The Myth and The Guardian

Chapter 2

Over the next few weeks, Austin was involved in a number of aptitude and academic tests. Each test confirmed that he was indeed a genius with a superb understanding of every subject of academic material. His level of Math and Science skills were equal to that of a college graduate in both fields, but his English, History, and comprehension of Philosophy were too advanced to reach a final conclusion. He knew dates and events like he had studied them all of his life, and he could analyze poetry, literature, and the complex thoughts of famous philosophers as if he had taught them himself. He was without a doubt one of the most brilliant minds that the world had known or would ever know. A boy of only ten years of age and he had the mind of a sixty year old man who had spent most of his years studying and teaching. There was soon no doubt in anyone’s mind that young Austin had a gift.

Dr. Wells had given up on her task of helping the boy find out information about his identity, and she began to focus on the source of the boy’s unique gift. She wanted to understand how his brain processed information. She was not alone in wanting to learn what made Austin a genius. The information about Austin’s intelligence soon began to reach the ears of professors and scientists all over the world. Professors from the most prestigious colleges in the world came to see and speak with Austin. They would come and ask him questions and leave in shock and awe at the boy’s brilliance. In fact, he ended up helping a professor from Yale finish a formula that he had been working on for twelve years. Several of the most brilliant men and women who walked the planet were soon demanding some of Austin’s time.

Austin’s cooperation with the men and women of the scientific community was not so perfect. In fact, his relationship with the scientific community soon became non-existent due to his own choice. He had decided it was one mildly humiliating experience to put on a show for the scholars of the best colleges in the world, but he would not subject himself to being a lab rat. He knew that they could not force him into any painful test, and they would not touch his brain. He also knew that the tests he agreed to run would end up being endless. They would always keep finding new theories to test, and eventually, he would be an adult and would not have experienced life. He would help them in any other way possible, but he would not spend his life hooked up to monitors while he read books, listened to lectures, and looked at flashcards to test his memory. After he had explained this to over 200 scientists, the word soon spread that the boy genius did not want to become an experiment, and this was his final decision on the matter.

His decision was not enough to stop the more persistent of the scientists. They would come at all hours of the day and night and make him offers. They offered him money, cars, homes, and any other thing he might want. One man even stooped low enough to offer him a family. He tried to bribe Austin by agreeing to arrange an adoption meeting with scientists who could not have children of their own. Austin could not believe the depths these people would sink in order to get what they wanted from him. He explained to them that he would probably be rich soon enough, he could not drive yet, he did not want a home without a family, and he would rather wait for the right family to find him. The methods of these people disgusted Austin on a personal level which assured him that he had made the right choice for now. He hoped that not all people would prove to get to these levels of desperation.

After months and months of meeting with people, Austin thought that he would be able to rest. Instead, Austin had to meet with two final men who he was actually looking forward to seeing: The representation from Harvard University. Austin had read and heard that these guys were the best, and he wanted to see how he measured up in comparison as part of his own personal experiment. The professor was a PhD graduate in both English and History with a minor in Philosophy. These were the three areas in which Austin had yet to peak, and any professor who could challenge him would surely be an exciting guest. His name was Dr. James Farmer. Austin had been reading about the brightest minds in the world, and Dr. Farmer’s name was always mentioned.

He was no older than forty years and was in better physical shape than some teenagers, but his black hair, brown eyes, and thin glasses made him look very much like a professor. The man with him was unknown to Austin, but there was something about him that made Austin feel an extreme sense of comfort. This man was larger than Dr. Farmer. His face was experienced but not wrinkled, his eyes looked heavy like a drinker’s eyes, and he had this peacefulness about him that changed the mood inside the room.

The two men were let inside by Mrs. Davis, and she directed them to her office were Austin had been meeting with people for the last few months. The two men walked inside the small room and Austin was sitting there reading the largest dictionary he could find for dramatic effect. Without looking up from the book, Austin spoke:

“Dr. Farmer, I have been expecting you.”

The Professor, knowing that their visit was not scheduled, was shocked.

“Are you telling me that you can see the future?” Dr. Farmer asked slowly.

Austin looked at the Harvard professor with the most serious expression his face could make and replied.

“Yes, I saw you. I knew you would come through that door with your notes. I saw you.”

The two men looked at each other and then back at Austin who could no longer keep the joke going.

“No sir, I saw you outside through the window getting your notes in order before you came to the door.” Austin added playfully.

Austin and the two men erupted with the laughter of teenagers who had been friends all of their lives.

The men sat down after they were done laughing. They were impressed with Austin’s sense of humor, but they had come for a reason. They presented Austin with numerous theories, formulas, philosophies and literature which he analyzed and solved with the ease of an advanced calculus student doing simple addition. They were different from the other visitors that Austin was growing used to impressing. Unlike the numerous other money-hungry guests that had come, they asked Austin about love and other emotions to see how he grasped the most complex part of being human. Austin surprised them with his answers.

