I knew it was probably the only copy in town.
After a moment of hesitation, I asked, “Hey,
could I borrow that when you’re done?”
I braced myself for rejection. Most guys were
hostile now that I wasn’t pretty, like my
appearance was some kind of personal offense. But this guy just smiled, revealing a cute set of canines. “It’s actually for my dad. He’s the head of the math department at UCLA.” “You’re
from Southwood High? You like math?”
I nodded.
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Give me your
number. I’ll let you know when he’s finished.”
I scribbled my name and number on a sticky
note.
He grinned. “So, you’ll be here all night?”
I pointed to my spot by the shelves, where my
copy of Set Theory and the Continuum
Hypothesis lay open, and nodded again. He
picked up my notebook, flipped through it, and
his jaw dropped. “Whoa… are you… are you
working on Szemerédi’s theorem? That’s what
my dad’s PhD students are researching! He
said his biggest wish is to see it proven before
he dies! No one’s been able to crack it since
the ‘70s! My dad’s been working on it for
almost thirty years, and he’s barely made a
<
dent. Are you… seriously a high school student?
You’re a legend!”
I blushed. After years of being treated like an
idiot, this was a new and strangely satisfying experience. Before I could respond, he snapped my notebook shut and started dragging me
towards the exit.
“Hey! Where are we going?” I pulled my hand
free.
He looked at me with utter reverence. “I have to
take you to meet my dad! If he finds out I met
the future of American mathematics and didn’t
introduce you, he’ll disown me! No, worse, he’ll
deport me! I’ll never taste another burger
again!” He shuddered dramatically.
Then, as if remembering something important,
he stuck out his hand. “Oh, right. I’m Alex. Alex
Chen. Nice to meet you… future Fields Medal
winner.”
<
84)
I laughed. I could definitely use a mentor. I let him lead me out. At Alex’s house, his dad and I hit it off immediately. After a long discussion, Professor Chen realized I was just one step away from proving the theorem. But neither of us could figure out that one crucial step. Hours flew by. Alex brought us bowls of tomato and egg noodles, and I realized how hungry I was.
Mid–slurp, Professor Chen had an epiphany. He was transferring Alex to Southwood.
“Sacrificing one measly son to protect a rising star of mathematics? Totally worth it.” I later found out Alex had already won a national
physics competition and gotten early
acceptance to Harvard.
On the bike ride home, Alex grinned. “So, I’m
really gonna be your classmate? Can I be in the
acknowledgements when you win the Fields
Medal? My dad refuses to put me in his
because I chose physics over math.”
LAI
84
Who knew a hotshot physics prodigy could be such a dork?
I laughed. “Absolutely. Anyone who tries to stop me will face my wrath.”
