Character: Richard Feynman

... I thought girls had a lot heavier than you guys. In those days girls couldn't ask to cut in and dance with boys; it was "indecent". So not too pretty girls would sit on the sidelines and missed. I thought, "Boys are easier: they can Wade in when they want". But you were not. You "can" but you don't have the courage, reason or whatever it is that you need to relax and get dancing pleasure. Instead, you just tie in a knot worrying about how to drive a wedge into the crowd or to ask a girl to dance with you.

... So I invited her to a movie. It was my first date.
I went home and told mom about it. She gave me many different tips on how to do it like that. For example, if we go by bus then I should go first and submit to Barbara's hand. Or if we go down the street, then I have to go on the outside of the sidewalk. She even told me what to say. She passed I inherited cultural tradition: women teach their sons to be treated well with the next generation of women.

I think people should have the attitude of like "What do you care what other people think!" I said, "We have to listen to other people's opinions and take them into account. But if they are unreasonable and if we believe that they are wrong, that's all!"

I easily wore the mask of a complete idiot - which I usually am, when I get to the real world and believed that there is no law of nature that says that I need to give up. I just continued to go his own way, without the slightest hesitation.

Once, when I was at Princeton, I received in the mail a box of pencils. The pencils were dark green with the words "RICHARD DARLING, I LOVE YOU! PUCCI", made in gold letters. It was Arlene (I called her Putsy). Well, it was nice, I love it too, but - you know how absent-minded and usually leave pencils everywhere: show Professor Wigner the formula or something and leave on his Desk a pencil. In those days, the additional tools we had, so I didn't want the pencils lay idle. I brought out the bathroom, a razor blade and cut off one of the pencil inscription to see if I will be able to use them. The next morning I receive a letter. It starts like this: "WHAT a THOUGHT: TRY to CUT WITH the PENCIL NAME?" Next: "aren't you proud of the fact that I love you?" Then: "WHAT do YOU care WHAT OTHER people THINK?"

I have never had this feeling nor this insane thought that they had that I'm married, because I promised to marry. I like it even in a head did not come. It wasn't that I promised something; we were together, not having bills and not being officially married, but we loved each other and were already married, emotionally. I said "Decently did the husband who left his wife after learning that she was sick with tuberculosis?"

- How do You value life?
- Sixty-four.
- Why did You say ' sixty-four?
- How are You supposed to measure the value of life?
- No! I mean, why do You say "sixty-four" and not "seventy three", for example?
If I said "seventy-three". You would have asked me the same question!