“Love? I believe love is just a feeling of euphoria that takes place when too many endorphins are released in the brain. The endorphins are released in such massive doses that judgment is clouded and the basic human nature of narcissism is replaced by focusing on a significant other. In plain English, the people who experience this emotion are blinded by it and disregard their priorities in hopes of saving one feeling of happiness that comes from meeting another person.” Austin said, trying to study the reactions on the men’s faces.

Dr. Farmer stared at Austin for a moment and began to giggle from Austin’s answer. He then looked at his companion and spoke:

“Well, would you look at that Joel? The boy cannot even drive but is well on his way to becoming a cynic.”

Dr. Farmer took a moment to let his friend reply.

“I do not think that is something to laugh about James. Being a cynic is bad enough, but it is a terrible characteristic for a child.” the strange man said looking intensely at Austin.

“If I am to be a cynic, would it not be best to become one now while I have time to recover from the mistake if it proves to be one?” Austin said to the strange man.

“I suppose you are correct, but being cynical has a way of transforming into something darker.” The strange man added.

“A pessimist?” asked Austin.

“No, an isolated boy genius who has not nor will ever know the beautiful side of human interaction due to his abandonment issues and lack of comprehension of love or family.” The strange man added with semi restraint.

“That’s enough Joel” Dr. Farmer added quickly.

“No, it doesn’t bother me at all. Please Dr. Farmer, allow your friend and I to converse.” Austin added trying not to show his excitement over the argument.

“Well sir, pardon my language, but due to the number of children in this place and other orphanages around the world, not to mention the highest divorce rate that the U.S. has ever known, I would say that love and family do not mean a damn thing to anyone,” Austin said noticing the shock on the faces of both men.

“Well pardon my language young man, but just because some marriages fail, some children get abandoned, and these travesties get documented does not mean too much of a damn thing to anyone who has seen what true love and family look like. In fact, the books that you have read to get your data probably did not even bother to describe the model family that is endangered but still exists did they?” The man added.

“Oh I see, so the data means nothing compared to experience? Well if the experiences are truly better, then I suppose there would not be any data for me to learn would there?” asked Austin.

“Correct, but I am sure the data is not as accurate as you believe it to be. Just because a few situations do not work out for the better does not mean we accept those example as a warning and give up.” The man replied to Austin.

“Oh, so does that mean that we are to subject ourselves to the risk of being wrong because of a one in a million chance that something special still exists out there? I think not sir because when do those odds ever present themselves to the rest of us?” Austin added.

“Yes, I admit that the odds are extremely unlikely. Almost as unlikely as a child being born a genius, but that never happens does it, Austin?” the man added playfully.

“Alright sir, I guess that was checkmate.” said Austin.

“Thank you my worthy opponent. We should play again soon,” the mystery man added kindly.

Dr. Farmer, who had been silent throughout the conversation, finally spoke:

“Well before you two decide to show off your superior debate skills again, I should remind you both of a bit of vital information that kept me feeling secure through your entire conversation: I make more money than both of you” Dr. Farmer added jokingly.

The three of them shared another laugh off of the statement, and Austin felt like he had just made two new friends. After the laugh, the strange man finally noticed his rudeness and introduced himself as Dr. Joel Wilson. Dr. Wilson was a very intricate individual with a PhD in Science and Philosophy. These two fields of study seemed a bit strange to Austin, but the strange combination of studies impressed Austin even more.

Austin’s sense of maturity impressed both men beyond anything they had ever witnessed. Each man found certain qualities that they adored in the young genius. Dr. Farmer enjoyed the boy’s brilliance and the fact that he may very well be the most intelligent person who had ever walked the planet. Dr. Wilson loved the boy’s ability to understand life and clever sense of humor. Dr. Farmer looked at Austin and saw fame, fortune, and prestigious awards. Dr. Wilson saw a genius who was still just a kid which meant he could not only be the best and brightest mind that ever lived, but he also still had a chance to be the best person that ever lived. If any child could overcome a horrible situation and still see the beauty of life it would have to be Austin.

After a few more minutes of enjoying the pleasure of the boy’s company, the men explained there reason for coming to see Austin. The reason was the same as all of the others that had made the journey to come and see him. The men wanted Austin to come to their college, but the others wanted Austin mainly for the publicity it would get their schools. Dr. Farmer and Dr. Wilson, on the other hand, had come with offers that Austin would have to be crazy to turn down. They would give him tests in every subject of his choice, and the tests would range from average to advanced. After the advanced test, they would allow him to take their hardest cumulative tests in each area and award him a degree if he passed. Following that would come the work for the PhD degree which Austin would have the freedom to take in any subjects of his choice. They would allow him to teach, if he proved capable and chose to do so, in the areas that they felt he could teach. Any subject that he loved, and did not have a perfect understanding of, would be his majors. Basically, the men were offering Austin a job, an education, and the platform to graduate from Harvard University with more degrees than a thermometer.

