Chapter 22

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" came a sleep-disruptive cry over Andy's head which got him startled.

  Brushing his eyes, he retorted, "Dad, what was that for?!"

  "I'm not your father, lad, it's me — Albert Einstein the great," came the reply, with a slight chuckle.

  "Albert what?!"

  Andy threw his hand under the pillow over his head and fished out his glass case. He placed his spectacle on his nose, sluggishly.

  "Oh, the Time Machine—" he muttered to himself.

  "Get your bath, immediately, we've work to do today. I got you some clothes that could take you for a couple of days," said Einstein, pointing to a waist-length drawer.

  He added, "When you're done, grab a quick meal from the kitchen, Marić's in the dining. I'll be at the laboratory, just so you don't get mixed up with the apartments in this house, ask my wife to show it to you."

  Anderson's head was processing his words, quickly. He nodded, surprising Einstein that there were no proposed questions. Satisfied, he pushed the door out, then closed it indifferently. His shoes could be heard knocking down the stairs.

  Andy raised himself to sit up on the bed, looking about himself. He could not remember walking in to the room the previous night, so he concluded that he had slept off in the living room then carried to the room. The thought of being carried made him feel abashed, it was an embarrassment.

  There was nothing eye-catching about the room; it was a visitor's room after all. It was painted all white, reminding him of Nelson. The ceiling was high, unlike his room at Mcbornie.

  Quickly, he grabbed a shower.

  When he went to observe the clothes, already sad just by thinking about wearing twentieth century attires, he was surprised beyond words at what he saw.

  The clothes were in pairs: a plain tee-shirt and a short; joggers, up and down; a long-sleeved shirt and a plain pant, not too broad on the leg as he would have imagined it; a pyjamas with the planets imprinted all over it.

  Andy smiled. Grabbing the short and tee-shirt, he dashed down to the living room where he was welcomed by Marić and where he ate breakfast.

  Next, he was taken to a building in the enclosed compound and told it was Einstein's laboratory.

  Marić turned around and left him staring at the front door. The surrounding of the building was unattended to; weeds sprouted from every corner. The metal door of the laboratory, itself, seemed old with age. He shaked his head and gave it three consecutive knocks.

  "The door's unlocked!" came Einstein's voice.

  He smiled and pushed the door in.

  His eyes almost fell off its sockets to what he saw. The hall was massive and well-ventilated. It had lots of contraptions here and there, only more orderly than Mr. Han's workshop. There were lots of desks too, and on these were lots of metal scraps and mechanical tools.

  Raising his eyes to the far end, Anderson could identify Einstein in his lab coat and just a single lantern on. He advanced, slowly, taking in the details of the dark room.

  While he was yet five metres from the professor, the old man turned around and met with his gaze.

  "You came out faster than I imagined," said he, with a smirk.

  Anderson smiled, "I guess being School Prefect has taught me a lot about punctuality."

  Einstein replied with a smile, then beckoned him over.

  "So here's what I've been strategizing out for you."

  Anderson hovered his eyes about the yellow cardboard paper before them and was really impressed beyond words.

  "How can you plan this out in so short a while?!"

  Einstein ignored the question then said, "Since you're so good an inventor, then you shouldn't have a hard time working this out—"

  "Alone?"

  "Of course not," Einstein patted Andy's shoulder, "I'll be here to guide you all through."

  "Thanks a lot—"

  "Save 'em, we've got work to do—"

  "Already?"

  "Why wait? A man's got to do what a man's got to do."

  Anderson nodded to that, it was even one of his favorite quotes against procrastination.

  "Definitely," Andy replied.

  Noticing Einstein's hands were gloved, he drew the glove box not far from his reach and drew out a pair.

  Flexing his hands, Anderson said, "We begin where we begin."

  Einstein nodded and, together, they drafted out all the materials they'd be needing. Anderson was more than surprised when the professor said, "You can get all of these in the third, fourth, and fifth drawers to your right, there."

  He, literally, had every working tool in his lab. "Now, that's what I call a laboratory," Anderson whispered to himself.

  Tools gotten, they joined heads together and began to build a robot. Building the head was not so hard for Anderson this time. One reason was to the fact that he'd built one before, another was because he had Albert Einstein's helping hands.

  They spent six hours in the laboratory, just to build the head. They fixed it with lots of complex materials and installed the basic necessities — including the central processing unit — in the head. They were also able to input, in it, a freeware; all thanks to the all, helpful Smart Watch strapped around Andy's wrist.

  The Smart Watch was even more complex in update than Andy had earlier guessed. It could maintain a conversation for as long as required to, with up-to-date information on just about any subject.

