6th Observation [audio // English]

[fred_cassidy]

I don't suppose there's an organic chemist or research pharmacologist out there who knows anything about the effects of the enantiomers of MDMA? Because I don't have the facilities to control chirality and I really don't want to resolve a racemic mixture if I don't have to

Comments

[conquistasal]

Dude... if anyone could make me feel stupider than I am, its gotta be you. Damn, man, could ya throw around a little more mumbo jumbo 'bout pharmaceuticals an' MNOP an' nasal somethin' er other? No 'fense, but does anyone but you get what yer sayin'?

[fred_cassidy]

It's a specific technical question. No point in not using the correct terminology when anyone who'd be able to answer it would understand.

[conquistasal]

How 'bout jus' t'be fair? I mean, really, jus' damn. Where'd y'find words like that anyway?

Well, fer yer sake, I hope y'find what yer lookin' fer, that N axel or whatever.

Also, racist mixture... don't sound like too good'a idea, 'specially with all the diversity on this boat, so maybe y'ought t'rethink that one.

[fred_cassidy]

[Fred bursts out laughing.]

Racemic.

It means a substance containing equal amounts of mirror-image molecules.

[conquistasal]

Well, I don't know what mirror-image mol'cules are in the first place, so that'd prolly be why I got the word wrong.

So jus' outta curiosity, not that I'm gon' understand it anyhow, wha's a mirror-image molecule? Keep in mind I failed seventh grade, an' I'd prolly do it again right now if it weren't fer some law.

[fred_cassidy]

[Riiiiight. Fred spent 13 years in college and has a PhD.]

You have a left hand and a right hand. They're both the same thing, formed the same way, with the same bones and muscles, but they're mirror-images of each other.

It's the same for some molecules. They're composed of the same atoms, bonded the same way, but they're mirror-images. In fact, the property is called molecular handedness.

Humans are left-handed, molecularly speaking.

[conquistasal]

[Sal decides that his being right handed has nothing to do with anything. He kind of gets it.]

Okay... okay. Tha's not so complicated, I guess.

So, what, y'take classes t'learn all that stuff? An' do what with it?

[fred_cassidy]

Organic chemistry? One goes off to be an organic chemist, generally. Me? I took it to avoid graduating.

[conquistasal]

...you took a class t'keep yerself in school?

[That is the second craziest thing he's heard on this boat. He can't imagine something so painful.]

So y'took a class t'keep from gettin' out and now yer sittin' on a boat makin' stuff that no one but you knows 'bout. Man... t'me, that sounds awful lonely.

[fred_cassidy]

Yes. Why would I want to work for a living?

You haven't got any idea what I'm making.

[Fred's not offended. In fact, he sounds amused.]

[conquistasal]

Nope. Not a clue, sorry. Fer all I know, y'could be makin' a PB&J. Or the atom bomb. Y'might as well speak t'me in Arabic an' I'll understand 'bout as much.

[Arabic]

[fred_cassidy]

If you insist, but I'm out of practice.

[English!!!]

[conquistasal]

Ahh, hey, no fair! I didn't mean it! It was, y'know, sarcasm. Don't do that, dude, then I just feel even more in the dark than 'fore. Now I can't even pretend I know some'a the words yer sayin'.

[He laughs a little, though.]

Leave it t'me t'be the one who sarcasm actually bites in the butt, damn.

[fred_cassidy]

I'm terribly rusty, if it's any consolation.

[conquistasal]

Pff, wouldn't know the difference. I can't speak a word of anything but English, an' I'm not even all that good at that.

Ah, guess that's a lie. I can say voonderbar. Thats German fer wonderful.

Anyhow, I'd bet you know lots more'n that if y'know Arabic.

Hey, man, wha's yer name, anyway? I never knew someone real smart who was willin' t'talk t'me, so maybe I oughta get yer name so people believe me.

[fred_cassidy]

Fred Cassidy.