NOW Cannon didn’t turn a dangerous ground for June in a day. The prestigious university didn’t feel like Hades in a single day.
When Cannon opened their laboratory to her then, the woman had liked the gesture.
She’d jumped to work immediately, with ideas competing for space in her head.
And then, as she was known to do, she set up a few separate experiments for study. And started to run them together.
She was going to be the first person to run several distinct projects for one Ph.D.
Still, Cannon let her feel at home.
Now the brilliant chemist got her theses started (for they were three studies in all), and made laboratory experiments her method.
She wasn’t so interested in the doctorate, as she was enjoying her peculiar process.
She was there just for her.
So, Cannon watched her and noted the progress she made...
For apart from her supervisor, the professors sent one of theirs to monitor her work.
That person was the best of their kind to clamp her wings. He belonged to their league, so he chased their cause, too.
He was a no-nonsense somebody.
But then, this man wasn’t in a place to supervise the chemist. So they asked him to monitor her.
Now he walked into the laboratory one day, as June made some tests.
He entered and watched her method. Read the inferences she noted down from her observations...
Then stepped beside her, and whispered. “Good job, I like this.”
He was pointing a finger at a thing in her note.
June simply grunted that she heard him and went on working.
The man went through her notes, while he checked with the test tubes in her working rack.
He looked to see the reactions in the glass tubes containing solvents.
He found her deductions apt, and smiled that she was good.
Now he looked up and talked.
He gave the Ph.D. candidate a tip on an alternative catalyst that she didn’t know to use...
As catalysts are used to speed up reactions in experiments.
June had used one that was exclusive to the test. Whereas an alternative catalyst could work faster in her case.
June looked up at him, and said nothing.
She pulled a face that was just blank and inscrutable.
The man picked up a test tube and illustrated it using her salt samples, her aqueous ions, then another catalyst in place of hers.
And the reactions were really quite sped up.
But then, this kind of things as alternative catalysts in a few chemistry experiments...
They were rather basic tips that a genius mind would skip in carrying out big tests.
They were laboratory hacks that college students knew. But which a growing prodigy would have skipped while self-training.
So, when the man saw the small lapse, he took advantage of it to win June’s trust.
It was Cannon’s style of proving bright minds dull...
It was what their dons in the game called AT.
At their faculty of law, it was called Attestari. Which was Latin for attesting to a standing claim.
At their basic sciences, they called it Atomic Test.
At times, they dropped the euphemism and say, Atomic Bomb.
Now the man laughed – the one whose name was AT.
“It’s just these smaller tips you’ll pick from Cannon, really!
“You’re already the best as you are!”
June chuckled. “Now you’re flattering me, sir!”
“Oh, call me AT!”
“Okay, thanks for the help, AT! June is the name.”
“Aw, now you’re being too modest! What chemist wouldn’t know you!
“You see, June Simeon’s a big name here.”
June wanted the line drawn. She felt AT was developing interests.
“Thanks, I appreciate. Yet it’s Martinez now, as I’m married.”
“June Martinez, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Oh congratulations, Mrs. Martinez! My sincere best wishes.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The man didn’t want to be barred off by the marriage blockade. So he cleared the air.
“Well, I like to be coming around often.
“I am enthusiastic about chemicals and I’m a professor here.
“I’ve looked through your work and I like what you’re doing...
“Please let me know if you need help.”
June was surprised that she was so wrong. She felt impressed and respected the man.
“Oh you’re always welcome, sir. Feel free to come around.”
“No, I prefer you call me AT!” insisted the don. “I’m not lecturing you, I simply like to help.
“And I may be getting old, but chemistry is about genius. May I say this, that I respect you.
“So, why don’t we put aside formalities and talk like colleagues.
“In any case, it’s great meeting you, June. So keep the projects going!”
June was overwhelmed. She’d never met someone like him.
She offered him a hand. “Nice meeting you, too. I really appreciate!
“Then, I’ll sure keep your points in mind, AT!”
Now, AT was different things in various quarters. Yet their usage went so scary for just two letters.
But then, this fellow A-T was everything called latent in the science fields.
He was everything dormant. Resting. Waiting.
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