Proof

1

Can’t sleep

2

Sorry

3

I thought I’d check up on you why arent you in bed

4

He can let himself out

5

Hes not my student anymore Hes teaching now Bright kid

6

It’s almost one

7

After midnight

8

So happy birthday

9

Do I ever forget

10

Twenty five I can’t believe it

11

It’s up to you

12

You want me to open it

13

That was a long time ago I resent your bringing it up

14

Twenty five

15

You’re a kid

16

I forgot the glasses do you want me to

17

I hope you like it I wasn’t sure what to get you

18

I’m proud to say I know nothing about wines I hate those kind of people who are always talking about vintages

19

The bottle was the right shape

20

A girl whos drinking from the bottle shouldnt complain Dont guzzle it Its an elegant beverage Sip

21

No go ahead

22

Yeah it’s your birthday

23

What are you going to do on your birthday

24

No I hope you’re not spending your birthday alone

25

I don’t count

26

I’m your old man go out with some friends

27

Your friends aren’t taking you out

28

Why not

29

Oh

30

You have friends what about that cute blond what’s her name

31

She lives over on Ellis avenue you used to spend every minute together

32

Cindy Jacobson

33

What about Claire

34

I thought she was coming in

35

My advice if you find yourself awake late at night is to sit down and do some mathematics

36

We could do some together

37

Why not

38

Yeah thanks you used to love it

39

You knew what a prime number was before you could read

40

Don’t waste your talent Cathrine

41

I realize you’ve had a difficult time

42

That’s no excuse don’t be lazy

43

Kid I’ve seen you you sleep til noon you eat junk you don’t work the dishes pile up in the sink if you go out it’s to buy magazines you come back with a stack of magazines this high I don’t know how you read that crap and those are the good days some days you don’t get up you don’t get out of bed

44

Bullshit those days are lost you threw them away and you’ll never know what you threw away with them the work you lost the ideas you didn’t have discoveries you never made because you were moping in bed at 4 in the afternoon you know I’m right

45

How many

46

I bet you do

47

I bet you count

48

Well do you know or don’t you

49

Oh course you do how many days have you lost

50

How many

51

Exactly

52

Be precise

53

Call it 33 and a quarter days

54

You’re kidding

55

Amazing number

56

Cathrine if every day you say you’ve lost were a year it would be a very interesting number

57

Stop it you know exactly what I mean

58

1729 great number the smallest number expressible

59

12 cubed plus 1 cubed equals 1729

60

You see even your depression is mathematical stop moping and get to work the kind of potential you have

61

You’re young you’ve got time

62

Yes

63

By the time I was your age I’d already done my best work

64

After what

65

What about it

66

No if anything I was sharper

67

I was hey it’s true the clarity that was the amazing thing no doubts

68

Yeah I was busy

69

I don’t see the difference I knew what I wanted to do and I did it it was wonderful

70

Mid twenties twenty three twenty four is that what you’re worried about

71

Just getting a year older means nothing Cathrine

72

It’s me

73

Really

74

Well if that’s why you’re worried you’re not keeping up with the medical literature there are all kinds of factors it’s not something you simply inherent just because I went bughouse doesn’t mean you will

75

Listen to me life changes fast in your early twenties and it shakes you up you’re feeling down you’ve had a bad week you’ve had a lousy couple years no one knows that better than me but you’re gonna be okay

76

Yes I promise you push yourself don’t read so many magazines sit down get the machinery going and I swear you’ll feel fine the simple fact that we can talk about this together is a good sign

77

Yes

78

Because crazy people don’t sit around wondering if they’re nuts

79

Of course not they have better things to do take it from me a very good sign that you’re crazy is an inability to ask the question am I crazy

80

Crazy people don’t ask you see

81

So if you’re asking

82

But if you were it would be a very good sign

83

A good sign that you’re fine

84

You see you just gotta think these things through now come on what do you say let’s call it a night you go up get some sleep and then in the morning you can

85

What’s the matter

86

Why not

87

Sure it does

88

What’s the problem

89

What difference does that make

90

So

91

Yeah but it’s oh I see

92

It’s a point

93

Well because I’m also dead aren’t I

94

Heart failure quick the funerals tomorrow

95

Yes

96

Yes

97

For you

98

For you Cathrine my daughter who I love very much it could be a bad sign