My Son, the Physicist

David always felt a little stifled when he came home for the holidays. Coming back to the farm from the rarified atmosphere of the University’s physics department was always a challenge. And besides, he didn’t have much time to spare in the midst of his work. But his mother Edith always made a fuss if he didn’t come home for Christmas, and since they had paid for his education, David kept his parents happy with this annual trip. But after the festivities were over, and the food was eaten and the cousins had left, the itch began. The fortnight began to weigh upon him, but his parents were oblivious. They looked upon their only son’s arcane studies with a curious detachment, and David was willing to forgive them their pastoral ignorance.

The best David could do was to sit out on the porch, survey the many acres of abundant farmland, and reminisce about his childhood spent waking at 4am to feed the animals. He didn’t regret leaving at all. He could see Farmer Neal’s homestead in the distance, their only neighbour for miles around. There was an odd peace here, and soon David settled down with his text to catch up on the work he had missed.

As the morning passed, the sun rose higher and smells of lunch weaved their way from the kitchen to David’ s yen. He heard his father’s steady tread behind him, " Son, it’s time for lunch.”

“I’ll be right there Dad.”

“So how’s the studying coming along?”

“Oh it’s ok, going slowly”, David said as he closed the book over his pencil, marking where he had left off.

“What exactly are you studying this semester?”, asked David’s father.

“Well, erm…it’s rather complicated…it’s got to do with..”, David trailed off, surprised at his father’s sudden interest.

His father looked at him earnestly and asked, “Are you studying the angular momentum and energy of electrons in the helium atom, by any chance?”

David almost fell over, “Where did you learn about the energy of electrons?!!!”

“Well, I’ve been talking to Neal’s boar a lot lately.”