Kind Hearts and Clarinets

by JheremyC

My name is Dr. Leonard Leakey Hofstadter and on October the 12th, 2017, the great state of Texas will execute me for the murder of Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper. in-complete I apologize to anyone who spent their time reading this only to have the updates stop completely. I have attempted to write new material and failed miserably. Abandoned

11. Chapter 11

As always I own nothing, make no money from this and bow before the genius that is Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and all of the writers, actors and crew that bring the TBBT to life. Thank you.

You can't get there from here.

My life after the accident was filled with small aches and pains. My Physical Therapist had suggested continuing with Tai Chi to keep me limber. He sent a list of the moves I could do safely to our instructor Ted. As my healing progressed he updated that list to include more moves.

Since I was unable to drive and required a van to travel easily, Ted had decided to do an early morning class at the park across the street from our apartment. Sheldon, Raj and Howard still attended, and after a little cajoling so did our downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Vartabedian. Several more of our neighbors joined in and eventual our group was as large as Ted's original group at the campus. As the shyness about my appearance subsided the ladies would ask more and more questions on my state of health. I explained that an acetylene tank had ruptured at my lab and that as a result of that I was injured and my hair and hand temporarily disfigured. There was no permanent damage except for my toes, but there were certain changes made to my appearance because of the chemicals involved. A dollop of the jet fuel had landed on the right side of my forehead removing the hair there completely. It took my already visible widows peak and made it into a mountain top. Here is the funny part, when the hair grew back it was snow white. Most of the doctors agreed I was lucky it grew back at all and if it bothered me I could always dye it. That leads me to my left hand, the one the military had put gelatinous goo on in order to leech the bad chemicals from my hand. The hand itself was unmarked, but looked like it had been bleached. Here is the part that would get me in trouble later. My fingerprints on the left hand were all gone. My finger tips were smooth and unblemished. Even the scar that had been on my left palm since I was 5 years old, was gone. The discolored hand and nails would change in time. This to, the doctors said, should pass. I was not optimistic. Add a pair of dark wrap around sun glasses I had wear to and CalTech now had its own version of the phantom of the opera.

I now traveled everywhere by shoe leather and cane, or I rode the small busses that had been adapted for people with disabilities. What I missed most was being able to read since I had to pace myself till the eyes had healed completely. I know, whine, whine, whine. As Howard pointed out to me everytime I complained, at least I was waking up everyday on the right side of the grass.

As for our DOD project, Sheldon and Howard had stabilized the formula and with our accidental findings was able to boost the power per ounce of fuel used. When Sheldon and Howard presented their findings to me it was like they were children offering up a fathers day gift for the first time. They wanted me to deliver the findings but I refused. Instead they were to do it together, making sure they got the credit they so richly deserved. I was told later by the DOD liaison that our accomplishments were appreciated and that the DOD would be contacting my team and I in the future for other projects. The DOD fuel project completed they removed all of their property from our lab and moved it to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Also being removed was the security team housed in 4B, We would still need to curtail travel overseas but we no longer were under 24x7 scrutiny.

President Haskins was ecstatic. The grant money from the DOD had been good, but the agreed upon completion bonus, almost doubled the amount to be received. Add in the fact that the DOD had paid to restore the destroyed lab and you had a very appreciative President Hoskins. He had offered to supply additional funding for my industrial laser project. Instead I used that gratitude and asked him to rectify a great injustice. We talked for hours.

Two weeks later Sheldon was to defend his dissertation to the doctoral committee. Upon entering the room he saw the President was to be part of the committee and a look of panic came over him. I simply reminded him to do the math. He smiled and upon completion was visibly relieved knowing he had done a great job. President Hoskins then asked Sheldon to defend the dissertation he had written for his Doctorate in Mathematics. I had brought copies for the committee and Sheldon completed the task from memory.

Later that month the newly minted doctors were "Hooded" in a presentation ceremony by their respective faculty advisors. Since I was inured President Hoskins personally Hooded Sheldon for his Doctorate in Physics and then hooded Sheldon for the long overdue Doctorate in Mathematics. Sheldon was at last where he should have been, destiny interrupted but not destroyed.

At the end of the ceremony I watched as Sheldon was hugged and congratulated by his family and friends. I watched as Amy gave him a congratulatory kiss and was introduced to his Mom and his Mee-Maw. He looked happy. A day like this needed to be celebrated, so of course we went to the Cheesecake factory for dinner.