The Travels of a Real-Life Sheldon

Our friend's son is doing post-doctoral research in bio-chemistry in France and hopes to be the first to

publish his findings on a particular protein, the name of which his parents can't pronounce.  If you've ever watched "The Big Bang" on television, take Sheldon's smarts and height and add a few pounds and a shock of auburn hair.

When Jed was ten, his mother would call him but he wouldn't respond.  He was solving something in the outer galaxies somewhere. Finally his father would yell, "Earth calling Jed, earth calling Jed."

Jed eventually answered with, "I can't process that disc right now.  Give me a few more minutes."

Jed recently traveled from France to Boston to visit his family.  He didn't fly from a large Paris airport, but used a smaller one outside the city to connect in Belgium for his final leg home. The small airport had no amenities except toilets and a coffee machine.

Typicallly, he arrived late - fifty minutes before departure - with a hockey bag of belongings and his computer.

"Sorry, we've closed the baggage intake," the agent said.  "You have two options. You can buy a ticket for the next flight in two days and check your bag then or fly without the bag."

"Where can I leave it?" Jed asked.

"You could destroy it," the French agent said.

"Don't you have any trash bags?" Jed asked in a soprano voice.

"Sorry, sir, we don't."

Without time to think of another alternative, Jed hurried outside the terminal. He found a large bush with loose gravel underneath and......buried the bag.  He made his flight before the ramp closed, computer slung over his shoulder.  Mom and Dad would have to provide a toothbrush and some clothes.

In Brussels, he was escorted off the plane by security.  "Come this way, sir," two guards said. They led him to a detention room because he'd been flagged by the agent at the counter.  After an hour searching his computer, they decided he was safe to board to Boston.




Following his visit, his parents drove Jed to Logan International Airport for the return flight.  Halfway there, Jed discovered he'd forgotten his papers stating he was employed in France. They were back at the house and there was no time to turn around if he wanted to make the flight.

Without work papers, Jed was again forced to wait till he cleared security.  Since he was flying without luggage, work papers, or a round-trip ticket back to the States, his parents had no alternative. They bought a refundable one-way ticket back to Boston - for $3,000 - and were told that if his work visa was found, they could get reimbursed.

Which they did, eventually.

Jed's duffel bag was never found.