Chapter 71: Drone Patents
"Both ways..." Ron was stunned, once again realizing just how messed up the American entertainment industry really was.
It was the weekend, and after an intense night with Megan upstairs in the hotel, Ron had fallen into a deep sleep. When he woke up, Megan had already left with the crew to film Transformers 2.
When Ron finally remembered the two scientist buddies he'd brought along, he called Howard, but no one answered! Ron clearly remembered seeing Howard and Raj enter the elevator with some unknown actress!
Who knew what methods they'd used? Could it be some special formula the scientists had cooked up? The more Ron thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
No way. Please tell me two scientists didn't get arrested on their first night out for drugging a female celebrity?
Ron panicked and quickly called Raj. This time, the call finally went through.
"Ron?" Raj's voice sounded drowsy, like he'd just woken up.
"Raj, where are you two?!" Ron's voice was unusually stern, filled with worry.
Raj rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked around. "We're still in the hotel. You have no idea—that girl last night was absolutely incredible. Howard and I are both completely wiped out..."
Hearing Raj's excited description, Ron finally relaxed some of his concerns. It didn't sound like they'd used force? That was good, but another question arose in Ron's mind: how did they pull it off?
After all, in Hollywood—the world of fame and fortune—women had incredibly high standards, each one looking out for their own interests. How could they possibly be attracted to a pair of clueless nerds who seemingly had nothing to offer?
Of course, it would be different if Raj revealed his true identity, but he seemed to have no such intentions. Even Howard, his closest friend, only thought of him as some scientist from a developing country.
"Are you guys finished over there? Why didn't Howard answer his phone earlier? Is he still busy?"
"No, no, no, that girl just left. Howard's talking to Leonard on the phone."
"Okay, then can you come to my room after he finishes the call? I'm in 5014."
"No problem, he's done with the call. We'll head over now."
Ron looked down and saw he was still in his pajamas. He didn't bother changing and went to the bathroom to freshen up quickly before the two arrived. As soon as Ron opened the door, he was nearly tackled by two ecstatic guys.
"Thank you so much, Ron. Last night was the best night of my life!"
"Better than that time with Penny and that girl from Nebraska?"
"Of course!" Howard nodded enthusiastically. "There's no comparison. Actresses are truly something else!"
Although Ron couldn't understand what the acting profession had to do with it, that wasn't what he wanted to ask most right now. "Can I know how you guys landed that girl?"
Ron remembered that actress seemed to be from the Transformers crew—a minor supporting role with barely any screen time. Even so, it wasn't a role that nobodies could easily approach.
The two geeks, asked about their moment of pride, immediately perked up and started talking over each other. Finally, Howard spoke up: "You know I'm Jewish, right?"
"So?"
"So I told her I was a producer at Warner Bros., and it just so happens I actually have an uncle who works for Warner Bros. He's a lawyer."
Having a lawyer uncle in a Jewish family was perfectly normal.
"And then?"
"Then I told her I had a movie in development. The cast and script weren't finalized yet, but there was an Indian investor who was very interested."
Ron frowned, looking at the smug Raj. "So I'm guessing that Indian investor would be you, right?"
Raj nodded proudly.
While Howard was in the bathroom, Ron whispered, "You're not actually going to invest in a movie starring some no-name actress, are you? I know you could afford it."
Raj was initially surprised, but then, considering Ron's profession, it made sense. Little did he know Ron hadn't researched him at all—it was all thanks to knowing the plot.
Raj shook his head. He wasn't that foolish. Ron finally breathed a sigh of relief. If Raj's wealth were exposed, who knows how much trouble it would cause, and Ron would definitely get dragged into it.
Howard returned. "Ron, you won't believe this—I had a burst of inspiration last night while we were... anyway, I designed that remote-controlled aircraft you requested. Want to see if you have any additions?"
Howard opened his laptop and handed it to Ron. "Does that kind of activity really spark inspiration?" Then why, after all my experiences, do I still only know how to fight? Ron was baffled.
This was probably the difference between scientists and regular people. Howard, despite only having a master's degree, was truly exceptional. His designs were already remarkably similar to the drones Ron would see in the future, even down to the operating specifications. He was worthy of being the guy who could design space toilets for astronauts.
The only question was: "How much would one of these cost to build?"
"Materials would probably run about $600. Of course, if you're planning mass production, I could design an assembly line to bring costs way down," Howard said with such confidence that he didn't seem to think his new toy was particularly impressive. Ron couldn't help but give him a heads-up.
"Howard, have you considered that this thing might be hugely profitable in the future?"
"Profitable? How? I can't even imagine what it would be used for." Howard was purely a technical genius, only capable of solving technical problems. He didn't grasp practical applications and had no idea how popular these things would become.
"Just in military applications alone, I can think of tons of uses—reconnaissance, precision strikes, search and rescue, surveillance. Trust me, you need to get a patent for this thing. Believe me, you'll thank yourself for this decision someday."
"Alright, we'll do as you suggest," Howard said casually.
"Of course, don't forget my contribution. I was the one who came up with the original concept," Ron shamelessly claimed partial credit for the invention. "By the way, what did Leonard call about earlier?"
"He said he's giving a presentation in the Rose Ballroom at the Marriott at 10 AM and asked if we wanted to attend. You should have gotten the text."
Ron checked his phone. Sure enough, there it was.
Raj looked at Ron. "Wait, aren't we at the Marriott he mentioned? Should we go?"
"Of course, why not?" Ron remembered Leonard and Sheldon's drama, and a smile crossed his face. "I should definitely support my good friend's presentation."
(End of chapter)
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