She pointed past the gathered press to the Bos camelus-whitus. "That animal can go for long periods of time without water. We can thank the camel for that. Thanks to the cow, there is enough milk and meat to feed many. And we can be grateful to the snake for its slow digestive process."

Some of the reporters recoiled, thinking that they might have been touching a relative of the snake. "Yes, the snake," Dr. White repeated, relishing perhaps a bit too much their discomfort. "It can go for as long without food as it can without water. And we can thank above all else the brilliant minds here at BostonBio for bringing everything together in that one, dumpy, pathetic, world-saving animal."

She gestured grandly to the BBQ. As if in response, the animal burped loudly. Eyes hooded morosely, it began languidly chewing its cud.

"One of those brilliant minds being yours, no doubt," the female reporter snipped sarcastically.

"Yes, actually," Dr. White admitted. "This is my project. From start to finish."

The reporter smiled tautly. "Would it cripple your genius ego to learn that this is a nonstory?"

Dr. White seemed stunned. "What?" she demanded.

"Well, this is Boston after all," the reporter replied with confident pride. "We're pretty used to scientific breakthroughs around here. Maybe if you could slap a saddle on that thing and take some kids for BBQ rides around Boston Common, maybe then it'd get on the news. You know, human interest and all. As it is it's all kind of ho-hum."

"Ho-hum?" Dr. White asked, stunned.

"Sorry," the reporter said with a superior smirk. Turning, she began looping the cord from her microphone around her long slender hand.

"You stupid, stupid bitch," Dr. White muttered, head bowed. She said it so softly few people heard the words.