Robert Took His Time
This is a stitch of “The Tests,” an unbound story. Write the story with us.
Robert took his time walking back to the lab. As he walked in the lab, the senior scientists were waiting for his arrival, and from his body language immediately knew their answer. “Okay, once again, let’s test the strands,” the head researcher instructed everyone. “I know what you’re thinking, but test the strand and keep an open mind.”
Robert could feel the tension in the lab. Dr. Westfale’s presence penetrated the lab of scientists and researchers even when he was absent. Dr. Westfale’s brilliance intimidated men with similar academic résumés. It is why they sent his son to ask him to consider an alternative to testing the strand. While Dr. Westfale felt this act of sending his son as condescending and the scientists felt fear, Robert just felt used.
Robert was as brilliant as his father, but never as confident or as adventurous in his study of science. Robert knew only Dr. Westfale and little of his father, even less of his grandparents. It was one of the rare times his father would display a picture of his parents. His mother knew little of them, one of the rare things he held back from her. When he lost his mother he lost what little connection to his father he had.
“How is the testing going?” Dr. Westfale walked in the lab. Everyone stood at near attention, except for Robert.
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