In his office, Ed calls Information to get the number of the U.S. Patent Office. Okay, he could just do a web search -- I'm pretty sure you can search patents online. One more reason Ed needs a computer in his office. Oh, but he's the kinder, gentler lawyer, who doesn't use a computer. Whatever. Anyway, Ed puts Information on hold because he has another call. I'm so sure the Information operator stuck around on hold. Anyway, it's Mike, calling to inform Ed that Pollak is in the hospital due to "some kind of accident at the lab." Mike knows this because the hospital called Dr. Jerome for his records. Ed says that he's on his way over. Hey, he totally hung up on the Information operator! Ed is mean.

Mike is all fuzzy, since we're seeing him from Pollak's point of view. He comes into focus as Pollak wakes up. Mike tells him that there was an explosion in the lab. Ed enters and asks Pollak if he's okay. Pollak doesn't know, so Mike fills in that he has some minor injuries, but nothing serious. Pollak remembers hearing a big bang, and that's the last thing he remembers. Mike tells him that the paramedics said that the explosion lodged some huge pieces of metal in the wall, a few inches from Pollak's head. Pollak realizes that he "could have been killed." Mike and Ed nod soberly. Pollak looks horrified that he almost died. Mike and Ed nod soberly again. I think they just used the same footage twice.

In class, Warren is meeting with his group to discuss Walden. Mark and Donna say that they haven't read the book yet, and Warren is incredulous, saying that he didn't just read it, he "devoured it, as one devours a rare steak." Warren takes that metaphor a bit too far, bringing blood into it. Warren proclaims the quote that he cribbed from the website, which I'm not going to repeat, because I think most of Walden is crap. I mean, Thoreau was taking his laundry to his mother's house. He wasn't living off the fat of the land or anything. But don't get me started. I agree with the whole appreciating nature, and figuring out what's really meaningful in life stuff, but I knew too many dirty hippies in college who read Walden while listening to their bootleg Phish tapes and drinking soy lattes, all paid for by their parents' contributions to consumer culture, so I'm a little turned off by the whole thing. And that's all I'll say about that. ["Thank god you saved me the trouble, because I could not possibly agree more. I will also add that it was pretty arrogant of Thoreau to choose to live 'simply' off the land when it's clear he only had the luxury to make the choice at all because he was wealthy and white." -- Wing Chun] Anyway, the other group members are impressed that Warren knew the page number for his quote, and wonder if he has a "photographic memory." Warren spouts some crap that I can't believe even a teenager girl would find impressive or endearing about giving good literature a place in your heart. I think that I would've burst out laughing.