It was all in the binary nature of things…
His world could come crashing down. Either issue could see things go badly for him. Either one could bring about such major changes in his life. Either one would determine how his future would pan out. As a student in his final year a great deal depended on how well he had gone with the final exams. He was about to get the results. As a young man having recently experienced severe indigestion and heartburn, with his doctor saying it was either stomach cancer or an ulcer, and having had an upper endoscopy to check for cancer. He was about to get the results.
The binary was in play.
The binary nature of it was crucial. It was all about the two alternatives. The on and the off, the yes and the no, the positive and the negative.
They are not necessarily apposed.
The young man considered the upcoming events. On the following day, he would undergo both events within the same hour.
He would be looking at the university’s notice board, where the exam results are displayed.
He would be praying for a positive result.
Soon after…
He would be sitting in the surgery, waiting to see the doctor to get the test results.
He prayed for a negative result.