Suddenly, the moment of his enjoyment was interrupted by a young man, roughly his age, standing before him wearing the usual waiter's uniform: a white shirt, black trousers, and a black bowtie around his neck. He was carrying a silver tray with some types of food on it. He stopped in front of Adam, extended his hand, and shook his hand while smiling at him: — I am happy... I am happy to meet you, Mr. Adam. Adam smiled back and shook his hand in return: — Welcome... welcome to you. Adam said this while looking at him in surprise—why would this waiter suddenly stop his work serving guests just to stand and shake his hand? However, the answer came quickly when the young man spoke to him nervously: — I... I... am not actually a waiter, Dr. Adam. I have read a lot about you and your research, and I have become familiar with almost everything about you. Adam shook his head with suspicion: — You aren't a waiter, and you're familiar with everything about me... then who are you? The young man stood there confused, still holding the silver tray in his hand: — I... I... I'm sorry... excuse me... just a moment. He then headed to the table next to him, placed the food tray on it, returned quickly, wiped his hands on his clothes, and stood before Adam once again. He extended his hand to shake his again, and Adam shook it, marveling at his behavior. The young man continued speaking happily: — I am Dr. Mazen Tawfiq. I hold a Master's and a PhD in Biochemistry from Ain Shams University. I have tried many times to meet you because I know that you fund scientific research in various fields. I wanted to present my research to you, but you are always busy, hidden, and out of reach. I tried repeatedly to secure an appointment with you but couldn't, so I disguised myself in a waiter's uniform and started working at your party tonight just so I could meet you.
Mazen looked at Adam's face anxiously, trying to gauge his reaction, expecting him to be deeply angry. However, he swallowed hard, reassuring himself that he had done his part and tried to achieve his dream, come what may. Adam looked at Mazen for several moments, scrutinizing his features, then gestured with his hand: — Follow me. He then left him and climbed the stairs to his left to reach the upper floor. Mazen looked around anxiously and then followed Adam up to the second floor, which he found similar to the first, but with five large rooms. Adam entered the third room, and Mazen followed him inside to find a large library filled with books and references, some pieces of equipment and products produced by Adam's company, a massive desk, and in front of it, a small device resembling a television. Adam sat at the desk and asked Mazen to sit in front of him. He sat down immediately. Adam smiled as he addressed him: — I have left my own party for your sake, Mazen. So, show me what you have, and I hope it is something interesting and fruitful. Mazen smiled, feeling immense joy: — Will... will you leave your party and listen to my research now, Dr. Adam? Adam looked at him with wonder: — That is exactly what I am doing now. Come on, tell me what you want. You know that time is money, and if you have read about me as you said, then there is no need for me to tell you how busy I am with my work. Mazen nodded happily: — I know, I know, sir... but before I begin presenting my research, I want to ask you a personal question that has troubled me a lot, and I haven't found an explanation for it. I hope you can explain it to me. Adam grabbed his chin curiously, stroking it: — What is your question? What is the thing I did that occupied your mind to the point of troubling you? — Well... my question is: How did you leave the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—MIT? It is the dream of every researcher and scientist to study there! MIT is ranked among the top two hundred universities in the world, and its faculty includes 64 Nobel Prize winners in various sciences and fields. I won't ask how you managed to join it, even though it's extremely difficult, but even more shocking is that you left your studies there?
Adam laughed loudly, which stirred Mazen's confusion, then spoke to him calmly: — Is this what troubles you, my friend? Well, I will tell you. I left MIT for several reasons. The most important was the arrogance of some faculty members toward the students—and I was one of them, of course—which is something I cannot tolerate. Second was my financial situation at the time. So, I left the institute after the first year and headed to another institute that, in my view, is better: the Indian Institute of Technology in Punjab (IIT), which is one of fifteen technological institutes in India. Those institutes are what created the technological revolution in India today. In that institute, I found the knowledge I wanted and the latest research and applications in the world. These institutes are in no way inferior to MIT—if not better. And why did I study in the Punjab province specifically? For many personal reasons, including money, religious rituals, space, and several other things. I gained a great deal from that experience, and it was one of the reasons I reached this stage.
Anyway, let's leave me aside for now and tell me about your research. I am fully prepared to fund it immediately starting now... under several conditions, the most important being that it must be applicable in reality.
