LESSON 91
1
porch uncertainties social
apparently ceremonies
2
received possibilities roam message
limitless demonstrate usually attached
experimented displayed focused
conducted immediately traveling
imaginative accurate millionaire
crazy summarized effective rocker
personality diagram schemes aimed
3
1. incurred
2. associated
3. productive
4. transmit
5. screens
6. patent
7. assuming
4
Display of Personalities
Agnes usually went to sleep early. But on the night that she first experimented with her
dop machine, she sat on her front-porch rocker, drinking root beer until long after
midnight. She finally summarized her experiences by saying, "That crazy machine
displays personalities." And that's how it got the name, dop: display of
personalities. It displayed more than thoughts. It transmitted the feelings that were
associated with thoughts. "Dop," Agnes said over and over to herself. "I have
invented a dop machine."1
She realized, of course, that the machine was important; however, she wasn't certain
how important it was * or how it could be used productively. "I don't mind being
unsuccessful at inventing," she concluded. "But I never wanted to invent something
that could be harmful."
In keeping with her uncertainties about the dop machine, Agnes told no one about it for
three months. During that period, she conducted a number of experiments.2 This is
what she discovered:
1. When the dop machine was attached to a second TV screen, it was capable of
transmitting feelings of people on TV.
2. The machine could also be hooked up to a telephone.
3. Two coat hangers wired together at right angles provided the * best antenna—much
more powerful than the screwdriver, and more accurate in locating different targets.
4. The dop rays were not dangerous to one's health. (During some days, Agnes spent as
many as five hours on the machine.)
5. The dop rays were capable of traveling through any substance that Agnes had tried,
including lead. (Lead screens out most other rays, including gamma and X rays.)
6. If there were a great many people in the area at which the dop was aimed, no dops
would be transmitted. (When Agnes focused on the audience of a TV show, no
dops were received. When she * focused on the guest star, however, she received
strong dops.)3
Inventors must be imaginative. They must be able to look at all sorts of untried
possibilities and let their imaginations roam. Agnes frequently found her
imagination turning to the idea of fame and fortune. When the master of
ceremonies of a quiz show presented questions, Agnes always knew the answer
because the master of ceremonies knew the answer. And the dop machine
transmitted the answer to Agnes. Agnes's imagination saw fantastic possibilities of
entering quiz shows and winning thousands—millions of dollars!
She might become the most famous quiz show * participant in the history of television.
Or, she could become a famous gambler. At blackjack, for instance, how easy it would
be to read the minds of the other players and know what cards they had. At a horse
race she could learn which horse felt the strongest and bet on that one. The
possibilities were almost limitless (and very attractive).4
In the end, however, Agnes rejected these schemes. It seemed a shame to let those
foolproof, money-making possibilities go by, but Agnes wanted to be recognized as
an inventor, not as a gambler or a millionaire. Therefore, it * was only a question of
time before Agnes contacted a patent attorney to see about getting a patent for her
machine. Yet, when Agnes took her invention to the attorney, she began to have
second thoughts.5
The attorney spoke in a very businesslike manner as she asked, "What, exactly, is this
machine designed to do?"
"It's a personality display machine," Agnes explained. "I can demonstrate how it works,
and that should tell you more than I could with words."
"I don't really think that will be necessary," the attorney said. "I think that a diagram of
the machine and a * simple explanation of what it does will be quite adequate for
our purposes."
"I don't have a diagram," Agnes answered, "but I can explain how it works."
Agnes began to explain, but before long she realized how crazy she sounded. Here she
was, a little old lady who had never invented anything successful before, talking
about displaying personalities through waves that she couldn't describe. "I can
appreciate how this must sound to you," she said smiling and shrugging. "But it
really does do what I say."6
"I'm sure it does," the attorney replied sharply. "But Miss Lark, let's discuss practical *
matters for a moment. My initial fee, after adequate diagrams of the machine are
provided, will be six hundred dollars. This amount will pay for a patent search to
find out if someone else has already patented such a machine. And, if yours is the
first such machine, the six hundred dollars will pay for filing a patent in your name.
Assuming that we don't hit any great snags, no additional fee will be incurred.
However, the six hundred dollars must be paid in advance. I'll be blunt. Do you
have the money?"7
"No, not right now, but I think—" *
The attorney held up her hand. "I think that you should either look for another attorney
or contact me when you have the money. Good day." The woman's smile faded and
Agnes felt very embarrassed.