Richard sat honestly, fixated on the newspaper before him. Within him, there existed a candle of innocence, anticipating to be ignited. The terribly tangible stories were fed into his brain brilliantly, as a match was readily lit. Finally, with all passion prepared to burst, Doctor Maximillian entered the room.

            “Richard, my son.” Richard immediately submitted all attention to his father. Upon glancing at his son, Doctor Maximillian recognized sheer honesty. For the Doctor, Richard was the light that banished him from slipping into the dark. The Doctor’s hope for humanity relied solely on the shoulders of his son. It was as if Richard’s very existence resembled a rock, frantically begging for a church to be built upon him.

            “Yes father?”

            “I have officially solved the algorithm.” Doctor Maximillian breathed a heavy fire into Richard’s body. The Great Flood itself could not compare with the awe that Richard possessed.

            “What an impressive feat! Father you are one of the greats. Is that Einstein standing before me? I did not realize that Isaac Newton was my father!” Doctor Maximillian’s cheeks reddened as his son’s compliment touched his heart. He shrugged his emotions aside with the release of several chuckles.

            “Father, can you apply it?”

            “Apply it?”

            “Yes! Put the equation to good use.”

            “Oh! I beg your pardon. I am yet in such fascination of my grandest accomplishment.”

            “I forgive you father, please continue!”

            “The algorithm’s application is in the works. Give me a few days, and the experiment will finally commence!” Richard watched while sweat dripped down his father’s brow. The puny drop of perspiration raced to the floor like a Roman chariot. His father advanced to his laboratory, prepared to undertake mankind’s utmost achievement. Richard stood in reverence for his father, while he honored his diligence.

            The next morning, young Richard sat in the kitchen avidly concerned with the daily newspaper. This morning’s headline read: Doctor Maximillian Godfrey Tackles Important Scientific Feat. A shockwave of delight ran down Richard’s spine. Words could not describe the gratification that he held toward his father.

With the click of his finger, he permitted the television to come alive. He flipped through the news channels, and found his father to be the subject of discussion. Richard studied as the news commentator questioned a scientific expert on the issue.

            “Doctor Godfrey published his article online today explaining the algorithm. It is unmistakably brilliant and remarkable by all means, but how is the equation applicable? Is there some sort of magical world where the Doctor can play out these lofty scenarios?” Following his question, the news commentator released several sarcastic snickers.

            The scientific expert hesitated curiously. He gathered himself, then responded, “Well I think you are right. Doctor Godfrey surely developed a wonderful algorithm, but it cannot be applied. I think that his algorithm will stand as a respectable opinion about human nature. Until an experiment is published, the Doctor hasn’t proven anything about mankind.” 

            Richard glared at the television confusedly. He was under the impression that his father had released an explanation of the algorithm’s application. His father was amidst developing an experiment at that very moment! Why did he not mention the experiment in his article? Caught in a daze of misunderstanding, Richard approached his father.

            “Father?”

            “Richard, my boy!”

            “Father, why haven’t the news programs mentioned your experiment? Why haven’t you announced it?” Doctor Maximillian sighed, as if having full knowledge that his son would ask this very question. The doctor had dreaded it, for he knew the response would not satisfy his son’s demands.

            “Richard, sit beside me.” Richard did exactly as his father had commanded. Obedience was a virtue that Richard held close to himself. His father continued, “Richard, humanity operates strangely. The world cannot be given a gift, unless she has earned it.”

            “Father, I don’t understand.”

            “Richard, I don’t want to release the workings of my experiment with the unknowns still in their place.”

            “Unknowns?”

            “Yes, the unknowns. You see, my dear son, this experiment could quite possibly prove a very ghastly theory.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “If man’s governments do not play out appropriately, that means that man is predestined to fail. Knowing this fact will draw the world in a frenzy. I am afraid it could, quite possibly, result in mankind’s demise.”

            “But father, the world needs to know about your findings! If it doesn’t, you won’t be recognized as the brilliant man you are!”

            Chuckling, Doctor Maximillian gave a reply, “son this experiment is not about recognition toward me. It is much greater than that. This experiment is about discovering mankind’s true state in the world. It boils down to one question: do man’s vices prevail, or do his virtues?” Richard, processing this information, presented a grave look upon his face.

            “Your experiment would give an answer to the battle between good and evil, wouldn’t it?”

            “That is correct, my son.” Richard gave no reply, for he knew what that meant. His father was right. If evil reigns victorious over virtue, the world wouldn’t be able to stomach it. This experiment needed to remain confidential, and Richard understood it fully.

            “Son.”

            “Yes, father.”

            “After I learn the results of the experiment, I trust that you will make the proper decision for the future of my study. After my findings, if you feel that it is necessary to expose this information, I give you full authority to do so. If you feel the world is not prepared to learn of the results, permission is granted for you to dispose of the results entirely. Do you understand, Richard?”

            “Yes, I understand, father.” Richard felt empowered. He imagined that he was King Arthur once Merlin provided him with the mighty sword, Excalibur. He watched as his father descended into his laboratory.