Mazen straightened up in his seat, extremely happy: — Don't worry... don't worry... it is applicable, and I have already started it, but it lacks funding. My scientific research is about providing a cure for one of the most dangerous diseases known to humanity: cancer. Adam watched him expectantly, nodding with interest. Mazen resumed speaking, full of vitality and energy: — In short, cancer is a disease resulting from irregular cell growth where cells divide and grow without any control, forming a malignant tumor and then invading neighboring tissues. Cancer has more than 200 types; they are similar in origin but differ in location and distribution. Now we come to the most important part of our talk about cancer: the treatment part. Cancer treatment has seen many methods, including:
Surgical Treatment: By removing the tumor from the body before it spreads to the rest of the body; however, if it has spread, surgical intervention becomes impossible.
Radiation Therapy: Where radiation destroys the cancer by directing high-energy gamma rays at cancer cells, ruining the molecules that form the cancer cells and leading them to programmed cell death. Its flaw is that it leaves severe side effects because the radiation beams also destroy healthy cells.
Chemotherapy: In which chemicals are used to stop the process of cell division by damaging their proteins or DNA, also driving them to cell death. But it has many, many side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and the severe pain associated with the treatment process.
Hormonal Therapy: Here, changes in hormone production levels in the body are used, but it also has many damages and side effects. All that remains is Immunotherapy, where treatment is done by strengthening the human immune system with very strong and intense focus on the organ affected by cancer. This is what I intended to apply my research to, as my research is based on providing treatments...
Adam suddenly stopped Mazen's talk with a few words said loudly: — Electric vehicles.
Mazen stopped talking and looked at him in surprise. Adam continued: — Electric vehicles... electric cars. You've heard of them before, haven't you?
Mazen nodded in agreement: — Yes, electric cars, I have heard of them, of course.
Adam continued: — When I was at MIT, they told me a funny story. Some students at the institute decided to manufacture electric cars and make them accessible to everyone because of the many advantages the electric car has—most importantly, protecting the environment and using clean, renewable energy. They set a timeframe for that process: ten years. Within just ten years, electric cars would invade the whole world, and everyone would have a safe and clean electric car. A truly wonderful and distinguished plan, easy to implement within the next ten years. Do you know when the students began implementing that plan? In 1972. Not just ten years have passed since their plan; more than 45 years have passed, and the project for the proliferation of the electric car has not been implemented. Why do you think that is?
Mazen looked at him in wonder: — Was the technology too difficult for them?
Adam shook his head: — On the contrary, there are many applications for that car. The easiest is to replace the car's original engine and put an electric motor in its place; this is the simplest way to convert a car from running on petroleum fuel to electricity while keeping the car's components unchanged. This wouldn't result in any problems or environmental pollution. Even if that was an obstacle in the past, it has become extremely easy now. So, why haven't electric cars spread?
Mazen shrugged in surrender: — I don't know why.
— Well, I'll tell you. Because of the giant oil companies that have gained control over most laws and legislation in major countries. They, in turn, eliminate any idea or application that would make them lose their investments, even if that project were better for the environment and all of humanity, like electric cars.
Mazen spoke to him in great confusion: — And what does that have to do with our conversation, Mr. Adam? I don't understand your point!
Adam sprang to his feet and approached Mazen, who also stood up out of respect for him. Adam began to continue his speech, pacing back and forth in the room:
— Any progress in any field in this world is due to the existence of a motive behind it, and this motive is divided into two parts: an internal motive and an external motive. Let's look, for example, at an obese person who eats voraciously; one day he falls ill due to morbid obesity and finds that he will die if he doesn't lose weight. Indeed, he loses the weight, and here he achieved his goal of losing weight through an internal motive, which is to save himself from death. But let's suppose he didn't get sick, for example, but he liked a slender, beautiful girl. He would start treating himself for obesity so that the slender girl would like his body. Indeed, he becomes thin and gets rid of the obesity, but that is not out of a desire from within; there is no internal motive here, but rather for the sake of the girl—for an external motive. However, whether the motive is internal or external, there is a motive that made him achieve his goal. In your case, I believe you studied biochemistry and began your studies and research for a cancer cure because of an internal motive... Is your mother or father sick with cancer?!
Mazen replied sorrowfully: — My little sister; she is seventeen springs old, and she is suffering severely from that cursed disease.
