“Some notes,” he said unfolding a scrap of paper, “on the neuroscience of free will.”
He unfolded another, dropping more. “Hypothetical explanations for the Fermi paradox.”
He continued, “Moser’s worm, the moving sofa, Hilbert’s ninth, Molyneux…” He frowned. “No. I think we’ve answered that one.”
She squinted. He noticed.
“It’s going to happen – the spontaneous temporary savant event,” he said.
“Like… an epiphany.”
He snorted. “No. An epiphany is just your consciousness catching up. Drink some coffee. No an STSE is different. You get one in your lifetime. You’re sleeping. You’re playing Sudoku.” He flourished the scraps. “I’ll be ready.”
“I see,” she said with the pleasantness of someone interested in a change of subject. “Where do you want to go to lunch?”
He suddenly knew with absolute clarity the perfect place.
And then the moment was gone.