            “Goodbye son, I’m off to change the world!” 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Doctor Maximillian hummed to himself while he demonstrated scientific finesse. His laboratory was a bubbling circus of exploration. During his hours accomplishing the unprecedented feat, his white hair seemed to grow whiter and his wrinkled skin began to crumple.
        Dissatisfied with the prolonged process of developing the experiment, Doctor Maximilian threw himself to the floor. On all fours, he paced like a pendulum and belched heavy screams accordingly. He shook with rage, as if he were Jack the Ripper. Realizing the horror of his demeanor, he attempted to capture his frustration by retreating his backside to the floor. He crossed his legs Indian style, taking methodical breaths. His frantic song leisurely soothed, and the romantic humming once more commenced.
The experiment was rather simple beneath its entirely complex underpinning. It would use Doctor Maximillian’s algorithm as its foundation. The Doctor’s algorithm took into account man’s civilized behavior, as well as his primitive tendencies. It combined man’s most worthy accomplishments and most excruciating shortcomings. Then, it would let these variables shake violently in a blender. Like a judge, the algorithm would provide a winner between man’s clashing variables. The experiment was designed to give this algorithm life. Doctor Maximilian resembled Prometheus as he presented his algorithm with sparks of fire.
          Doctor Maximillian was developing a device that projected a virtual reality. The virtual world of Doctor Maximillian… (something colorful but relevant) .
          Essentially, Doctor Maximillian had devised to test human behavior under man’s lofty governments that never had their chance to blossom. This experiment would be idealism’s grandest gift. It would provide solutions for perfect-world inquiries. From the utopic ideals of communism and the laissez-faire principles of libertarianism, Doctor Maximillian wished to test everything under the sun.  He aimed to discover humanity’s natural state in the world.
           Footsteps rung out from the staircase that led into the laboratory. Suddenly, Richard appeared from the shadows of the hallway. Without saying a word, Richard approached his father. He did not want to disrupt the scientist, so he simply stayed quiet and watched. Immediately, the Doctor’s temperament shifted from staunch irritation to a natural comfort.
           The Doctor nodded to young Richard as an informal salutation. The perfect relationship among father and son left no room for awkward greetings. Familiarity reigned tellingly apparent in the intimate relationship, while formality proved foreign and distant.
         Richard sat observingly, fixated on his father’s experiment. A sense of wonder overtook him as he skimmed up and down the device. An intriguing colorful pattern sprung from the virtual manipulation of reality. Richard then shifted his attention toward the computer screen by which Doctor Maximillian conducted his calculations and tested additional applications.
The Doctor clicked and clicked on the computer mouse. He hovered his fingers attentively over the keyboard, while a lively pattern of computer coding appeared on the screen. To and fro in repetitive fashion, Doctor Maximillian drifted his attention from the virtual device and the computer screen.
Richard watched as Doctor Maximillian repeated the same monotonous steps over and over again without showing any signs of tedium.
        “Father, your work can be sort of mundane sometimes, can’t it?”
“Hmm. Mundane, why, perhaps it can be. Science can surely be a game of trial and error, but the tests are without question, indispensable.”
“Indispensable?”
“Indeed.”
“How so?”
“Well Richard, without the tests there can be no discovery. In other words, you never know something fully until you test it! Testing is imperative in our quest for real truths.”
“But do you need to conduct the same tests over and over again in order to make discoveries? It just seems so unexciting to follow those same procedures in consecutive order time and time again. Is that the makeup of science?”
“I suppose so, young Richard. I suppose so.” The Doctor continued to work on the experiment, remaining unaware of his son’s unfulfilled demands. Richard faced his father, prepared to engage in further dialogue. 
Somewhat puzzled, Richard politely interrogated his father, “What do you mean by real truths?”
“Real truths? I beg your pardon.”
Embarrassed by the lack of a preface to his sporadic question, Richard explained, “Yes, real truths. You mentioned the quest for real truths. What exactly do you mean by that?”
The Doctor’s cheeks fitted into a wholesome grin and his face resembled an ill-suited tomato, as pride befell him. He was acquiescently proud of how insightful his son had become.
“What do you think I mean by real truths, Richard?”
“Well, I’m guessing that you are referring to truths grounded in reality. You know, truths about material things that exist in the real world. The grass is green. The sky is blue. Those types of truths?”
“I cannot argue with your reasoning, it certainly is valid.”
“Father, it is indeed valid, but is my reasoning sound?” Richard scrupulously wondered if he had appropriately conveyed his father’s meaning of real truths.
“I’m not so sure that soundness applies to truth at all my son, but that is another conversation for a different day. At any rate, that is not, in fact, what I meant by real truths. Nonetheless, your reasoning remains binding!”
“Then, what do you mean?”
“I was referring to substantial truths. Truths of deeper meaning and contemplation. Truths that really matter.”
“Truths like the battle between good and evil?”
“Precisely, my son. Precisely.”