K-Pax by Gene Brewer Page A

eagernes s   wit h   whic h   h e   attacke d   th e   test s   an d   questionnaire s   supporte d   m y   earlier speculatio n o f a n academi c background . Ho w fa r h e ha d progresse d wit h hi s   educatio n   wa s   stil la   matter o f conjecture , bu t i t seeme d quit e likely , base d o n hi s confiden t   demeano r   an d   articulateness ,   tha t   h e   had a t leas t attende d colleg e an d possibl y eve na graduat e o r professiona l school.
    I t too ka fe w day s t o proces s th e data , an dI mus t confes s   tha t   m y curiosit y   wa s   suc h   tha t   I   le t   lapse som e   thing s   I   ha d   planne d   t o   d o   a t   hom e   i n orde r   t o   com e   i n o n   Saturda y   t o   finis h wha t   Bett y   ha d   not complete d   b y   Frida y   afternoon .   Th e   fina l   results ,   thoug h   generall y   unremarkabl e   (a s   I   ha d   expected), wer e nonetheles s interesting . The y ar e summarize d a s follows:
     
     
    I Q 15 4 (wel l abov e average , thoug h no t i n geniu s category)
    Psychologica l test s (left/right , mazes , mirro r tests , etc.-addnl . t o std . admissio n exam ) normal
    Neurologica l test s normal
    EE G (performe d b y D r Chakraborty ) normal
    Short-ter m memor y excellent
    Readin g skil l ver y good
    Artisti c ability/eideti c imager y variable
    Musica l abilit y belo w average
    Genera l knowledg e (history , geography , languages , th e arts ) broa d an d impressive
    Mat h an d scienc e (particularl y physic s an d astronomy ) outstanding
    Knowledg e o f sport s minimal
    Genera l physica l strengt h abov e average
    Hearing , taste , smell , tactil e acuitie s highl y sensitive
    "Specia l senses " (abilit y t o `feel " colors , sens e th e presenc e o f othe r people , etc. ) questionable
    Vision
    1 . Sensitivit y t o whit e ligh t marked!
    2 . Rang e ca n detec t ligh t a t 300-40 0A (UV)!
     
     
    Aptitud e coul d d o almos t anything ; particula r affinit y fo r natura l histor y an d physica l sciences
     
    A s ca n b e seen , th e onl y   unusua l   findin g wa s   th e   patient' s   abilit y   t o   se e   ligh t a t   wavelength s   wel l   into th e   ultraviole t   range .   Hi s   apparen t   sensitivit y   t o   visibl e   ligh t coul d   hav e   bee n   du e   t o   a   geneti c   defect ;   in an y cas e   ther e   wa s   n o   obviou s   retina l   damag e   (nevertheless ,   I   mad e   a   not e   t o   cal l   Dr .   Rappaport ,   our ophthalmologist ,   firs t   thin g   o n   Tuesday ,   Monda y   bein g   Memoria l   Day) .   Otherwis e   ther e   wa s   no suggestio n o f an y specia l alie n talents.
    Th e   patient' s   knowledg e   o f   languages ,   incidentally ,   wa s   no t   a s   broa d   a s   h e   pretended .   Althoug h   he spok e an d   rea d   a   littl e   o f   mos t   o f   th e   commo n   ones ,   hi s   understandin g   wa s   limite d   t o   everyda y   phrases an d   idioms ,   th e   type s   foun d   i n   book s   fo r   travelers .   Anothe r   thin g   tha t   caugh t   m y   ey e   wa s   some informatio n   th e   patien t   volunteere d   abou t   th e   star s   i n   th e   constellatio n   Lyra-thei r   distance s   fro m   Earth, types , etc .- nothin g tha t require d spac e trave l t o obtain , certainly , bu tI decide d t o chec k thi s ou t a s well. Drivin g hom e   tha t   afternoo n   t o   th e   accompanimen t   o f   Gounod' s   Faust ,   I   marvele d   onc e   again ,   a s   I bellowe d   along ,   a t   wha t   th e   huma n   min d   ca n   do .   Ther e   ar e   well-documente d   case s   o f   superhuman strengt h   arisin g   fro m   a   desperat e   nee d   o r   fi t   o f   madness ,   o f   astoundin g   performance s   fa r   beyon d   the norma l   capabilitie s