L'affaire Bob

20. The Science Gang

-"James! Thank God, it's you!" I exclaimed, sighing in relief.

He let out a small, light-hearted chuckle.

-"Why?" he asked with a smile. "Who did you think I was?"

-"No one, no one. I just..."

-"You still don't get along with Francesco, huh?" he implied, raising an eyebrow.

I opened my mouth to answer him, but when my mind didn't come up with any witty comment or other replies I could have thrown at him, I gave up, immediately sealing my lips shut and shaking my head.

What? It wasn't a weak or wrong move. "Actions speak louder than words," they used to say-- and still said, by the way. And you know how I am, a massive proverb fan, always keen on applying the common knowledge our wise ancestors had passed us over the years.

Looking back at James, I noticed that Mathias was standing behind him.

Raising my eyebrows inquisitively, I asked:

-"So, James, you guys are friends now? You and Mathias, I mean."

-"You can say that yeah. He's been showing me around for the past few days, you know."

-"That's great!" I cheerfully replied. 

Now, trust me, I wanted to say something else. I genuinely tried to continue our conversation, to no avail.

Thankfully, James, being the eternal and everlasting lifesaver that he was, cut the rising tension by saying:

-"So, do you want to join us? Today, we planned to visit the library. And, you know, Mathias is a great guide. He has been filling me in about the time-travelers' history, as well as telling me how every single object in these rooms arrived here. It's amazing. And a bit overwhelming, sometimes," he explained, ending his little talk with a chuckle.

-"That's wonderful!" I politely answered. "I would love to accompany you."

-"Welcome to the Time-Traveler's Headquarters Tour, then," Mathias chimed in. "Organized and ran by the spectacular and fantabulous Mathias, this tour offers you the chance to discover and know more about the phenomenal history of our ancestors, as well as the sublime HQ they've built."

-"Why," I paused, "are you speaking like that?"

-"What do you mean?" Mathias replied, a bit taken aback by my question.

-"I mean, why are you talking about yourself in the third person? It sounds weird and very self-centered. Don't- don't do it again. Please."

-"Oh, that! I'm not so good at sarcasm-free interactions, and especially when it's not about science. It's not my thing. So, umm, Emma helped me write down what I should say during the tour, and I memorized it. Easy."

-"Emma? Really? I'm pretty sure she did not write "organized by the spectacular and fantabulous Mathias," because she didn't seem so fond of you."

-"Ah, yes. That was my touch. I figured that since this is, in fact, my tour, I should at least write a few words of my own, you know."

-"Of course," I said, snickering. "Do you always ask Emma to do your work?"

-"Nah, not really. See, whenever I make some sort of discovery in my lab, I write the reports all by myself. Emma doesn't master these things. But that's okay. I mean, I got used to people not getting what I do or even what I'm talking about. And I completely understand. Science is not for everyone."

-"I can attest to that," James cut in, laughing. "I think it's safe for you to assume that scientific subjects weren't my favorite in school."

-"Heh, can we not talk about school, please? It wasn't one of the best phases of my life. I mean, homework, exams, and more homework. It always felt like an endless cycle for me. We worked and worked and worked, only to pass the year and start the next one a few months later. Pathetic, if you want my opinion."