Chapter 303: Sheldon's Exclusion
"I told you, Ron, this kind of algorithm is definitely not something one or two programmers can handle. It requires exceptionally talented developers to create a system that can monitor everyone to predict crime. It's definitely not something you or your big, muscle-bound friend can handle."
Two weeks had passed since the Toretto family BBQ, and Ron had been thinking about the crime prediction system Hobbs had proposed. Finally, he couldn't help but call Peggy for advice.
"Of course I know it's difficult. Don't discount my Harvard degree—at least I know a little bit about programming," Ron retorted, annoyed. "Besides, it's just that big guy's idea, not mine."
"However, I've heard that someone is already doing research in this area, but this kind of algorithm must be built on a national-level information infrastructure, so it's fraught with difficulties. If you need it, I can give you that person's contact information."
"What would I do with them?" Ron smiled. "These are just Hobbs's ideas—what do they have to do with me? On the contrary, if one day his machine starts monitoring me, I'll find a way to take it down."
"That's right, the concept of this machine was problematic from the beginning. Everyone has a dark side. No one wants to live under constant surveillance, even if they never intend to do anything wrong, et cetera..."
Peggy heard jarring static on Ron's phone. "What's that awful sound on your end?"
"It's Sheldon," Ron apologized into the phone, then turned and yelled at Sheldon with a sigh. "Sheldon, if you don't stop, I'm going to throw you and your weird instrument off the roof!"
"Hey! It's not some weird instrument, it's a theremin, the world's first electronic instrument. Fun fact: the theremin was invented in 1920 by Russian physicist Leon Theremin, and it's been used in everything from classical music to sci-fi movie soundtracks like 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.'"
Ron could only cover the receiver with his hand. "Dear Sheldon, trust me, nobody but you finds this interesting."
"How can you say that? Amy found it fascinating when I told her about it."
"Sorry, Peggy, looks like I have to deal with my annoying brother first. I'll call you back tomorrow. Bye." Ron hung up the phone, turned to Sheldon, and his intense stare startled him.
"Ron, Mom said you're not allowed to hit me! Besides, what I said is true. Amy really does find it fascinating—you can ask her if you don't believe me."
Ron took several deep breaths, recalling his gentle and kind mother and his witty and lovely Meemaw, before finally abandoning the thought of strangling Sheldon. "Okay, I was wrong. Let me rephrase: no one in this world except you and Amy, those two weirdos, would find this interesting.
Sheldon, it's Friday. Why aren't you hanging out with your friends? What are you doing here?"
"It all started at lunch today," Sheldon said, immediately dropping his strange instrument and sitting down next to Ron when asked, making Ron wonder if he'd just made a mistake.
The noise of the weird instrument was gone, but talkative Sheldon was now online, leaving Ron unsure whether to be relieved or concerned.
"At lunch today, Leonard came up with a brilliant idea to make money. He suggested we collaborate on creating an app that can automatically recognize handwritten equations and quickly solve them. That way, all you have to do is take a picture of the equation with your smartphone, and all the problems are solved."
"It sounds like a pretty smart idea, but are you sure this thing can make money? How many people would actually use it?" Ron was skeptical.
"We have about thirty professors at Caltech who could actually use this, but that's not important. What's important is that they all collectively nominated Leonard to be the project leader. Can you understand that, Ron? Leonard?!"
Sheldon exclaimed in disbelief. "Leonard! A mediocre person with absolutely no leadership skills!"
"To be honest, even though you don't want to hear it, I can understand their choice," Ron said with sympathy, but his answer earned him a glare from Sheldon.
"You got mad at them over this?"
"Of course not—how could I be that petty!" Sheldon protested. "I even tried to lead them, to guide them on the right track. I built all the interfaces and algorithms, and guess what?"
"They kicked you off the project."
"That's right," Sheldon said indignantly. "Can you imagine? They kicked off the person who contributed the most to this project so far! In any real company, someone like that would have their name engraved on a plaque and displayed in the most prominent place in the office!"
"Maybe, but Sheldon, this is just a self-organized hobby group, not some Fortune 500 company. Your approach makes others feel uninvolved, and you should never put yourself above others, acting like you're the only one who matters. Collective strength is the greatest strength.
Just like in your physics bowl competition last time—you assembled a team with the janitor, and they got crushed by Leonard's team. Didn't you ever think about why?"
"But I remember you were like that in the military too. Forrest said you always had them hunker down in cover, then you'd charge in and take out a squad or several squads of hostiles, then bring everyone back safely,"
Sheldon said, puzzled. Ron, caught off guard, was momentarily speechless. "It's not the same. Can a soldier's situation be the same as a physicist's? I did that because I could handle those terrorists who only knew how to spray and pray without hitting anything. This... anyway, it's not the same,"
Ron tried to argue. Thinking about it carefully, what Sheldon said did make some sense. It seemed to be a common trait in the Cooper family. From George Sr. to George Jr., to Ron, and then to Sheldon, the men of the Cooper family never seemed to take advice well.
In this respect, George Sr. might be slightly better, but that was only because Mary had enough force of personality. On the football field, George Sr. was a notorious hard-ass.
His assistant coach could only offer suggestions, but whether those suggestions were adopted was entirely up to Coach Cooper.
I get it now. My stubbornness wasn't my fault—it was all due to old George's genes.
Yeah, that's it!
(End of Chapter)