Self Help

Chapter 4 - old man

"Since this is my last one, perhaps I can bring a special guest to you," the little device said.

Before Sam even had a chance to react, an old man appeared in front of Sam.

"Who are you?" Sam asked.

"I will tell you in a second. I'm from the future," the old man replied. "50 years from today I will become the winner of the Nobel Prize in physics."

Sam looked at the old man with admiration.

"My teacher said I would never amount to much," the old man continued. "My teacher was absolutely right. I had the brain but I didn't have the heart. I could have worked hard but I was lazy. Had I continued down that path, I would never amount to much as my potential would never be realized."

"My teacher said the same thing to me. What made you change?" Sam asked. 

"Finally someone gave me the confidence that I could never give myself. I got the push I needed. It changed my life, " the old man said. "I became very interested in mathematics and later physics. I advanced Einstein's relativity with a new mathematical model that added another dimension to the space-time continuum. In real life, this advancement in relativity allows many cool new applications, such as time travel."

"So is this device your invention?" Sam asked.

"I didn't create this but the science behind it was all based on the research work I did in advanced relativity. Therefore, they name this device after me," the old man smirked.

"What does it call?" Sam asked as he became very curious.

The old man paused for a second, and then he responded.

"It is called the Howlandpad."