Adam stopped moving and smiled at Mazen: — You see? This is your motive for searching for a cancer cure. This is your internal motive. And as you see, I am not afflicted by it, nor is any of my relatives. Therefore, I have no internal motive to achieve this goal. So, why should I fund your research?
Mazen began to sweat and grow flustered as he thought of a solution given the shift in Adam's line of conversation. He swallowed hard, pointing his index finger at him: — I will tell you, Mr. Adam. If you don't have an internal motive driving you to fund my research, then you certainly have an external motive, which is to have the credit and the fame of being the first to help eradicate this cursed disease. You will be pointed out with fingertips [be famous] across the whole world.
Adam smiled sarcastically: — And do you see me in need of fame? I am already pointed out with fingertips. Fame means nothing to me. Money is what concerns me. Approximately how much will funding your research cost?!
Mazen looked at him hesitantly. Then he pulled a paper from his trouser pocket, spread it out in his hands, and stepped toward Adam to show it to him: — Well... not much, not much.
Adam ignored the paper in his hand and looked Mazen in the eyes: — How much will your research cost? And how much time will it take to apply it in reality?
Mazen swallowed with difficulty, and beads of sweat began to invade his forehead. He stuttered as he spoke: — Well... it will cost nearly thirty million dollars, and its application will take nearly five years.
— So, you want me to pay thirty million for the application of scientific research whose feasibility is confirmed by you alone, over a period of five years... that is, if your temporal estimation is correct, and from experience, I doubt that, because all the researchers I have worked with told me that before, and it never happened.
Mazen spoke to him confidently: — I am confident in what I say, and you can ask any specialist about the feasibility of applying my research, and they will confirm the truth of my words and the time frame set for it.
— Do you want to convince me that you will discover a cure for this disease that man began fighting since the nineteenth century until now and has not been able to defeat, and you will find a cure for it in just five years?
With extreme confidence: — Yes... yes. I can put an end to this cursed disease within five years. You certainly know that science has now become very advanced, and scientists have become capable of overcoming any challenge. A five-year period is enough and more. Just look at the last five years and what science was able to do. We went to Mars and we went to Pluto; we managed to manufacture robots, and drones have become within the reach of children. We eradicated avian and swine flu, and internet speeds were increased 1000 times within five years. Yes, I can eradicate the disease within five years.
Adam smiled sarcastically: — What you are citing is against you, not in your favor. According to your words, technology will become more advanced over the next five years. So, how do you know that someone else won't actually reach a cure for cancer, making the money and effort we spent go with the wind? Can you assure me that this won't happen, whereas I can fund more than one research project with that same amount, for shorter periods of time, and with a lower risk factor?
Mazen looked at him, bewildered, not knowing how to speak to him or convince him. Adam shook his head at him calmly as he spoke: — Sorry, my friend... I am not interested.
Mazen bowed his head in sadness. Adam raised his index finger before him: — But...
Mazen raised his head in joyful jubilation, watching Adam as he headed to his desk, opened one of his drawers, took out his checkbook, wrote a cash amount on it, tore it from the book, stepped toward Mazen, and gave it to him: — I will participate with an amount of ten thousand dollars as a grant from me for your research. That is not because of my conviction in the feasibility of your research, but because I admired the way you sneaked into the party to meet me. I saw in you a great persistence and a pursuit to achieve your goal, and this is what I always like to see in Egyptian youth.
Mazen looked at him with great sorrow and spoke to him as if he were about to cry: — By doing this, you are killing the hope of millions of people around the world. I am ready to waive all my financial and intellectual rights to you, and you can take all the fame and glory for the entire research. I only want to help these miserable patients.
Adam waved the check in his hand in front of Mazen: — As I told you, I am not looking for fame and glory because I have already achieved them. And you do not want to help millions of stranger patients around the world as you claim; rather, you want to help your little sister, and I believe the amount I gave you now will help with that.
Mazen looked at him with eyes brimming with tears: — Unfortunately, I thought you were human. You were a role model to me. I wanted to follow in your footsteps and achieve success for myself and my country. I believed that you funded the research of young people like me out of a love for science and helping others, not to amass tons of money.
He stood before him for a few moments, and a tear escaped him and fell onto his cheek. He wiped it quickly as he walked away from Adam, carrying his shock and disappointment upon his shoulders.