The Eternal Struggle in the Hearts of Scientists

"Ah, little lad, you're starin' at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of Right Hand--Left Hand -- the story of science and entertainment?"

The man raised his left hand.

"'E-M-C-2!'...It was with this Left Hand that old Brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low."

The man raised his right hand.

"'C-A-T-S.' You see these fingers, dear hearts? These fingers has veins that run straight to the soul of man. The Right Hand, friends! The hand of entertainment!

"Now watch and I'll show you the story of life.

"These fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warrin' and a-tuggin,' one ag'in the other. Now, watch 'em. Ol' Brother Left Hand. Left Hand, he's a-fightin.' And it looks like CATS is a goner.

"But wait a minute, wait a minute! Hot dog! CATS is a winnin'? Yes, siree. It's CATS that won, and ol' Left Hand Science is down for the count!"

The grizzled old tour guide was explaining to the tour group why it is that we here at SFAQT Laboratories have custom-made gloves with the word "CATS" across the knuckles of the right hand and "EMC2."

It all started one evening, in the Lab's luxurious Screening Room, as we studied the unforgettable Neo-Expressionistic film noir masterpiece, "The Night of the Hunter."

Viktor became transfixed by the scene in which the villain, masterfully portrayed with chilling evil by Robert Mitchum, tells the tale of "Right hand, Left hand." Mitchum had the word "Love" tattooed across the knuckles of his right hand, "Hate" across the knuckles of the left. The villain's hands wrestled with each other as he told the tale of the constant fight between love and hate.

"What a brilliant metaphor for mankind's eternal struggle..." remarked Viktor.

"Eureka!," he added loudly, unaware that he was still in the middle of the previous sentence. "What words would you want tattooed on your knuckles? Words that would explain the duality inherent to technology? Words that describe the very essence of the raging war that exists in the hearts of scientists? You all have twenty-four hours to make a decision."

This impromptu homework assignment was met with shrugs. When one works for SFAQT Laboratories, requests like these are common.

The next evening in the Break Room the staff shuffled in with hands stuffed deep in the pockets of their lab coats, a gesture less indicative of street hooliganesque sloth than a preventative measure to keep others from peeking at their hands.

"Dr. Phil, show us your interpretation of the question at hand," Viktor said, giggling at his flaccid pun.

Dr. Phil, the Lab's Medical Doctor and a respected artist, had written the words "Body" and "Soul:"

"You see, in the heart of doctors, we are constantly battling the forces in the body that go awry. I wrote 'Body' because I treat a patient's physical body. But to do that, day after day, patient after patient, I have to keep my soul nourished by making art out of bones, albeit, I hasten to assure you, not the bones of my patients. Hence the other word, 'Soul.' So, in the end, these two words represent my struggle to find the motivation to heal people, and find the time to heal myself by making spiritual sculptures."

"Bellanger K. Shahhat, Esquire, show us your hands," Viktor said, intrigued and enthused by the direction in which the results of the experiment were heading.

Mr. Shahhat, the master of wood-working, had written the words, "Wood" and "Épée:"

"As you know, my professional expertise lies in studying the science of wood, while my recreational passion is fencing with an épée. As such, I am torn between researching the properties of moisture in wood or poking my team-mates with an épée."

The Whistler, resident botany expert and holistic landscaper said, "My words are H2O! and BEER. There can be no life without water and no fun without beer."

Viktor smiled and stroked his goatee.

"Well, it seems the time has come for me to reveal my words. They are "EMC2" and "CATS." The first word because it is the most significant and elegant scientific formula ever postulated, and the second word because I struggle with staying focused on science. Sometimes, I just want to look at funny photos of cats. Another indicator of the struggle between the serious and sublime, work and play, body and soul."

"It seems we all struggle with the same thing, even though we are in vastly different fields. How fascinating," remarked Bellanger Shahhat, Esq.

"Einida, what's on your knuckles?," asked Dr. Phil.

Written across my hands were also the words, "Cats" and "E=mc2." I smiled and said, "I suppose this means that cats and relativity are the victors in this little experiment. Shall a put in an order for some custom-made gloves with our new motto, Viktor?"