The only condition was that he allowed a scientist, from their research department, to study him for two hours every week. They knew how he felt about being studied, but they assured him that two hours a week were all they would ask of him. He was free to stop if he did not want to be studied anymore. The department was run by Dr. Wilson and Dr. Anderson, his partner for ten years, and nobody else would interact with Austin if he did not approve. They also urged Austin to do two hours of therapy a week with Dr. Wilson. This idea was given by Dr. Farmer because of the intellectual debate he had just witnessed between the two. He knew that they were already striking up a friendship which would make everything less awkward.

Austin took a moment to think about the proposal and finally agreed. He liked Dr. Wilson and Dr. Farmer, and the opportunity was too impressive to pass up. He had a chance to do what most people will never be able to accomplish. Austin felt that if he turned down this opportunity then he would be insulting the men he was becoming friends with, the gift of intelligence he was given, and the very core of himself. There was something deep inside of Austin that assured him that this was the best for him. The pit of Austin’s stomach began to flutter as he thought about all the good he could do for the world. This was the first time he had thought about the entire world, but he knew that if he could leave it anything then he should.

The men were happy to hear that Austin would attend their University and looked forward to spending more time with the boy. In fact, they had assumed it would take them longer to convince Austin to join them and planned on staying longer. They surmised that they would have to make strong arguments for their point of view which would take at least two hours, but it had only been half an hour and Austin had agreed. They decided they may as well stay and talk to Austin for the remainder of time on their schedule. Although getting back to the hotel and actually getting some rest had a strong allure, their fascination with Austin proved to be irresistible. The way they all seemed to respond to each other created an unusual scene, but Austin kept proving himself to be an equally unusual child.

Dr. Farmer told stories of his childhood to maintain the easy flow of conversation and laughter. He told them of his first crush, his first experience with drinking beer, and the first time he kissed one of his mother’s friends which was a result of the alcohol experience. The story ended with him being chased around his neighborhood by an angry husband and vomiting on the man once he was caught. The three of them all had a nice laugh from the story which Austin was still debating as true of false inside his head. He did not care if the story was true or not because it had served its entertainment purposes. Dr. Farmer ended his reminiscence and asked Dr. Wilson to tell them something about his childhood, but Dr. Wilson respectfully refused.

“Well, what will you share with us?” Austin asked curiously.

Dr. Wilson thought for a moment before speaking.

“I am more interested in hearing about you Austin. I am aware you have no memory, but you must know something about yourself that is interesting.”

Austin made a deal that if he told them something that nobody else knew about himself that Dr. Wilson would have to share something as well. After a few moments of hesitation, Dr. Wilson finally agreed. Austin thought hard for a moment, and he finally arrived at something that would be considered interesting.

" I am a fan of The Beatles, and I think they were some of the funniest men to ever walk the world. Mrs. Davis plays their records every day, and I laugh at a few of their songs, especially I Am The Walrus and Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” Austin said with a half laugh. “I do not really seem to like people for some reason and find most of them to be selfish liars. I also happen to think that Angelina Jolie from Tomb Raider and Kristen Kruek from a show called Smallville are the most beautiful women alive.” Austin added.

Dr. Wilson looked at Austin.

“Anything else?” he asked.

Austin thought for another few moments and replied:

“ Bob Dylan and John Lennon are the best two song writers the world will ever know.” Dr. Wilson continued to stare in silence at Austin.

Dr. Farmer looked at Dr. Wilson and spoke:

“Well Joel, He is a ten year old genius with no other memory. There really is not much more he can share.”

Dr. Wilson looked at his friend

“I know, I am just fascinated at how much the boy reminds me of myself right now. I agree with everything he just said except for the Smallville girl, I think it is tie between Erica Durance and Alison Mack.” Dr. Wilson replied with a smile.

Dr. Farmer laughed out loud.

“Good God, you are how old and you still watch shows like Smallville?” He responded with a light chuckle.

“ What can I say, I have teenage children.” Dr. Wilson replied.

“Yeah, the children” Dr. Farmer repeated mockingly.

Dr. Wilson then stood up and looked at his watch before putting on his jacket and gathering his notes.

“Well James, I believe it is time for us to be getting back for some sleep.” Dr. Wilson stated.

Austin and Dr. Farmer just stared at him to suggest they were waiting.

“Dr. Wilson, you made a deal that you would share something about yourself if I shared. You agreed. So do not think you are going to get away so easily” Austin spoke playfully

The Professor placed his hat on his head and walked to the door. He turned around and replied:

“Oh, I intend to tell you something about myself.”

He waited a few moments and smiled at Austin before laughing out the statement

“I am a liar.” He finally added with a smile.

Dr. Wilson then turned and walked out the door. Dr. Farmer soon followed, and Austin could hear them laughing until they drove away.