Leaving the World (70 page)

Authors: Douglas Kennedy

BOOK: Leaving the World

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But staring now at that deep blue western sky and seeing it reflected in the lake, a second quote came back to me from that web page. It was the notion, put forward by another physicist, that space was a field of linear operations. Heisenberg – ever the pragmatist – would have none of it.

And what was his famous retort?

Suddenly I heard myself saying out loud: ‘Space is blue and birds fly through it.’

‘Sorry?’ Vern said, trying to make sense of this non-sequitur.

I looked at him and smiled. And said again: ‘Space is blue and birds fly through it.’

Vernon Byrne thought this one over.

‘Can’t argue with that,’ he finally said.

And we kept looking at the lake.