Free K-Pax by Gene Brewer Page B

astronomica l   data muc h lik e th e savant s mentione d earlie r ca n mak e computer-lik e calculation s an d   pul l   hug e   number s   from thei r   heads .   Bu t   i t   woul d   hav e   bee n   a n   astonishin g   fea t   indee d   i f h e   coul d   hav e   constructe d   a   pictur e   of th e   nigh t   sk y   a s   see n   fro m   th e   plane t   K-PAX ,   which ,   incidentally ,   Professo r   Flyn n   ha d   no w   chose n   to cal l hi s   previousl y   unname d   planet .   I n   anticipatio n   o f   thi s   resul t   I   thin k   I   wa s   alread y   contemplatin g   the boo k th e reade r i s no w holding . S o i t wa s wit h som e excitemen t tha tI nervousl y watche d   a s   h e   sketched hi s   chart ,   insistin g   al l   th e   whil e   tha t   h e   wasn' t   ver y   goo d   a t   freehan d   drawing .   I   cautione d   hi m   to remembe r   tha t   th e   nigh t   sk y   a s   observe d   fro m   K-PA X   woul d   loo k   quit e   differen t   fro m   th e   wa y   i t   does o n Earth.
    "Tel l m e abou t it, " h e replied.
    I t too k hi m onl ya   fe w   minutes .   Whil e   h e   wa s   sketchin g   I   mentione d   tha t   a n   astronome r   I   kne w   had informe d   m e   tha t   ligh t trave l   wa s   theoreticall y   impossible .   H e   stoppe d   wha t   h e   wa s   doin g   an d   smile d   at m e tolerantly .   "Hav e   yo u   eve r   studie d   you r   EART H   history? "   h e   asked .   "Ca n   yo u   thin k   o f   a   singl e   new ide a whic h al l th e expert s i n th e fiel d di d no t labe l `impossible'?"
    H e returne d t o hi s diagram . A s h e dre w h e seeme d t o focu s o n th e ceiling , bu t perhap s   hi s   eye s   were closed .   I n   an y   cas e   h e   pai d   n o   attentio n   t o   th e   ma p   h e   wa s   workin g   on .   I t   wa s   a s   i f   h e   wer e   simply copyin g i t fro m a n interna l pictur e o r screen . Thi s wa s th e result:
    Ther e ar e severa l notabl e   feature s   abou t   hi s   sketch :   a   "constellation "   shape d   lik e   a n   N   (uppe r   right), anothe r   lik e   a   questio n   mar k   (lowe r   left) ,   a   "smilin g mouth "   (lowe r   right) ,   an d   a n   enormou s   eye-shaped cluste r   o f   star s   (uppe r   left) .   Not e   tha t   h e   als o   indicate d   th e   locatio n   o f   th e   invisibl e   Eart h   o n   hi s   chart
    (center) . Th e reaso n fo r th e relativel y fe w backgroun d star s i n th e diagra m   was ,   accordin g   t o   prot ,   tha t   it neve r go t completel y dar k o n K-PAX , s o ther e   ar e   fewe r   star s   visibl e   i n th e   sk y   tha n   on e   ca n   ordinarily see , i n rura l areas , fro m th e nighttim e Earth.
    However ,   i t   wa s   clea r   tha t   prot' s   an d   Steve' s   chart s   wer e   completel y   different .   Althoug h   not surprise d t o fin d   tha t   m y "savant "   ha d   hi s   limit sI   was ,   nonetheless ,   somewha t   disappointed .   I   a m   aware tha t thi s i s no ta ver y scientifi c attitude , an d   I   ca n   onl y   attribut e   i t   t o   th e   post-midlife-crisi s   syndrom e   first describe d   b y   E .   L .   Brow n   i n   1959 ,   somethin g   tha t   occur s   mos t   ofte n   i n   me n   wh o   hav e   entere d   their fifties : a curiou s desir e fo r somethin g interestin g t o happe n t o them.
    B e   tha t   a s   i t   may ,   a t   leas t   I   woul d   no w   b e   abl e   t o   confron t   th e   patien t   wit h   thi s   contradictory evidence , whic h would ,   I   hoped ,   hel p   t o   convinc e   hi m o f   hi s   Earthl y   origin .   Bu t   tha t   woul d   hav e   t o   wait