It was so easy for the stupid kid to tell him to move on. How does one move on from what could be the biggest invention ever? He had spent almost four years on the project, and right when it seemed to be heading in a positive direction, a wall had sprung up.
“Forget it. Happy holidays,” muttered Jack and cut the call before Simon could say anything.
He let out a huge sigh.
Walking morosely towards his desk, he flopped into his chair, head in his hands, and tried to stem the panic that was threatening to overtake him. He had never been an anxious person, but he had been aware of this pit of anxiety that had been growing inside of his for the last one year. It had coincided with his desperation to make his theory work. But after each one of his tries failed to take his experiment further, anxiety had set in.
After a while, he started hearing the sounds of Christmas festivities outside. He lifted his head a bit. Why not, he thought. Why not just take a break, take a step back. Remorsefully he looked at all the candy wrappers in the waste paper basket, and the remains of his very unhealthy lunch. It was two cheese burgers, fries and coke. He tried to remember his last healthy meal. Any meal really, that didn’t consist copious amounts of oil, sodium and flour. Jack couldn’t remember. He used to be a foodie and loved trying out different cuisines and restaurants. But he couldn’t recall when he had gone to a restaurant last.
He got up suddenly, cleared his screen, stacked all his papers and dropped them into the dustbin with all the candy wrappers. Looking around, he grabbed anything that reminded him of his failed project. It all went into the shredder or the dustbin.
He stood in the lab for a very long time, it was almost midnight. He thought back to the time when he was on the verge of making a wonderful discovery.
A few years back, Jack started work at a lab in Berlin. He got the job because of an interesting paper he wrote for his thesis on quantum entanglement. One of the heads of departments of the lab called him for an interview. Although the rest of the board was sceptical, this one person thought he had potential. And he wanted to see the man for himself. Jack’s grades and credentials were top notch. He would be an asset to the lab in any case. The interview was frustrating, and honestly, Jack could not make out whether it had been good or bad.
“Can you tell me where you got this idea from, young man,” said Dr Kruger, looking at a
nervous Jack patiently.
“Ummm, so I have always been interested in science fiction. Whether movies or books, they have always called to me. Not just because of the fantastical imagination of the makers, but also because of the technology and scientific leanings. I remember watching Star Trek as a kid. I was enthralled from the minute I started watching it. In fact, that movie was one of the biggest reasons for me getting into the scientific research field,” Jack said. He was calmer now, and was looking forward to the next question.
“You still haven’t told me though, where exactly you got this idea from. And your thesis has not delved too much into it,” continued Dr Kruger. “Yes, well, I got the idea from the movie itself. There is a device in the movie, called the transporter, that allows people to teleport. And I wanted to explore the idea. I am also beginning to get interested in dark energy in space. I have a feeling that these two might be connected.”
“Yes, yes. But where is the precedent? All you have are theories, with no data or proof. You can get the numbers to tell you whatever you want, but that’s not how experimental science works. You have to show it in a real world scenario as well,” said Dr Kruger. Jack was stumped. He had been sure that he would breeze through the interview with minimum effort. “Sir, I know I am only hypothesising right now. And I would have conducted an experiment as well, but the university didn’t have the required tech, and nor were they willing to spend money on this. I know your lab specialises in things beyond the ordinary.
Your equipment is cutting edge, and top notch. I would love to work here, because I’m sure that I will produce a favourable result,” Jack said, in great earnest.
“This is not some movie where you can have your creative license. So right now, you have to
convince me to hire you,” Dr Kruger told Jack.
Walking Through a Vanishing Landscape
There is the prehistoric geological landscape.
There are centuries-old fishing communities.
There is the Portuguese military presence.
There are later transformations under British and Indian rule.
And now there is the rapidly expanding Mumbai metropolitan region.
All these histories occupy the same landscape.
The challenge is making sure the newest layer does not completely erase the oldest.
As the monsoon waves continue to hit the coast and modern Vasai continues to expand, these forgotten basalt walls remain silent witnesses.
They remind us that Mumbai’s history does not end at its famous landmarks.
Sometimes the most fascinating stories are hidden behind the last building, beyond the paved road and beneath the monsoon vegetation.
And perhaps the real adventure is not simply discovering a forgotten fort.
It is discovering **the forgotten history of the landscape itself.**
