the camera. The shot pulled away so that both Tomasina and Dr. Li filled the frame. She smiled at him and began the interview with a few basics about his personal history.

They spoke of his parent's life in China where they sold jade artifacts to tourists in their store.

"Myanmar is known for the best Jade. There have been trade routes between China and Mayanmar since the 1700's. My father, always the curious one, tagged along with a caravan one year. He returned to Heshun with something far more beautiful and valuable than precious stone, the jade minor's daughter, my mother," he chuckled.

"What a lovely story. Do you think maybe you get such a curiosity from your father? I would say someone in your field has to be the curious sort," Tomasina asked.

"I think...I got two things from my father," he held up two fingers, "Curiosity and tenasity. Both are required in the field of science. The scientist always wants to know the 'why' of a matter. Albert Einstien said it best--'The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.' The other quality is tenacity. The ability to stick to your ideas, your convictions, your truth. Again, all the great scientists have this. It took years for Einstein to finish the mathematical equation for the theory of general relativity. He had to return to the chalk board time after time, because the math was flawed. When he finally had the correct equation he still had to prove the his findings to the giants of math and science of his time,"