Well, sure, Calvin said. Here. But its pretty complicated.
Meg smoothed out the paper and studied it. Do they care how you do it? she asked. I mean, can you work it out your own way?
Well, sure, as long as I understand and get the answers right.
Well, we have to do it their way. Now look, Calvin, dont you see how much easier it would be if you did it this way? Her pencil flew over the paper.
Hey! Calvin said. Hey! I think I get it. Show me once more on another one.
Again Megs pencil was busy. All you have to remember is that every ordinary fraction can be converted into an infinite periodic decimal fraction. See? So 3/7 is 0428571.
This is the craziest family. Calvin grinned at her. I suppose I should stop being surprised by now, but youre supposed to be dumb in school, always being called up on the carpet.
Oh, I am.
The trouble with Meg and math, Mrs Murry said briskly, is that Meg and her father used to play with numbers and Meg learned far too many short cuts. So when they want her to do problems the long way round at school she gets sullen and stubborn and sets up a fine mental block for herself.
Are there any more morons like Meg and Charles around? Calvin asked. If so, I should meet more of them.
It might also help if Megs handwriting were legible, Mrs Murry said. With a good deal of difficulty I can usually decipher it, but I doubt very much if her teachers can, or are willing to take the time. Im planning on giving her a typewriter for Christmas. That may be a help.
If I get anything right nobodyll believe its me, Meg said.
Whats a megaparsec? Calvin asked.
One of fathers nicknames for me, Meg said. Its also 326 million light years.
Whats E = mc2?
Einsteins equation.
Whats E stand for?
Energy.
m?
Mass.
c2?
The square of the velocity of light in centimetres per second.
By what countries is Peru bounded?
I havent the faintest idea. I think its in South America somewhere.
Who wrote Boswells Life of Johnson?
Oh, Calvin, Im not any good at English.
Calvin groaned and turned to Mrs Murry. I see what you mean. Her I wouldnt want to teach.
Shes a little one-sided, I grant you, Mrs Murry said, though I blame her father and myself for that. She still enjoys playing with her dolls house, though.
Mother! Meg shrieked in agony.
Oh, darling, Im sorry Mrs Murry said swiftly. But Im sure Calvin understands what I mean.
With a sudden enthusiastic gesture Calvin flung his arms out wide, as though he were embracing Meg and her mother, the whole house. How did all this happen? Isnt it wonderful? I feel as though I were just being born! Im not alone any more! Do you realize what that means to me?
But youre good at basketball and things, Meg protested. Youre good in school. Everybody likes you.
For all the most unimportant reasons, Calvin said. There hasnt been anybody, anybody in the world I could talk to. Sure, I can function on the same level as everybody else, I can hold myself down, but it isnt me.
Meg took a batch of forks from the drawer and turned them over and over, looking at them. Im all confused again.
Oh, so m I, Calvin said gaily. But now at least I know were going somewhere.
Meg was pleased and a little surprised when the twins were excited at having Calvin for supper. They knew more about his athletic record and were far more impressed by it than she. Calvin ate five bowls of stew, three saucers of strawberry jelly and a dozen cookies, and then Charles Wallace insisted that Calvin should take him up to bed and read to him. The twins, who had finished their homework, were allowed to watch half an hour of TV. Meg helped her mother with the dishes and then sat at the table and struggled with her homework. But she could not concentrate.
Mother, are you upset? she asked suddenly.
Mrs Murry looked up from a copy of an English scientific magazine through which she was leafing. For a moment she did not speak. Then,Yes.
Why?
Again Mrs Murry paused. She held her hands out and looked at them. They were long and strong and beautiful. She touched with the fingers of her right hand the broad gold band on the third finger of her left hand. Im still quite a young woman, you know, she said finally, though I realize that thats difficult for you children to conceive. And Im still very much in love with your father. I miss him quite dreadfully
And you think all this has something to do with father?
I think it must have.
But what?
That I dont know. But it seems the only explanation.
Do you think things always have an explanation?
Yes. I believe that they do. But I think that with our human limitations were not always able to understand the explanations. But you see, Meg, just because we dont understand doesnt mean that the explanation doesnt exist.
I like to understand things, Meg said.
We all do. But it isnt always possible.
Charles Wallace understands more than the rest of us, doesnt he?
Yes.
Why?
I suppose because hes well, because hes different, Meg.
Different how?
Im not quite sure. You know yourself hes not like anybody else.
No. And I wouldnt want him to be, Meg said defensively.
Wanting doesnt have anything to do with it. Charles Wallace is what he is. Different. New.
New?
Yes. Thats what your father and I feel.
Meg twisted her pencil so hard that it broke. She laughed. Im sorry. Im really not being destructive. Im just trying to get things straight.
I know.
But Charles Wallace doesnt look different from anybody else.
No, Meg, but people are more than just the way they look. Charles Wallaces difference isnt physical. Its in essence.
Meg sighed heavily, took off her glasses and twirled them, put them back on again. Well, I know Charles Wallace is different, and I know hes something more. I guess Ill just have to accept it without understanding it.
Mrs Murry smiled at her. Maybe thats really the point I was trying to put across.
Yah, Meg said dubiously.
Her mother smiled again. Maybe thats why our visitor last night didnt surprise me. Maybe thats why Im able to have a a willing suspension of disbelief. Because of Charles Wallace.
Are you like Charles? Meg asked.
I? Heavens no. Im blessed with more brains and opportunities than many people, but theres nothing about me that breaks out of the ordinary mould.
Your looks do, Meg said.
Mrs Murry laughed. You just havent had enough basis for comparison, Meg. Im very ordinary, really.
Calvin OKeefe, coming in then, said, Ha ha.
Charles all settled? Mrs Murry asked.
Yes.
What did you read to him?
Genesis. His choice. By the way, what kind of an experiment were you working on this afternoon, Mrs Murry?
Oh, something my husband and I were cooking up together. I dont want to be too far behind him when he gets back.
Mother, Meg pursued. Charles says Im not one thing or the other, nor flesh nor fowl nor good red herring.
Oh, for heavens sake, Calvin said, youre Meg, arent you? Come on and lets go for a walk.
But Meg was still not satisfied. And what do you make of Calvin? she demanded of her mother.
Mrs Murry laughed. I dont want to make anything of Calvin. I like him very much, and Im delighted hes found his way here.