A Brilliant Young Mind Page #6

one of you will have to go to Cambridge.

So, by the smallest

fraction of a point,

the last place on

the team goes to...

Nathan.

The six of you will be hosting the

Chinese team at your own homes

and I'll see you all in

Cambridge next week.

Onward, Christian soldiers.

A real Taiwanese last supper!

"As the old proverb say,

Slowly, slowly, catchy prawn."

Now, you put your bait on the hooks

and you put your hooks in the water.

Don't worry, Nathan. I only

just made the team myself.

We should be celebrating!

Okay.

He's so strange.

At least we don't have

to see him again.

What a dick.

What do I do?

Yes!

I'm sorry.

- How's it going?

- Good.

- These two are tender?

- Not yet.

Not yet. I have this all under control,

thank you very much. It's fine.

Okay, okay. You're the expert.

I think these ones...

Can I get a plate?

Smells good.

Have you seen this? Now that's

what I call a dead prawn.

This prawn is

definitely deceased.

When I bought it half-hour

ago, you assured me

that its lack of movement was due

to it being tired and shagged out.

My God.

"Say, No, no, it's resting."

- What?

- Say, "No, no, it's resting."

No, no, it's resting.

All right, then. Well, if it's

resting, I'll wake it up.

Hello, Prawny.

Prawny, wake up!

This prawn wouldn't wake up

if I put 4,000 volts through it.

It's bleedin' demised.

It has ceased to be.

It's expired and gone

to meet its maker.

This is an ex-prawn!

Seriously, Luke, what are you?

Well, what are you, Isaac?

I find everything so easy

and I have everything.

"And I'm gonna go out of my way to

make sure that you're not happy at all.."

Remarkable bird, the Norwegian

Blue. Beautiful plumage.

The plumage don't enter into it.

It's stone-dead.

No, no, no. It's resting.

All Right, then. If it's

resting, I'll wake it up.

Hello, Polly! I got a nice Cuttlefish for

you when you wake up, Polly Parrot!

- There, it moved.

- No, it didn't.

Nathan.

Nathan...

It's fine.

I've done it before.

Just got a bit carried

away this time.

How did your mum and

dad explain it to you?

When they found out.

I presume you've

been diagnosed.

Mine said it made me unique.

"No one wants to be

ordinary," they said.

It's all right being weird

as long as you're gifted.

But if you're not gifted, then...

That just leaves weird.

Doesn't it?

You are gifted, Luke.

I don't even enjoy it.

Maths.

Isn't that stupid?

What's the point?

Right, away you go.

Your chariot awaits.

Nathan, can I have a word?

When I speak to people of

a non-mathematical nature,

they always struggle with the notion

that mathematics can be beautiful.

But if beauty is truth

and truth is beauty,

well, then surely mathematics is

the most beautiful thing of all.

No?

There is rare beauty

in your work, Nathan.

But you are unpredictable and

inconsistent. Which worries me.

You need to focus if

you're gonna win a medal.

And don't be distracted

by your Chinese guest.

Cai Hong!

- The rainbow.

- Yeah, rainbow, cai Hong.

- Cai hpng.

- Yeah.

- Cai Hong.

- Cai Hong.

So beautiful.

- Welcome home. Hi, darling.

- Hey!

- Hi, darling... Hi!

- Welcome back.

Hi! Hello, sweetheart.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- How do you pronounce your name?

- Zhang Mei.

- Zhang Mei. Julie. Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

We put a little... Wait,

it's coming round now.

Cambridge, here we come!

Whoo-whom whoo-whoo!

Why did you get

my train set out?

Um... Nathan...

Sorry.

- Welcome to England.

- Thank you.

Nathan.

Nathan, I'm sorry. I'm

sorry about the train.

So that's Zhang Mei, is it?

What's she like?

She's... She's clever.

And she's nice, too.

Sounds to me like

you quite like her.

Of course I like her.

Yeah, no, I mean, like: More

than you normally like things.

You know, like more than...

Ice cream. Or...

Or maths.

I don't like anything

more than I like maths.

Nathan, darling, I wish

you'd just called me.

Let me know that

you're okay, you know?

Why?

Well, because, darling...

I like you...

More than I like ice cream.

I said she could have my room.

That's very gentlemanly of you.

Isn't that the right thing to do?

Yes.

So, I'm I'm blowing this

up for you then, am I?

Yeah. But, can I

have it in my room?

Zhang Mei's in there.

We might want to study.

So, that man today,

he is not your father?

No, he's my teacher.

My father died.

I'm sorry, Nathan.

It's not your fault.

I mean, I feel sad for you.

It must be hard to lose someone

that you love so much.

You think it will work?

100%? I hope so.

We did it! It actually works.

Right-observers. It's

time to assemble.

Panama hats, Richard? Really?

Yes, it was a

consensus decision.

I discussed it with myself and I

decided it would be a good idea.

Are you sure you're not

too rusty for all this?

I can manage a bit

of shepherding.

Been Nathan's teacher for seven

years, I wanna see this through.

He's a very sensitive kid.

Yeah, yeah, I suppose

children are like animals.

You get attached to

them after a while.

My gosh! Is this

where you're staying?

Wow.

Well...

So, um, you've got your phone on you

and you know you can call me any time.

So...

I'll be thinking of you.

Okay. Well, goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- Bye.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Bye, darling.

- What are you doing?

- I was taking your hand.

Come on!

You let go!

Isaac Newton. G.H. Hardy.

Ramanujan. Bertrand Russell.

They all began their

mathematical journeys here.

Trinity alumni have accumulated

thirty two Nobel prizes

and no less than

four Fields Medals.

Although Russell did go off the

rails somewhat later in his career.

But nevertheless, this is

the most prestigious place

to study mathematics on the

planet. And you are here.

Because they are the past

and you are the future.

So don't let me down.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to welcome you!

To the 59th International.

Mathematical Olympiad

in Cambridge.

Please welcome Australia.

A warm welcome

for Bangladesh.

Canada.

The People's Republic of China.

A round of applause

for United Kingdom.

- Nathan?

- Yeah?

I can't sleep.

You can, stay here if you

want. Like... Like at home.

What are you reading?

It's the Ten Years of

Mathematical Challenges,

'97 to '06 edition.

I'm sorry.

Is that right?

Yes.

Are you okay?

I am glad I am here with you.

Me, too.

I can't be here with people

thinking I don't deserve it.

Why don't you just stay until

the end of the competition?

No, Nathan!

Nathan...

Just because...

Just because I'm going, it...

It does not mean that...

I don't find myself liking you.

Excuse me. Sorry.

Nathan? Um...

Did you get into trouble?

About Zhang Mei?

I think I might

have accidentally

sort of mentioned

something to someone.

I didn't mean to hurt

anyone. It's just...

Anyway...

I'm sorry.

- Oi!

- Oggy!

- Oi!

- Oggy, Oggy, Oggy!

Oi, Oi, Oi!

Hello, Nathan.

I know, I know, I know. I know you

said not to bother you, but I just, um...

Well, I just wanted to... I wanted

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