When Harrison went back out to the yard, he found all of the students in total silence as they watched the dogs. They were so entranced by what the dogs were doing that none of them noticed he had returned. Harrison was happy to join them in silence as watching the dogs was part science and part pleasure. He saw quickly what was intriguing the students as the dogs had divided into two packs but it wasn't to fight with each other. It looked like they were playing some kind of soccer. As he watched he saw there were no particular rules but there were definitely two teams playing.
Finally Harrison said, "I don't believe it."
Gill turned around and said, "Incredible, isn't it. I don't think any of us has said anything for the entire time you were inside."
"I hate to break for business but we need it. Ford accepted the extension for a month. He wasn't pleased but he really doesn't have a choice without a confrontation that no-one wants."
"OK then," said Goldberg. "We're now the Gang of Seven, the Dastardly Dognapping Desperadoes."
"Indeed," said Harrison, a bit grimly. For all his life he had been a scientist in whom the police had no interest beyond a speeding ticket once in a while. Stealing the dogs hardly made him a career criminal but he had never imagined he would be a criminal at all.
After another period of silence, Harrison said, to no-one in particular, "Do you know they watch television?"
Margolis swung around and said, "Really?"
"Oh yes. All four of them were sitting in front of the television watching The Big Bang Theory."
"No! Our beloved dogs will learn to be physicists and start telling jokes no-one understands!" Margolis would not accept the idea of the dogs becoming physics geeks but the idea still amused her.
"It could be Star Trek," said Sweeney, also amused.
Gill said, "Maybe we ought to start thinking about how we're going to pull off the Great Escape. Teaching the dogs quantum physics will have to wait for a bit."
Margolis was still laughing but said, "You're right. I think all of us have been pretty anti-social except for the department so we won't be seriously missed but I do think it would be a good idea to contact our parents to let them know. I know mine would notice my absence quickly and they would soon after be ringing telephones to find out what had happened. So long as we do it with letters, it wouldn't violate our rule of no electronics."
Gill continued the thought and said, "My preference is to roll out as soon as possible. The sooner we get settled again, the sooner we can get back to some science."
"Now who sounds like a physicist," asked Margolis, giggling all over again.
Gill was a little bit annoyed as he really didn't like being pulled away from the project but he knew there was no point in resisting. Harrison thought this would be a good time to step into it.
"How about we allocate two days to packing. There's no need to bring televisions, stereos, or the like as my parents have really got this place well-outfitted. They have been long-time investors in the stock market and wound up with more money than the Pentagon. The cave started out as a nuclear bomb shelter in the sixties and they have been adding to it ever since."
"More money than the Pentagon? They got their money from China too?" Margolis was really determined to get a laugh out of Gill.
"Nope, they bought Apple stock when it was at fifteen bucks and that's just one example." Harrison smiled as he said it. He didn't think much of playing with the stock market but his parents had been really good at it and had done very well. They had also said to invest wisely and keep it. This is the best way to ensure you don't end up living on macaroni and cheese when you get old.
Gill said emphatically, "Could we please keep this on focus."
"We need to work out who will be carrying the dogs inside the cars and who will need them caged. I do believe the dogs will be safer if they're caged when we have more than a few in one vehicle." Goldberg saw it wouldn't be at all good to keep teasing Gill.
The discussion got down to the mechanics of how to split up transporting the dogs, how they would manage stopping to walk them and feed them, and all the details of how they would handle their Great Escape. After talking for another hour, everyone was satisfied they were ready and would meet again on the morning, two days hence, to get started.
Finally Harrison said, "I don't believe it."
Gill turned around and said, "Incredible, isn't it. I don't think any of us has said anything for the entire time you were inside."
"I hate to break for business but we need it. Ford accepted the extension for a month. He wasn't pleased but he really doesn't have a choice without a confrontation that no-one wants."
"OK then," said Goldberg. "We're now the Gang of Seven, the Dastardly Dognapping Desperadoes."
"Indeed," said Harrison, a bit grimly. For all his life he had been a scientist in whom the police had no interest beyond a speeding ticket once in a while. Stealing the dogs hardly made him a career criminal but he had never imagined he would be a criminal at all.
After another period of silence, Harrison said, to no-one in particular, "Do you know they watch television?"
Margolis swung around and said, "Really?"
"Oh yes. All four of them were sitting in front of the television watching The Big Bang Theory."
"No! Our beloved dogs will learn to be physicists and start telling jokes no-one understands!" Margolis would not accept the idea of the dogs becoming physics geeks but the idea still amused her.
"It could be Star Trek," said Sweeney, also amused.
Gill said, "Maybe we ought to start thinking about how we're going to pull off the Great Escape. Teaching the dogs quantum physics will have to wait for a bit."
Margolis was still laughing but said, "You're right. I think all of us have been pretty anti-social except for the department so we won't be seriously missed but I do think it would be a good idea to contact our parents to let them know. I know mine would notice my absence quickly and they would soon after be ringing telephones to find out what had happened. So long as we do it with letters, it wouldn't violate our rule of no electronics."
Gill continued the thought and said, "My preference is to roll out as soon as possible. The sooner we get settled again, the sooner we can get back to some science."
"Now who sounds like a physicist," asked Margolis, giggling all over again.
Gill was a little bit annoyed as he really didn't like being pulled away from the project but he knew there was no point in resisting. Harrison thought this would be a good time to step into it.
"How about we allocate two days to packing. There's no need to bring televisions, stereos, or the like as my parents have really got this place well-outfitted. They have been long-time investors in the stock market and wound up with more money than the Pentagon. The cave started out as a nuclear bomb shelter in the sixties and they have been adding to it ever since."
"More money than the Pentagon? They got their money from China too?" Margolis was really determined to get a laugh out of Gill.
"Nope, they bought Apple stock when it was at fifteen bucks and that's just one example." Harrison smiled as he said it. He didn't think much of playing with the stock market but his parents had been really good at it and had done very well. They had also said to invest wisely and keep it. This is the best way to ensure you don't end up living on macaroni and cheese when you get old.
Gill said emphatically, "Could we please keep this on focus."
"We need to work out who will be carrying the dogs inside the cars and who will need them caged. I do believe the dogs will be safer if they're caged when we have more than a few in one vehicle." Goldberg saw it wouldn't be at all good to keep teasing Gill.
The discussion got down to the mechanics of how to split up transporting the dogs, how they would manage stopping to walk them and feed them, and all the details of how they would handle their Great Escape. After talking for another hour, everyone was satisfied they were ready and would meet again on the morning, two days hence, to get started.
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