I have always been a scientist. When I was about 4 or 5, I remember sticking a knife in my older brother’s brand new basketball to find out what made it bounce. He was not happy about my experiment, but he eventually learned to forgive me when he was about 40. I conducted countless other experiments and investigations but one that stands out occurred while I was attending the university. I noticed that the photo on my ID card was oddly raised a bit higher than the rest of the card, so I scratched the edge to see what was under the photo. I imagined some sort of emulsion or backing for the photo. There was a reddish-brown colored backing behind my photo. Interesting I thought but non-deterministic and unsatisfying. So, later that day I go into the LRC (library) and of course I have to show my ID card to get in. I settle down to read some good Dostoyevsky to relax after a busy day listening to all the one-way communications from my professors mouths to my tired ears, when all of a sudden the whole library was full of cops and campus police all agitated and in a panic. Jugulars were a pulsing. I’m wondering what sort of evil dood they might be looking for when I notice that 5 of them have surrounded me and my couch; they then politely but firmly ask/demand that I go with them. I’m escorted out of the LRC (library) in front of everyone. The officers refuse to tell me what I had done; after they transported me to the police station, they began to question me. Finally I find out. They wanted to know why I had altered my ID card. I explained that I just wanted to know what it was made of and that I hadn’t damaged the photo so I didn’t see what the big deal was. They were not in the least satisfied with my answer, but let me go on my way since they couldn’t come up with anything else to hold me for. So this was one of my first encounters with testosterone-damaged, Neanderthal authoritarians with way too much time on their hands. Science can be dangerous.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 22:53:54 +0000
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