The assembled scientists exchanged glances and compared notes, whispering to each other. The presentation on Barberian Physics had been impressive, and most of the observers had been completely convinced that this man's theories were absolutely valid.
Only one man sat in the back of the room with his hand covering his mouth, a massive frown of thought. His eyebrows, too, were bent downward, showing his deep concentration. Unlike the rest of the group, he held no notepad. No pencil was in his hand.
The speaker smiled to himself. The kids had laughed at him in school. Everyone had told him that he would never amount to anything. And now, here he was, presenting his case, ensuring himself a place in all Physics books, right next to Einstein and Newton. Surely nothing could stop him now. "If there are no questions," said the speaker, "then I would like to..."
"Actually, I do have a small question," said the man in the back as he lifted himself off of his chair and walked down the center isle.
"How can your presentation today have any meaning in the scientific world when all of your facts have been formed from speculation, making them neither provable nor disprovable, and therefore completely unapplicable?"
The speaker had known that this question would come. They were all skeptics. "I agree with you totally," he said, "but what if..."