since you were born, as your mother and I were. All we’ve done all these years has been to give fate a little help in couples’ finding each other, getting to know each other and, as a result, falling in love. Jessica’s mother knew everything and always encouraged your relationship.’
‘I just can´t believe that you manipulated me,’ grumbled Thomas indignantly, showing his disapproval.
‘Son, we did nothing except give a little shove. Jessica married you because she loved you, in other words, the two of you truly fell in love.’
‘And what if we hadn’t fallen in love, what would you have done? Would you have obliged us to get married?’
‘Of course not! You have a number of cousins you don´t know, all very pretty. Let´s not be unduly modest - we have great genes, it’s rare for anyone unattractive to be born in this family. In the old days everything was easier, the parents told their children who they were to marry and that was it, no argument. More recently all that changed, which was unfortunate, and we had to change tactics; but what’s important is that it worked out and here were all are today.’
‘Grandpa, just tell the story straight. It’s totally unreal, I can´t believe I´m not dreaming,’ said Sarah, holding her head in both hands and running her fingers through her hair.
‘As I was saying, the angel told Joseph of Arimathaea that when the right moment came, Jesus would be born again from his own blood, and that only someone of his line would be able to open the cylinder you see here. Our more distant ancestors didn´t have any very clear idea of what “being reborn through the blood” actually implied. They thought it would be enough to open the cylinder and tip the blood into the chalice, or something like that, for Jesus to return. I was the first one to realize what the angel was really saying to Joseph - that a clone should be born from that blood. That´s the only possible explanation. And that’s why all your life I’ve been encouraging you and pushing you to become a genetic scientist, because you´re the one who’s going to create a clone of Jesus Christ.’
‘Dad, you´ve got to be crazy. Cloning humans is illegal and unethical. And even if it was permitted, research on cloning is still in its infancy. Some scientists have tried cloning animals and most of the clones were still-born or deformed, or didn´t live for a month.’
‘What about those frogs they cloned in 1952 using tadpole cells? Didn´t you do your master’s thesis on that?’ asked his father.
‘Yes, don´t you remember that I managed to clone a frog when I was doing my master’s? I even brought it home for you to see. The difference with amphibians is that the complete regeneration of the tissues is a natural characteristic, which makes it easier to do.’
‘Of course I remember. And do you remember who encouraged you to choose this subject for your thesis?’
‘Yes, I remember very well that you practically forced me to do it. You even gave me equipment for my laboratory as an incentive, didn´t you?’
‘Your thesis was highly praised and drew plenty of comment at Harvard,’ recalled his father. ‘I´m quite certain that when we clone Jesus from his own blood he won’t die - after all, he did come back to life once before,’ retorted George confidently, looking quite unworried.
‘I´m very sorry, Dad, but don´t count on me to help you on this. I could lose my license or, worse, go to jail. And even if you find someone to do the cloning, you´ll still need a uterus to carry the child.’
‘Yes, well, that we already have: I´m looking at it now,’ said George, with his eyes on Sarah.
‘Me, grandpa?! It’s… You really have gone crazy!’ Sarah was flabbergasted. ‘Grandma, don´t you have anything to say?’
‘Darling, listen to your grandfather. He’s telling the truth and this has got to be done. It’s the mission the two of you have to carry out.’
‘Thomas,
‘I just can´t believe that you manipulated me,’ grumbled Thomas indignantly, showing his disapproval.
‘Son, we did nothing except give a little shove. Jessica married you because she loved you, in other words, the two of you truly fell in love.’
‘And what if we hadn’t fallen in love, what would you have done? Would you have obliged us to get married?’
‘Of course not! You have a number of cousins you don´t know, all very pretty. Let´s not be unduly modest - we have great genes, it’s rare for anyone unattractive to be born in this family. In the old days everything was easier, the parents told their children who they were to marry and that was it, no argument. More recently all that changed, which was unfortunate, and we had to change tactics; but what’s important is that it worked out and here were all are today.’
‘Grandpa, just tell the story straight. It’s totally unreal, I can´t believe I´m not dreaming,’ said Sarah, holding her head in both hands and running her fingers through her hair.
‘As I was saying, the angel told Joseph of Arimathaea that when the right moment came, Jesus would be born again from his own blood, and that only someone of his line would be able to open the cylinder you see here. Our more distant ancestors didn´t have any very clear idea of what “being reborn through the blood” actually implied. They thought it would be enough to open the cylinder and tip the blood into the chalice, or something like that, for Jesus to return. I was the first one to realize what the angel was really saying to Joseph - that a clone should be born from that blood. That´s the only possible explanation. And that’s why all your life I’ve been encouraging you and pushing you to become a genetic scientist, because you´re the one who’s going to create a clone of Jesus Christ.’
‘Dad, you´ve got to be crazy. Cloning humans is illegal and unethical. And even if it was permitted, research on cloning is still in its infancy. Some scientists have tried cloning animals and most of the clones were still-born or deformed, or didn´t live for a month.’
‘What about those frogs they cloned in 1952 using tadpole cells? Didn´t you do your master’s thesis on that?’ asked his father.
‘Yes, don´t you remember that I managed to clone a frog when I was doing my master’s? I even brought it home for you to see. The difference with amphibians is that the complete regeneration of the tissues is a natural characteristic, which makes it easier to do.’
‘Of course I remember. And do you remember who encouraged you to choose this subject for your thesis?’
‘Yes, I remember very well that you practically forced me to do it. You even gave me equipment for my laboratory as an incentive, didn´t you?’
‘Your thesis was highly praised and drew plenty of comment at Harvard,’ recalled his father. ‘I´m quite certain that when we clone Jesus from his own blood he won’t die - after all, he did come back to life once before,’ retorted George confidently, looking quite unworried.
‘I´m very sorry, Dad, but don´t count on me to help you on this. I could lose my license or, worse, go to jail. And even if you find someone to do the cloning, you´ll still need a uterus to carry the child.’
‘Yes, well, that we already have: I´m looking at it now,’ said George, with his eyes on Sarah.
‘Me, grandpa?! It’s… You really have gone crazy!’ Sarah was flabbergasted. ‘Grandma, don´t you have anything to say?’
‘Darling, listen to your grandfather. He’s telling the truth and this has got to be done. It’s the mission the two of you have to carry out.’
‘Thomas,
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