Ch3-Big Thinkers

CHAPTER THREE Big Thinkers "Ha-ha," Jack laughed, as if Annie were crazy. "Don't pay attention to her. We're leaving now." "Who are you to defy our teacher?" a boy shouted. "How dare a girl insult him!" another yelled. He shook his fist at Annie.

"She wasn't insulting anyone," said Jack. "But don't worry, we're going." He took Annie's arm and started to pull her along. "Stay!" the teacher commanded. Jack and Annie froze. "Tell me more," the man said. "It is rare that I am surprised—and you have surprised me. What do you mean, the earth is not the center of the universe?" "Well," said Annie, "the earth is a planet, and all the planets in our solar system travel around the sun." The teacher smiled. "Is that what you believe?" he said. "It's not just what I believe. It's what I know," said Annie. "A trip around the sun takes a year." The students laughed. "You are speaking nonsense," one said. "And wasting our precious time with Aristotle!" Aristotle? thought Jack. He knew that name. His mind raced, trying to remember who Aristotle was. "I'm just telling you the facts," said Annie. "While the earth is circling the sun, it rotates.

Rotate means it spins around. One rotation of the earth is one day." The boys snickered, but Aristotle was quiet. "What a novel idea," he said softly. Then he turned to the boys. "Our class is over for the day. I would like to speak to these two visitors alone." The boys grumbled, but they tucked their tablets under their arms and headed out into the bright square. Aristotle stared at Jack and Annie. "Who are you? Where are you from?" he asked. "I'm Annie. This is Jack, my brother. And, um, we're from Frog Creek." "Frog Creek…?" said Aristotle. "It's west of Greece," Jack said. "And who are you?" asked Annie. "My name is Aristotle. I have come from Athens, Greece, to teach philosophy and science in Macedonia." Jack gasped. Now he remembered! Aristotle was a great philosopher and scientist in ancient Greece! On a past mission, they had delivered his writings to the ruler of Baghdad.

"We've heard of you," said Annie. "You're a big thinker. We saved your writings once, but a camel ate them." She laughed. "It wasn't funny at the time. But—" "Annie," said Jack. He shook his head. It would be impossible to explain their trip to Baghdad. That trip had happened more than a thousand years after this time in history. "My sister has a big imagination," he said. "So it would seem," said Aristotle. "Her ideas about the universe are completely wrong, of course, but I am astonished that she has a theory." "Why?" asked Annie. "I did not think that girls had the ability to think about such things," said Aristotle. Annie looked at Jack. "He's kidding, right?" she said. Jack laughed nervously. "Well, no," he said. "That's what people thought a long time ago." Scowling, Annie started to say something, but Aristotle smiled at her. "You must be a very special kind of girl. Come. Let us walk and talk, and you can show me what big thinkers you both are."

Jack and Annie fell into step with the philosopher as he started across the square. "Besides contemplating the universe, what else do you think about?" Aristotle asked Annie. "Um… I think a lot about animals," she said. "Wonderful. Animals always reveal to us something natural and beautiful," said Aristotle. "So you study them?" "I do study them," Annie said. "But more than that, I fall in love with them. I think that's the way I really learn." "Ah, very good," said Aristotle. "To truly educate your mind, you must also educate your heart. And where does your heart lead you, Jack? Do you prefer a life of sports? Military training?" Jack shook his head. "I'm not super-great at sports," he said, "or military training. But I'm good at doing research. I take notes on everything." Jack found it surprisingly easy to talk with the philosopher. "I love learning about the rain forests and the deep sea and the moon. I love learning about everything, really." "Me too!" said Annie.

"Indeed?" said Aristotle. "You both are remarkable!" Jack shrugged. "Not really. I guess we just kind of know ourselves." "So it would seem," Aristotle said. "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." "The more Jack and I learn about the world, the more we learn about ourselves," said Annie. "We're always trying new stuff." "Yeah, even if we make fools of ourselves sometimes," said Jack. "Especially me." Aristotle chuckled. "I think we should all dare to make fools of ourselves again and again," he said. "Anyone who fears looking like a fool must say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing." "So it would seem," said Annie. "May I ask: why have you come to Macedonia?" said Aristotle. "Does your visit have a purpose?" "It does," said Jack with a laugh. He was enjoying talking to Aristotle so much that he'd forgotten their mission. "Actually, we're looking for Alexander the Great." "Do you know him?" asked Annie.