The Mistake

It was Thursday night in late May, and Luke, a 24-year-old chemistry student, was trying to study the courses for the upcoming exams, but it seems like he will never make it. “I will never be useful. I feel like I’m just a failure surrounded by successful people. What’s the point in even trying?”, said Luke, whose life started going downhill. He found out his grandfather had cancer, his parents recently got divorced, he had fake friends who were there for his intelligence and his sister, Anne, started a few months earlier a new company meant to make the world better by protecting endangered species from all around the world and already had meetings across the globe. “What’s the point in even trying to get my degree? I will never be a scientist that will change something on Earth! My name will never be remembered.” He closed his books and went to sleep, because next day it was his last one before the final exams.

              On Friday, he had his last laboratory before exams. Luke always loved experiments in the laboratory: he got good grades and his professors were always proud of him and they were sure that Luke was going to be a very successful scientist. But this day, it was different. Everything was like a monotony, as if Luke did not even care anymore about trying to do everything right, like he always did. He didn’t have a smile on his face anymore. His teacher, Ms. Finch, noticed his behavior and tried to ask him what happened.

              “Luke?”, asked Ms. Finch. “Can I see you for a moment?”

              “Yes, Ms. Finch. I am coming right now”, said Luke, trying to make sure everything on his table would stand still for a few minutes.

              “Luke, I know that you were always energetic and happy during the experiments. Now, it looks like you want to leave. What happened? Are you alright? Did something happen at home?” asked Ms. Finch, trying to make eye contact with her student, but he was looking at his shoes.

              “To be honest, Ms. Finch, it has nothing to do with this experiment. I mean, I waited a whole year for this one, which seems to be the most interesting one. But right now, I am in a very dark place in my life where I don’t even know how I could get up the next day without thinking to myself that I am just someone who is completely useless and brings nothing to this world. I feel very lost. Everyone around me is successful, while I am far, far away, forgotten by everyone close to me”, said Luke, finally managing to make eye contact with Ms. Finch.

              “Luke, don’t say that! You are a wonderful student, and I regret that this is our last lab together and you’ll finish your degree soon. If you get high grades in your exams, you might actually be a valedictorian, which is not a small thing! Not everyone can be a valedictorian. I have never seen such a motivated student who loves chemistry so much that would only get the highest grade possible. Just listen to me, Luke. One day, you are going to make history. And I believe in you. I might not be there right next to you on the day you’ll make history, given my age and the fact that in three years I am going to be retired, but believe me, you are going to be another scientist that everyone will remember for discovering something extremely important for the humankind. Just believe in yourself. If you ever feel like you will never make it, just remember my words: ‘I believe in you’.”

              Luke starts crying, which is very unusual for him. He never cries in front of anyone else, because he did not want to seem vulnerable.

              “Luke, please, do not start crying. Just smile and go back to your work”, said Ms. Finch, as Luke turned his back and went to his spot.

              He began to feel fascinated about the world of science again and put a smile on his face as he was doing his experiment. Ms. Finch noticed that and she began to smile, glad that one of her favorite students was happy again.

              Five years go by and Luke was working in a pharmaceutical company, trying to make some tablets meant to help people who have amnesia to recover faster. One evening, he was almost done with his work, but he decided to call it a day and go home. He left his beakers on his table, grabbed his coat and locked the door to his workplace, going home. Next morning, he finished what he had to do and he was headed to the other departments in order to get the tablets done. He had a new task now: to work on some new tablets for the sleep deprived people.

              Four months later, the tablets were ready and now they were ready to be tested. Some patients were chosen by age and whether they had a very bad disease or not, just to verify if everything is alright or not, besides the fact that they had amnesia. They would have to stay in a room for 24 hours to see the side effects and if the tablets actually work. But some weird things happened after the 24 hours.

              Everyone who had amnesia recovered, which was excellent. There were also no side effects. It meant that the tablets could be fabricated and used by the world! But some people that were also part of the group which was tested had cancer and a few months later everyone was recovered, which should not have happened normally. The company decided to do more testing on people who had cancer and they were going to be monitored for a whole week, in order to watch what the cancerous cells are doing in the human body after the ill people would take the pills. The scientists who worked there and were monitoring the others discovered a few weeks later that five tablets were enough to get rid of all the cancerous cells in the human body. This was a revolution in the world of science, as nobody could find out what actually happened, as the tablets were meant to cure amnesia and nothing else.