  As dawn crawled in, Andy and Einstein returned to the main house all tired and worked out, yet filled with satisfaction. And just when they dropped to their seats on a two-seater, hunger pangs struck in — something that should have come in much earlier.

  Marić nagged about the consequences of working too much, and the effects of hunger, but the gentlemen seemed to have expected it. For Anderson, it reminded him a gazillion of his mother. He was sure it was the same thing for Einstein. This was even vindicated when Einstein said, "Shut up, woman, you sound like my mother."

  "Well then, she must be right!"

  Einstein chuckled then said, "If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut."

  Anderson could not for the life of him hold his laughter. He laughed so hard Marić became embarrassed and walked away.

  Einstein brought out his tongue and faced it to Andy as he giggled, childishly.

  "Write out your will, Son, she's going to have your food poisoned tonight."

  Anderson's laughter dropped, then he turned his eyes slowly to meet Einstein's. And just as they met, they burst into another round of laughter.

  "Sir Einstein—"

  "Yes, Sonny?"

  "In your own words, how d'you define relativity?" Anderson asked, after the laughter had died down.

  Einstein smiled at the question. Something propped up in his head that made him smile broader.

  "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."

  Andy's mouth fell ajar at that. It was a spectacularly easy example one wouldn't forget in a hurry. And back in school, students were taught magnanimous and heavy definitions. He was mightily impressed at Einstein's.

  While Anderson was about to mutter a word, Marić came in with the meal, and the doorbell rung over their heads.

  "I'll get it," said Marić, wiping her hands on her apron.

  "So," said Einstein to Anderson, "have you thought about how long you'll be missing, back home?"

  Andy's eyes fell wide.

  "That's a good question, I think I should—"

  "It's the negro!" Marić alerted them, coming in between Andy's words.

  "What negro?" asked Einstein.

  "The taxi man of yesterday," came the reply.

  "Oh," said Einstein, smiling broadly, "let him in then."

  Marić went back outside to get the visitor.

  Meanwhile, Anderson was asking his Smart Watch: "How long is an hour in my time when I'm here?"

  An instant reply came: "One day."

  The duo exchanged amazed glances amongst one another.

  "Then a week would balance seven hours!" declared the professor.

  "Peace be unto ye!" declared the visitor led by Marić.

  "Ah, friend! You came as promised!" said Einstein, rising to his feet.

  "Indeed, I did!"

  Marić groaned in disgust.

  "How could one host another of whose race causes hazard to theirs!" she muttered to herself.

  They exchanged handshakes.

  "You came just about time for our evening meal!" Turning to Marić, Einstein said, "Please, dear, get the gentleman a supper dish!"

  "Oh, no Sir!" interjected the other. "I've had myself a meal at the restaurant by the other end of the road."

  "Well then, nevermind Darling Marić."

  Marić threw her head up in the kitchen, in disgust. Her hands were firmly balanced on her waist.

  "Like I wouldn't have added sand into it," she told to none in particular, voicelessly.

  "Sonny," the man, later introduced as Toby, began speaking after settling down on a couch opposite to Einstein and Anderson. "I came 'cause I was seriously curious to know how well things have improved, of your mission here. Have you started any project yet?"

  Anderson happily began while he devoured his meal, "Yes—"

  Einstein pinched him to signal him to say otherwise.

  "Yes, yes, I understand you must be curious—" he blended the lie, slowly, "but, unfortunately, I've been unable to start any project. But Sir Einstein, here, has been able to teach me a lot on relativity that would help me a million if I returned home, back to school."

  "Ah," said Toby, raising his cheeks and caressing his beards. "That is very fine. . .so. . .umm. . .what about your objective of coming here, that's more important right?"

  Einstein replied quickly, noticing the delay in Anderson, after sipping some water, "He's a smart person, he'll be able to make something up when he gets back to his home. I've really taught him a lot."

  "Oh. . . interesting—"

  "Yes, so how was work for you, today?" asked Einstein, changing the conversation.

  "The same as always," replied the other.

  "Which is. . .?"

  "Fine," replied Toby, with a short-lived smile. After a split-second thought, he added, "very fine."

  Toby looked at his wristwatch and exclaimed that he had an appointment with someone.

  "So soon?" asked the professor.

  "Yes, I'm sorry but I have to go. Farewell, professor!"

  He raised himself up, struggling to keep a smile, then dashed out from the house.

  Without wasting a second, Einstein told Anderson: "You don't want what happened back at home to repeat itself, do you?"

  Andy shaked his head and sighed, "That was a close one, Sir, thanks a gazillion."

  "Son, sometimes not everything should be said. Down to your creations. The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."

  Andy ate silently, digesting in the words.