But staring now at that deep blue western sky and seeing it reflected in the lake, a second quote came back to me from that web page. It was the notion, put forward by another physicist, that space was a field of linear operations. Heisenberg – ever the pragmatist – would have none of it.
And what was his famous retort?
Suddenly I heard myself saying out loud: ‘Space is blue and birds fly through it.’
‘Sorry?’ Vern said, trying to make sense of this non-sequitur.
I looked at him and smiled. And said again: ‘Space is blue and birds fly through it.’
Vernon Byrne thought this one over.
‘Can’t argue with that,’ he finally said.
And we kept looking at the lake.