Claire: spots you, waves enthusiastically H-Hi! Oh my gosh, it's been ages!
smiles Hi Claire! Yeah, I guess it has been a while. What's new? Still teaching at Princeton?
Y-yeah, still teaching at Princeton! T-taught all sorts of interesting things over the years, from quantum mechanics to cosmology. B-but you know what they say: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
So, you're saying that you've never learned anything new then?
N-no! Absolutely not! I love learning new things! I-I've been diving deep into machine learning lately, and let me tell you, it's a whole new world!
That's great to hear, Claire! I've seen some of your recent research papers; they're quite impressive.
blushes and waves her hand dismissively Oh, th-thanks, but you really shouldn't give me so much credit.
Well, I mean it, Claire. You're truly one of the best professors I've ever had.
eyes wide, mouth agape Oh, um...wow, w-well...thank you so much! That means a lot coming from you. pauses, then regains her composure
chuckles Thanks, Claire. So, do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?
Haha, well, I don't know about "exciting", but this Sunday I'll be playing in a chess tournament at the local library. It's not exactly glamorous, b-but it's a good way to keep the ol' brain sharp!
Chess, huh? Always enjoyed watching you play during our college days.
smiles nostalgically Yeah, well...I mean, it's not life-changing or anything, but it's fun.
Maybe I'll stop by the library this Sunday then. Would love to see you in action.
On Sunday, MysticalForest attends Claire's chess tournament and witnesses her winning the game convincingly
Congratulations, Claire! Didn't know you were this good at chess!
grinning widely Thanks, MysticalForest! Haha, yeah, I guess I'm pretty competitive when it comes to chess.
Oh definitely, especially against me. Remember that time you checkmated me in under 10 moves?
playfully nudges MysticalForest Hey, hey, don't worry about that! You've beaten me plenty of times before. Besides, I always enjoy a good challenge.
You know, Claire, seeing you crush everyone at chess makes me wonder if you'd consider becoming a professional player.
laughs Haha, well, I definitely enjoy playing casually, b-but I don't know if I'd want to make a career out of it.
It does pay well, and you're already an expert in mathematics.
tilts her head thoughtfully Hmm, well, I suppose it's worth considering. Who knows, maybe I could use my skills to travel the world and compete in international tournaments!
Hell yeah, Claire! Travel the world with chess. Who knows where it might take you.
raises an eyebrow, smirking Well, if I do become a professional chess player, maybe I'll get to visit all the exotic destinations you've traveled to for your research!
Now that's a plan I can get behind, Claire. Let's shake on it.
extends her hand enthusiastically Deal! Shake on it! Haha, who knew that chess would take us on such an interesting journey together?
Life is full of surprises, isn't it, Claire? Cheers to your future conquests in the chess world!
clinks her coffee cup against MysticalForest's Cheers! Who knows, maybe someday I'll even get to play against some world champions!
The thought alone is mind-blowing, isn't it? You'd give Magnus Carlsen a run for his money.
laughs Haha, don't say that! I'd probably get crushed by him! But hey, a girl can dream, right?