"In which case I'd ask you a favor, too."
"What kind?"
"That depends on the nature of the original request. What's yours?"
"I'd like you to write a few letters for me."
"In which case there'll be no counterproposition."
For three solid hours, Elaine sat at the typewriter. At the end of that
time, Tom smiled, patted her on the top of the head and said: "You've
been a good girl, kiddo."
"Thanks," she mumbled. "But there are things about your physicist that
I do admire. He never makes his women work."
"Impractical lad," laughed Tom.
"Impractical, but fun."
"Bah. You, too, huh?"
"Well fun is--"
"Impractical."
"When you find time to be impractical," said Elaine, rising, "you may
invite me over long enough to find out just exactly how practical an
impractical batch of fun can be. Practically, I am an impractical asset
with indispensable attributes." She arched one eyebrow at him and
leered in a ladylike fashion. "You'll find out," she told him.
"Dinner?" he suggested.
"That I cook? Ah-ahhh." She touched his cheek lightly and then said: "I
gotta go. I'm late as it is. Sorry, Tommy. But that's how it stands.
Take it easy--and I'll be seein' you."
Tom Lionel, Consulting Engineer, saw her away, and then returned to his
desk full of work. He sorted papers, did some computations, manipulated
some theory, and then sat still, thinking out his plan.
His evening was full. He experimented in the laboratory until the wee
small hours, and then spent another two hours contemplating, with
relish, the results. He finished by writing another letter, taking a
last look at the chessboard, and then retired with a final look at the
calendar.
* * * * *
Thomas Lionel, Ph.D., M.M., awoke with a feeling of self-satisfaction.
The world was his onion and he knew it. There was nothing to detract
from his success. After all, every time he returned it was because the
engineer had been frustrated. The same thing had happened again.
He breakfasted lazily, reading the mail and the notes made by the
engineer. The notes satisfied him. He added some notations and made
some calculations himself that would further frustrate the engineer
when again possession of the body changed minds. He noted with relish
that the bank account was growing by leaps and bounds--a backfired
result of the engineer's own machinations.
How long it would be before the engineer was completely vanished he
did not know, but it would not be too long.
A few more developments of the poltergeist effect, another series of
new sciences--with their attendant publicity, sales, and, of course,
royalty and licensing fees--and the engineer would find nothing in
his life worth living for. He then would turn, bending his naturally
curious mind to the more obscure realm of physics.
In other words, the mind of Tom Lionel would become congruent with
the mind of Thomas Lionel. Tom Lionel would vanish. Thomas Lionel,
the ultimate desire of the engineer's mind would take control and the
period of schizophrenia would end.
It was more than just logical. The consulting engineer wanted to be a
physicist. Now that all barriers were removed, he would.
The hearty dislike of physicists that characterized the mind of the
engineer was sheer jealousy; psychological block; that factor of the
mind which, when denied a desire, hates all others who successfully
achieve it.