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Jim explain. “Bullshit weirdness,” he mumbled.
    Gene ignored Lou. “Who’s Dan, and what’s he to do with all this?”
    As Jim explained Dan Slater’s connection to Jim and to the story of the ark, Lou sat sullenly and listened. Jim admired Lou’s brash honesty, and over the years he had seen Brooks get away with things he wouldn’t dream of doing. Lou was tough on folks, but he never turned them away when they needed help. Jim had heard all the criticisms of Lou but he’d given up listening to them. He loved Lou like a brother.
    Kas, however, was not among Lou’s admirers, and she made no secret of it. Still, as Jim’s best friend she felt duty bound to tolerate him. Her world centered on Jim and right now, knowing that Lou probably had a joint or two in his pocket to share with his friends, she decided to make up some reason to get Stephanie out of the house.
    The phone rang. Claire was coming over soon to pick up Lou. “Saved by the bell,” Kas muttered as she hung up the kitchen wall phone.
    Jim noticed that Kas suddenly seemed more relaxed. He knew how she felt about Lou and guessed she was still afraid that he would light up a reefer if he got too bored. He found himself conscious of Lou and unable to focus on the discussion with Gene, but it didn’t seem to matter to Gene. It was as if he’d been waiting years to talk to Jim about the ark.
    “This is a weird coincidence, I guess, Jim,” continued Gene, pouring another glass of soda. “I decided to do some CAD work with my computer. I fed in the parameters of the ark based on your drawings and worked up a wire frame. I even had a friend write a radio wave simulation. Then we took the file to Columbia University and ran a simulation on one of their biggest computers, the ones they use to calculate the orbits of space debris and stuff.”
    “Anything happen?”
    “The program wouldn’t run,” said Gene with a shrug. “Some software glitch.”
    “I don’t get it, said Lou. “Are you saying you want to build the ark based on that?”
    Gene frowned. “I wasn’t finished. What I’m saying is that the program never ran. I tried five times. No one knows why it wouldn’t run.”
    “So what was the program supposed to do?” asked Lou, now finally interested in the discussion, “and why after nearly twenty years are you pursuing this? I still don’t get it.”
    “This happened within the last few months,” said Gene. “I want Jim involved in this. After all, he did the original drawings.”
    “Well, it’s good to see you again, anyway,” said Lou, “whatever the reason.”
    “Same here,” said Gene, raising his soda glass.
    Lou apparently detected the doubt in Gene’s voice. “No, I mean it.”
    Jim wore a slight smirk as Lou spoke, expecting Lou to give Gene a verbal jibe before long, but it never came. This pleased him so much that when Claire finally arrived he was a little disappointed to see Lou leave, but it did make it easier for Jim and Gene to continue their discussion.
    “I don’t recall a Dan Slater,” said Gene. “He was your buddy?”
    “From college. He was in the Air Force working on microwave receivers while you and I were getting high in South Philly.”
    “So he really knows his shit,” said Gene. “Well, I think he’s right about the ark being a resonator, but that, all by itself, has little real significance.”
    “What?” said Jim. “I thought it was a specific type of electronic component.”
    “Well, every box is a resonator of a kind. This room, for example. If the music from your stereo hits the right frequency the room will hum or vibrate. Haven’t you noticed?”
    Jim nodded. “Sure.”
    “A double layered box of non resonating wood is interesting, but it can be explained as a decorative thing. The gilding could be just decorative.”
    “So why are you so excited about it, then?”
    “It’s the cherubim. They are the key,” said Gene. “The configuration you came up with was new. It