The Construct of a Scientist

This biography is about a man who is unique in every way. He had decided at the age of twelve to become a scientist and worked toward that goal, earning his way financially and educationally. His mother instilled in him that he could do anything he set his mind to and do it well. His father taught him that to get ahead in life, he had to work, and he had to work hard. So he worked harder and accomplished more than anyone else in any given time, so much so that it seemed unreal. Only his future wife, intimate friends, and collaborators knew that he had gifts the average person did not have that gave him, for example, the ability to hold three jobs at the same time, get a PhD in three years, and publish six full-length papers from those three years of work. To the scientific community around him, he appeared as a loner, not being able to make small talk nor showing the slightest ability for social interactions and simple tact. So he never got the respect from them he deserved. He had a heart of gold and gave of himself freely, even to his own detriment. We met at work, dated for five years, worked full-time, and both went to school for graduate degrees at night. Then we married and loved each other for sixty blissful, happy, adventurous, and satisfying work-filled years. It all came to a heartbreaking swift end when Burt fell, writing something for me on an unsteady chair, broke a hip, caught COVID-19 in the hospital, and was sent home not properly treated nor healed. I caught COVID from him, fell, and broke a hip too. And when he saw me there on the floor, he gave up fighting the virus. He could not bear the fact that I was in need of help and that he could not help as he had done all our times together.

-- Bella T Altura