The Tao of a Vicarious Journey

On how everything started….

Phileas Fogg: Unlike you and your colleagues, money does not inspire me.
Lord Kelvin: I believe every man has his price. Even you, oh noble Phileas phileas_foggFogg. There must be something I could offer that would be worthy of your time.
Phileas Fogg: There is. Your position as head of the Royal Academy.
[Chattering begins]
Phileas Fogg: I could lead Britain and the rest of the world into a new age of progress and discovery.
[Everyone begins laughing]
Lord Kelvin: Fair enough.
Phileas Fogg: What?
Lord Kelvin: I, Lord Kelvin, hereby vow to surrender my position as minister of science to Phileas Fogg if he can circumnavigate the globe… in no more than 80 days. But if he cannot, he must never set foot in the academy again, he must tear down that abhorrent eyesore he calls a laboratory, and he must swear… never to invent again.
[Phileas is taken aback by this vow, not knowing what to say]
Lord Kelvin: Just as I always suspected, Fogg. You promise so much, yet you deliver… oh, nothing.
[More laughter]
Phileas Fogg: [quietly] I’ll take your wager.
[The room goes quiet]
Lord Kelvin: What did you say?
Phileas Fogg: I’ll take your wager!

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