Chapter 28
I spent the rest of the afternoon browsing scientific journals for some hint to what could be the link between our unknown bacteria and the polymer. Scrolling one publication after the other without finding what I was looking for I was about to lose hope when I landed on a manuscript that attracted my attention. “The effect of chemicals on the genetic modification of common microorganisms: the case of E. Coli”, authored by E. Livingstone and M. Mori. The researchers had isolated E. Coli from a mixed colony of bacteria and cultured two groups of E. Coli bacteria, which were initially identical. An petroleum derived organic chemical had subsequently been added to one of the two E. Coli groups:
“…upon addition of the chemical E. Coli bacteria were found to grow at a rate which differed from that of E. Coli bacteria not exposed to the chemical…Interestingly, when the chemical was added, the bacteria generated from the separation of the original E. Coli bacteria were dissimilar from the parent cells in that they had a markedly distinct genetic patrimony…The reasons for these observations are not fully understood and require further investigation, which will be the object of our future publications”.
I turned around and called Brad who was also doing some research on his computer, “Come have a look at this Brad”.
He rolled his chair over to my desk and began reading, humming to mark his interest for certain passages. Then he got to the part that had attracted my attention, “Oh wow!”, he exclaimed, “You mean that the bacteria in our samples are mutants?”.
“Well, if you put it that way it sounds like we are talking about aliens”, I laughed, “but yes, maybe the polymer caused some changes in the bacteria naturally present in our sample, and this why Alice cannot find them in her database. Our buddies might very well be regular Joes with a new suit”.
“Aha, let’s go get Alice”, said Brad excitedly.
But the cell culture room was empty though. “Oh, she left…”. Brad was disappointed.
I looked at the clock, it was almost 7 pm. “Oh shoot!”, I exclaimed, “I have to go see my neighbours tonight and I should have already been on my way there!”.
I rushed Brad out of the labs, and sped along the freeway, the wind blowing on our faces and through our shirts, strangely inebriated as if at that moment I had infinite power and could climb the heavens, blow up FoodTech labs or drive back and work for the whole night for no other reason that I randomly felt one way or the other.
But by the time I pulled the car in front of my house my mood had changed as a desert sky, veering from sunny to cloudy and breaking out in a black thunderstorm. At once I was lonely in a terrible and absolute way, and I felt my guts tighten in a familiar way. Then I saw Mrs. Wheeler waving at me across her fence, so I opened the door and reached out the car, waving back and forcing myself to smile.
“Sorry I am late”, I said, “I’ll be there in a moment”. I climbed the stairs and called Jack.
“Jack”, I said, and paused.
“Are you doing fine?”.
“Yes…no…I mean, nothing is objectively wrong. I have to go see the Wheelers now…”, was my disconnected reply.
“Are you going to be there for long?”.
“Ah well, they’ll have me for dinner and I suppose I can’t leave right after stuffing myself with their food. They said they have some news to give me, so…”, I shrugged as if Jack were in front of me.
“You can drop by once you’re done with you’re done your neighbours”.
“Oh yeah?”.
“Sure”, he replied.
I was silent for a moment. “I’ll call you before heading to your place”, I said, the grip of anxiousness softening inside me.