The Writer XX

He looks exactly like his pictures and maybe it's my own fault for thinking he would be taller than he actually was.  We ordered drinks and dinner and I settled in to learn all about this small town boy who grew up to become a biophysicist with two Phd's; sweet jesus I barely got through my undergrad.  Clearly he's intelligent and if it's not obvious he will let you know and the more he talks the more he reveals and his arrogance has no filter.  We talked about his work and research and it's quite interesting but also sounds brutally monotonous.  His weakness is his intelligence, he protects it and flaunts it all at the same time...I'm going to have fun.  When I asked about his research team he did his best not to stand on the chair and yell to the world that he was the smartest one on the team other than the lead scientist.  I wondered what type of women he dated, so I asked.  The only real information I received was that he prefers to not date woman who are smarter than he is, in fact he outright states that he won't even be friends with someone he believed may be more intelligent than him.  I was picking through my salad while he was verbally blowing himself when I looked up and asked, "do you think you're the smartest person on this date?"  I mean I know in terms of academics we are not even close to being in the same boat but I'm going to make him say it right to my face.  He put his head down and I watched him closely because either he has to become humble fast or he has to tell me that the main reason we are having dinner is because I am not his intellectual equal...and I'm all ears waiting for him to decide the path he's about to take.  He looks at me and smiles and I throw back my best smart ass smile with a raised eyebrow, he pleads the fifth and I let him off the hook for now.  I moved on and asked about his ink since it appears to have a religious theme which seems odd since I think science and religion don't go hand in hand, but I could be wrong.  Turns out he is a catholic scientist and I may not be the smartest person at the table but he must realize how much those two words do not belong together in the same sentence.  He explains that he is smart enough to know that we know very little about our universe and that the possibility of a 'God' exists so he is 'playing the numbers' so that if there is a heaven he will get in.  My fork bounced off of my plate and onto the floor which is exactly where my jaw ended up.  I attempted to discuss how being kind to others should be an end in itself and not a means to an end but he was having none of it, all of his actions are based on the afterlife and it is the only reason he does good deeds.  He pulled out his wallet and took out two small pictures of children that he sponsors from Central America; I can only assume he keeps them close to him incase someone questions his so called 'good deeds'.  

We paid the bill and walked out into the streets that were filled with people and music, I love this city.  We walked over to Central Park and chatted for a bit.  It was late by the time he walked me back to my hotel and it was time to end this before I pushed him into oncoming traffic.