              Everyone started to ask themselves what actually happened and after doing some research, the workers finally came to Luke while he was working on the new task. He was asked if he did something out of the ordinary during the fabrication of the tablet, but he replied negatively. Luke was surprised, as he did not know anything about the people with cancer who were cured.

              “Wait a minute”, said Luke, with a scared look on his face. “I think I did a huge mistake! While I was working on the tablets, I left the beakers overnight, instead of putting them into the right compartments before heading them to the next department! Oh, what have I done? Did anybody die because of me?”

              “No”, said one of the researchers. “In fact, we discovered that this tablet can cure people who have cancer! It also works for people with amnesia, but it’s fascinating that it works for this big disease as well!”

              “Wait, what?”, said Luke with a very confused look. “So I… I did something good for the country?”

              “Not only the country, Luke! The whole world! You just made history! We are all proud of you!”, said his boss. “We are going to sell these tablets as soon as it’s possible!”

              Four years go by and Luke was headed to Stockholm. He was going to give a speech which was about to be live streamed all over the world: from Australia to the United Stated of America and to East Asia. Millions of people were watching the live stream on the internet and 500 people were in a great hall, waiting for Luke. When he finally got on the scene, everyone stood up and gave a round of applause.

              “Ladies and gentlemen”, said Luke. “Thank you for being here with me. It was a difficult path and I still cannot believe I made it. Let me tell you a story. When I was in my last year in university, I was extremely lost. My life was going downhill and even though when I joined the chemistry section I was excited to become a scientist, but at the end of it I was studying without an actual purpose, because I could never think that I will be recognized. But then, a wonderful thing happened. My teacher believed in me. She told me that I would become a famous scientist and even though she told me that she might not be there when I would be famous, she would still believe in me. And I will never forget her. Then, a few years later, I made a mistake that turned out to change the world of science. Instead of creating a tablet that would only cure people with amnesia, it actually also cures people with cancer and, as a proof, my grandfather took it and he is now cancer free! If anyone would have told me ten years ago that I will be someone that everyone talks about for changing the world into a better one, I would have laughed in their faces that it would never be possible. And all thanks to my teacher who believed in me! I am sorry that she might not be here today, but she will always be in my heart. Thank you everyone! And do not forget a very important thing. Never stop believing in yourselves! You have a life in front of you and you never know what can happen in five years, one year, tomorrow or even in two minutes!”

              Luke was about to go while people gave another round of applause, but then something unexpected happened. He was looking into the crowd and his eyes landed on someone he knew.

              Ms. Finch.

              He was shocked to see her. He was right: you never know what can happen in two minutes, and he clearly did not expect to see his teacher! She was smiling in the second row and it seemed like she never changed. He thought she could not be able to fly all the way to Stockholm. They made eye contact with each other and then he came back to the microphone.

              “I want to add something”, he said, putting a smile on his face. “My teacher is actually here with me, and I would like to invite her here, right next to me. Come on, Ms. Finch!”

              Everyone gave another round of applause and Ms. Finch was about to go on the scene.

              “I owe my life to this young man”, Ms. Finch said.

              “What do you mean?”, asked Luke with a confused voice.

              “You see… ten years ago, when I told him that I would retire, I actually found out I had cancer, but I did not want to tell him, as he was going to have his exams soon. When I found out that there is a tablet that helps people to become cancer-free, I could not believe my eyes and ears. I thought a miracle just happened and I was dreaming! Then, all my doctors confirmed that this can actually cure my disease. Now, I am able to visit my grandchildren and play around them all the time so I want to thank you for everything. I knew I had to believe in you! Now you changed the world into a better one!”

              Everyone began to cry. Ms. Finch and Luke were hugging each other and everyone gave a last round of applause.

              “Just believe in yourself. I believe in you”. These words that Ms. Finch told Luke ten years ago kept spinning in his mind while trying his best not to cry anymore. After all, he never liked crying in public, but now he had no choice left. He was famous and grateful that even though he only had one person believing in him, he went further no matter what.