Willie's Scientific Discovery...

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Willie worked among some of the greats of science, his daily routine including rubbing elbows with some of the greatest, almost greats and friends of the greats of science. He wasn't the most learned among them, nor was his name destined to be canonized in the journals and "who's who"s of science. On the other hand, Willie would never Wash Out in science, but he would wash up after those who would... and wouldn't. Willie was the janitor. Whether the fruit of the scientists labors resulted in a breakthrough, breakdown, or just broken all over the floor, Willie was there to pick up the pieces. At times, Willie was a lot like the experiments being conducted in the labs; his presence was left unnoticed, but the effects of his presence was evident. Other times he was treated like the most important person working in the building; usually when no work could continue until he made the room safe for human (and lab rat) consumption. Over the years, scientists came and went, but one thing was constant... Somewhere in the building, Willie was there. His work was never as important as that of the scientists, he'll never be published, never be lauded, and no prize of great import would carry his name. His legacy would pop away like the bubbles in his mop bucket. But his contribution to science might have been remembered, if only he had letters after his name. Willie was about his duties, separating the garbage into recycleable, unrecycleable, things he'll take home with him, and discarded petris dishes, beakers and other scientificware filled with all manner of foul filth. "You'd think the advanced thinkers would be able to tell the difference between a blue container with " " on them." Often crossed his mind, but he knew better than to complain. After all, they were celebrated scientists while he barely finished high school... what did he know? He donned his rubber gloves and started in on yet another bin when he looked into one of the Petris dishes. He noticed little circles between the mold that had grown amongst the gu. He wondered if it was the mold that didn't like the gunk, or the gunk that didn't like the mold. Either way, he couldn't help be see the parallel between the dishes and his own existence at the lab. The circles made him curious, so he asked some of the scientists what caused the little circles. None of them seemed to know. The only thing they seemed to agree on is that the mold was nothing but and annoyance, making their word harder because it got in the way. The way they brushed off his questions reminded him of his thoughts about his place in the lab... he was the mold, the scientists were the gunk, and he apparently just breached the little circle... and unwritten, unspoken protocol. As he went to his work in one room, several scientists were discussing the stumbling blocks in their latest attempt at a breakthrough. It was one of those sticky wickets where researchers find themselves when they know they are on the brink of something huge, but can't seem to cross that line. When Willie entered the room, they decided to take a break. All of them headed for the breakroom for coffee or a snack, except for one Alex Flemming, who sat at the big table thinking to himself over the problem. Flemming was new to the company, so Willy thought it might be worth a shot to ask him about the circles. At first Flemming seemd bothered that the janitor would interupt his thoughts. Then he seemed annoyed that a janitor would ask such silly questions. Then he shrugged it off, deciding that it was something a janitor would notice. Either way, it wasn't much of a question to pose a scientist of Flemmings' stature and reputation. Weeks later, Flemming realized that each time he looked into a petris dish and saw the bits of mold, it wasn't the mold he focused on, but the little circles... The rest is history... Sir Alex Flemming made boatloads of money, his name was canonized by those who canonize such names, and his discovery became known as the latest "discovery of the ages". You know that moldy discovery as "Pennicillin". So, what if this tale of total fiction were of the "non" persuasion? What if a mere janitor was the one who discovered the little circles in the petris dishes? What if it was he who first postulated the idea that mold kills petris dish gunk? Would we have pennicilin today? Hmmmmmm