Flowers for Algernon

He calmed down after that. I observed him for more than an hour afterward. He seems listless and confused, and though he still learns new problems without external rewards, his performance is peculiar. Instead of the careful, determined movements down the maze corridors, his actions are rushed and out of control. Time and again he turns into a corner too quickly and crashes into a barrier. There is a strange sense of urgency in his behavior. I hesitate to make a snap judgment. It could be many things. But now I’ve got to get him back to the lab. Whether or not I hear from the Foundation about my special grant, I’m going to call Nemur in the morning .149 r PROGRESS REPORT 15 July 12 Nemur, Strauss, Burt, and a few of the others on the project were waiting for me in the psych office. They tried to make me feel welcome but I could see how anxious Burt was to take Algernon, and I turned him over. No one said anything, but I knew that Nemur would not soon forgive me for going over his head and getting in touch with the Foundation. But it had been necessary. Before I returned to Beekman, I had to be assured they would permit me to begin an independent study of the project. Too much time would be wasted if I had to account to Nemur for everything I did.

He had been informed of the Foundation’s decision, and my reception was a cold and formal one. He held out his hand, but there was no smile on his face. “Charlie,” be said, “we’re all glad you’re back and going to work with us. Jayson called and told me the Foundation was putting you to work on the project. This staff and the lab are at your disposal. The computer center has assured us that your work will have priority-and of course if I can help in anyway.. ”

He was doing his utmost to be cordial, but I could see by his face that he was skeptical. After all, what experience did I have with experimental psychology? What did I know about the techniques that he had spent so many years developing? Well, as I say, he appeared cordial, and willing to suspend judgment. There isn’t much else he can do now. If I don’t come up with an explanation for Algernon’s behavior, all of his work goes down the drain, but if I solve the problem I bring in the whole crew with me. I went into the lab where Burt was watching Algernon in one of the multiple problem boxes. He sighed and shook his head. “He’s forgotten a lot. Most of his complex responses seem to have been wiped out. He’s solving problems on a much more primitive level than I would have expected.” 150 “In what way?” I asked.

“Well, in the past he was able to figure out simple patterns-in that blind-door run, for example: every other door, every third door, red doors only, or the green doors only=but now he’s been through that run three times and he’s still using trial and error.”

“Could it be because he was away from the lab for so long?”

“Could be. We’ll let him get used to things again and see how he works out tomorrow.”

I had been in the lab many times before this, but now I was here to learn everything it had to offer. I had to absorb procedures in a few days that the others had taken years to learn. Burt and. I spent four hours going through the lab section by section, as I tried to familiarize myself with the total picture. When we were all through I noticed one door we had not looked into. “What’s in there?”

“The freeze and the incinerator.” He pushed open the heavy door and turned on the light. “We freeze our specimens before we dispose of them in the incinerator. It helps cut down the odors if we control decomposition.” He turned to leave, but I stood there for a moment. “Not Algernon,” I said. “Look… if and… when… I mean I don’t want him dumped in there. Give him to me. I’ll take care of him myself.” He didn’t laugh. He just nodded. Nemur had told him that from now on I could have anything I wanted.

Time was the barrier. If I was going to find out the answers for myself I had to get to work immediately. I got lists of books from Burt, and notes from Strauss and Nemur. Then, on the way out, I got a strange notion. “Tell me,” I asked Nemur, “I just got a look at your incinerator for disposing of experimental animals. What plans have been made for me?” My question stunned him. “What do you mean?”

“I’m sure that from the beginning you planned for all exigencies. So what happens to me?”

When he was silent I insisted: “I have a right to know everything that pertains to the experiment, and that includes my future.”

“No reason why you shouldn’t know.” He paused and lit an already lit cigarette. “You understand, of course, that from the beginning we had the highest hopes of permanence, and we still do… we definitely do—”

“I’m sure of that,” I said.

“Of course, taking you on in this experiment was a serious responsibility. I don’t know how much you remember or how much you’ve pieced together about things in the beginning of the project, but we tried to make it clear to you that there was a strong chance it might be only temporary”