Ockham's Razor: A Deductive Riddle

Chapter 5

"I'm certain I'll have no problems completing this." He tried a little brag, maybe she would be impressed.

"I'm certain you won't", replied Kate, in an undeniably professional voice. With that, she dropped the questionnaire and pencil on the desk, turned on the light and wished him a silent good bye.

Ian, a bit put out, perhaps more disappointed, sat down to complete the questionnaire. Before he started, he glanced over to Kate's desk, and saw that she was not even there. He peered around the room, and saw that he was alone, except for the student that welcomed him when he arrived to the department. He was not aware that anyone had left, but evidently, he was all alone, save that one student.

He opened the questionnaire. The first page was the requisite personal information sheets. Although there was an option on the sheet stating that he could use a pseudonym, he decided to forego the charade, and just use his real name. After all, he was not signing up for some online mailing list, he was participating in legitimate research at a respected university. The following several pages were rather bland questions about what he would find exciting, his motivations for activity, his thoughts on death and his fears. There was nothing of interest to him there. However, he was not the one seeking a degree in psychology.

He finished the last question, closed up his booklet, grabbed his pencil and looked around the room. Kate was back. He would take the survey to her, and see if he could try to woo her once again.

He rose from the desk, straightened his clothes. He wished that he had actually worn something a bit more stylish, and casually made his way over to where she was sitting. He took his time getting to her at her desk because he was looking for any indication that she found him, even in the slightest, a bit interesting or attractive. She gave off no clues, and before he could find some way of breaking the ice, he was at her desk.

"I see you've completed the survey", she broke the silence with a decidedly cheerful voice. Ian, pleased that she seemed to be in a better mood than when he went in, wanted to discover if her good mood was due to her interest in her survey, or in him. He had to resist assessing it because he was certain that his performance was not the simplest reason for her good mood. He was good at assessments, but hated being wrong.

"I, umm, really enjoyed completing that for you. Are you able to tell me how it's going to be used?" he managed to stammer out, prolonging the inevitable departure. Immediately he regretted it. The question seemed forced.

"Certainly. This is one of fifty surveys that we have either collected, or are in the process of collecting. The results are going to be quantified by another student here, and we have a framework theory by which we are going to apply these numbers. Once we have done that, we will have some preliminary results about whether risk takers and dare-devilish thrill seekers like yourself have any fundamental differences from, say, someone who seeks his thrills in the stock market."

Not interested too much in the answer, Ian remained focussed on Kate. Here, she was, a beautiful woman, who had an intelligence that was enviable, a confidence that comes from being both beautiful and intelligent, spending time with him. He decided right then and there to go for it, "Umm, Kate? Would you like to out to a club one night with me? We could do a dinner first, followed by a movie, and dancing?" He pulled out all the stops, knowing he could not afford to do it all, but he had to try to sway her.

Kate looked shocked. She looked around the room and Ian could tell that he had put her on the spot. He regretted overstepping immediately, just as he had at their previous meeting. He could see that at least one other student had heard his proposition, and she slowed her work down, obviously waiting for Kate's response.

Her eyes slowly came back to rest on Ian's eyes. With a complete, professional, dead-pan expression, she told him "I'm sorry Ian. I don't date people participating in our studies. I am very flattered, but I cannot accept."

Deflated, but trying not to show it, Ian replied with a forced smile, "Thank you, I'll make my way to the door".

Kate called out to him, "Don't go just yet."

Ian was getting a little excited, was there still a chance? She ran off to the back office and returned about a minute later holding an envelope. She said to him as she pushed the envelope into his hand, "The twenty-five dollar honorarium for participating. Thanks."

Maintaining his smile, trying to drink in a last look at her, he mumbled a shy "You're welcome", slowly turned, walked out and left the laboratory. He felt good that he had helped out in Kate's study, and he looked at things like a realist. Here he was, nothing to offer her but himself, and she did not bite. What could he expect? He was not a Casanova, or an athlete with prospects. He was an average student, with a moderate debt load, that liked gambling and action. He would move on.

Once outside, he cracked open the envelope, because he needed the bus money, and inside he found the twenty-five dollars, and a small note. On the note it read "I like risk takers. Asking me out was a risky thing to do. Call me" with her phone number.

Ian chuckled to himself. He turned, looked back at the building and smiled broadly and overtly. He had not realised it prior to that, but he had done what he wanted to do.