Delhi Diary 9: Total Recall Party
Douglas Quaid recalled only in fragments all throughout the
movie but what fascinated me in ‘Total Recall’ was ‘The Fall’ and the
weightlessness at the centre of the Earth. Thus, I am reading physics after so
many years. Newton’s Shell Theorem and Gauss’s Flux Theorem for gravity engage
me for some length of time and all the equations, the integrals and the
differentials generate a total recall of the two years in higher secondary
college. I once loved physics and mathematics! Many of my medico friends have
told me the same. But then, years ago, we took our seats in The Fall and the transportation
was permanently one-way.
Two hours later, I am writing another part of my Delhi Diary.
It is about the previous night. I remember Mohsin telling me that his name
means ‘charitable’ or ‘beneficent’. Thus, it was only be-fitting that he threw
us a generous party for getting a job! But he is more generous than Hatem
al-Tai! So, he bought us tickets for the movie too. He watched with intent and
looked askew at me from time to time to assess if I understood the content. The
other two fellows, Gautam and Debashish were busy re-directing the movie according
to their own scripts.
The post-movie discussion was the time for total recall! All
of us re-visited our interest in physics and pondered on the problems of zero
gravity. Mohsinur was frantically creating problems and solving them himself
while we listened with awe at the newly-discovered stalwart of physics! His
rocket science theory was the most brilliant one. He declared, “Farting in
zero-G would propel one in the opposite direction and could be useful
navigation means!”
I was reminded of Sheldon Cooper’s asparagus woes.
