A Meeting of Physicists

The door to the study opened with a squeal of hinges in dire need of lubrication.
As the door’s swing slowed to the maximum reach of the man entering, the
man seated in one of the posh chairs of the study glanced in the direction of the
door. The seated man’s white hair stood out from his scalp in such disarray it
was evident no comb had come near it in years. He stopped scribbling in the
notebook in his lap and he thought at last, the time had come for this long
anticipated meeting. In hobbled an elderly man dressed in middle sixteenth
century attire and sporting a white man-wig.
“Ah, Isaac, I have been expecting you.”
The wigged man looked toward the voice and said, “I am sorry, sir, but
you have me at a disadvantage for I know not your name.”
“My name is Albert Einstein. I have been making inquiries to the heavenly
management to meet with you so we might speak at length.”
“I have had my limit concerning those who admire my work and heap
congratulatory remarks to me when they have not the idea what they are
speaking of. Save your breath, sir, I need no more adoration.”
“Actually, Isaac, I wished to apologize for actually pointing out a few
errors in your work.”
“What?! There are no errors, sir, and if it were permitted within the
confines of heaven I would have you on the field of honor. However that would
serve no purpose since we cannot die here. We will live forever with our eternal
Father.”
“Please sit, Isaac and have some tea. We can discuss things as
gentlemen. Allow me to show you the problems I had and the answers I have
come across.”
Though ire radiated from Sir Isaac Newton’s face; his eyes appeared of a
man rapidly considering his options. “Okay, Albert, tea is fine with milk.” Isaac
walked over and sat in the chair opposite Albert Einstein.
Albert leaned over the table to grasp the white teapot to pour steaming
brown tea into a cup. He next grabbed a small transparent decanter that held
the milk and poured a portion into the cup he was making for Isaac.
“Let me first begin with a compliment. Without your work, I would not
have questioned or sought to question anything and hence find some areas that
troubled me. Still, during my time, Isaac, you are heralded as one of the great
physicists of all time. Your Laws of Motion are still used today.”
In defensive acquiescence Mister Newton sat back in the plush maroon
chair and sighed as he thought how joyously comfortable this chair was. It sure
was much better than the one in his study.
“Here you go, Isaac,” said Albert as he leaned forward to offer Isaac his
tea.
Sir Isaac accepted the teacup of fine porcelain edged with silver on the
rim and decorated with a colorful motif. He raised the cup to his lips and the

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steam tickled his nose and he sipped the hot liquid. The tea was a wonderful
blend and was quite palatable yet the taste differed to what he drank at his
house and that on Earth. He set the teacup onto the saucer, “So Mister Einstein,
what ways did I supposedly err in my reasons?” said Isaac with marked
incredulity.
“A question first. If you were in a cart traveling at a certain speed and
you threw a ball what is the speed of the ball?” ask Albert Einstein.
“That is simple. If X were to represent the speed of the ball and Y equals
the speed of the cart then Z would present the total speed achieved. In
mathematical terms X+Y=Z,” said Newton sitting back in triumphant
satisfaction sure that Albert could not refute this explanation.
“In everyday life I could not agree with you more that such an event
would unfold. However, will this equation hold true if we were to replace the
ball with light?” asked Einstein as his eyebrows rose in a querulous look.
“Huh.” Sir Isaac Newton expressed as he brought his cup of tea to his lips
to pause the conversation so to gain time that he might ponder on the question.
Einstein leaned forward to reach a crumb cake on a bright orange plate
on the table as he waited expectantly for his opposite’s response. An
unintentional quiet settled over the room. Einstein glanced over to the large
fireplace and to the fire that burned within. The fire was more nostalgic than
necessary for heat; it is not cold in Heaven.
“Well,” Sir Isaac Newton’s first word brought Einstein’s attention back to
his companion across the coffee table, “Yes, it would.” A confident yet
decisively defiant look sculpted Newton’s face, just daring Albert to disprove
him.
Albert placed the remnants of his crumb cake on his small bluish china
plate on the table, and picked up his napkin. He wiped his mouth and brushed
the crumbs that had landed on his gray turtleneck sweater and his dark blue
pants.
“I so love the taste of these cakes, but darn if they are not a tad messy.”
Doctor Einstein reached for his writing instrument that he had placed atop
his notebook sitting on the table.
“So let me see, you say that X+Y=Z, correct?
“Yes,” without Isaac changing his defiant countenance.
Albert took his stylus and began to write in the air. The equation X+Y=Z
appeared and floated in the air tinged with a glowing orange-yellow color
similar to that of the fire blazing away in the fireplace.
“IS THIS MAGIC,” cried Isaac shockingly and nearly spilling the remainder
of his tea in his lap, though a couple of wet spots did appear on his trousers.
“No, dear Isaac, there are things we can do here in Heaven. I would think
since you arrived much earlier than I you would be aware of such tricks we can
perform. I thought perhaps you would show me things,” said Albert as a
gloating smiling spread across his face.
“But, what must be understood first, Isaac is that nothing can exceed the
speed of light, which happens to be 260,000 kilometers per hour.”
“I could not image light was so fast,” said Isaac.

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 “Now image some sort of conveyance traveling at the speed of light and
you uncover a beam of light. So since both travel at 260,000 km/s we add
those together and come up with 520,000 km/s. What if you were traveling in
the opposite direction and uncover the beam. Now we have 260,000 km/s in
opposite directions therefore the answer is 0 km/s. Are not both answers
absurd?,” said Albert.
“No, both answers are correct,” said Isaac beaming with glee.
“Balderdash, Isaac, this is not incorrect and besides the equation is all
wrong,” said Albert as he quickly passed his right hand through the letters,
numbers and symbols in the air. All these drifted apart in various directions and
began to change colors through yellow, then green, and eventually to blue until
ultimately they vanished into nothing.
“Here, now this is the proper equation,” Albert commented as he began to
write. His hand moved rapidly until a new and more complex equation now
suspended in the air.
V= V1 + V2
1 + V1V2
C2
“This equation states that V represents the new velocity achieved which is
equal to the addition of the two velocities divided by one plus the product of the
two velocities divided by the square of the speed of light. Do you see, Isaac?”
asked Albert Einstein.
“Yes, I understand the equation, but how did you arrive at it?”
“That will have to wait for another time.”
“Okay, Albert how does nothing exceed the speed of light?”
“So if V sub 1 equals the speed of light or C. This is the symbol for the
speed of light. The equation can be rearranged and solved,” paused Albert as
he continued to write.

V= C + V2 = (C+V2) ( C ) = (C+V2) (C
(C )=C
1 + CV2 C + V2 C + V2
C 2

“My word, I am so humbled Albert. Please accept my apology for having

doubted you and being so close minded. What kind of man of science am I
without letting you at least provide your proof before I pass judgment,” said
Isaac as he dejectedly hung his head staring into his teacup.
“Let me warm your tea, Isaac,” said Albert in a friendly manner.
“You said errors, Albert, what others still exist that I am unaware.”
“Isaac, friend, this must wait until another time,” Albert said as he
glanced at this watch. He raised his head to Isaac with worry in his eyes, “I fear
I may be late to my Pilates class. To tell you truthfully Isaac, the teacher is quite
a hottie. If you will please forgive my hasty retreat.”
“Of course, Albert.”