Proof Final Alternate Ending


Scene 5:


The present. A week after the events in scene 3. Claire is running to the university dramatically. Hal chases her trying to get Claire’s attention. He is far behind but eventually catches up and stops Claire immediately.

Hal: Claire! Where are you going, what’s going on?
Claire: Not now Harold Dobbs. I need to get to the university, now move!
Hal: Claire, Catherine was telling the truth. This is all her work. I sat and read and read and it all comes together. Me and a couple of my geeky friends went over it multiple times, it all checks out. Every part of it is extremely complex and hard to follow, but we are unable to find anything wrong.
Claire: So you mean Catherine really…
Hal: Yes! This is her work it all checks out. Where is she I must speak to her about it? I feel awful for not believing her.
Claire: Well I think she’s one step ahead of you. After our fight this morning she tried to prove me wrong and present her work to the university. Before you came I was trying to stop her from making a fool of herself.
Hal: So, she’s presenting right now?
Claire: I think so, I tried talking her out of it this morning but..
Hal: Talking her out of it?! Claire this is a beautiful proof, it’s unlike anything I or any of my colleagues have seen. Possibly you’re just holding her back.
Claire: Holding her back?! I am doing nothing but trying to help improve her life. She sits around doing nothing, she has no job and she needs help. She needs to see a doctor and live with me in New York.
Hal: Don’t you see? Catherine isn’t out of her mind. She is brilliant! She has done work that is close to impossible for anyone to create.
Claire: Is it Catherine’s work?
Hal: Yes!
Claire: But how can you be so sure, the handwriting is identical to my fathers.
Hal: I spent days reading the proof over and over again. The mathematical techniques are a lot more novel than the work of your father.
Claire: So what does this all mean?
Hal: This is huge; this is the kind of work that people spend their whole careers trying to create. Your sister is a special girl Claire, this proof could change everything.

( Claire is stunned and the two make their way to the university. As they walk in they see Catherine in front of a group of mathematicians. The professors are shocked and begin to criticize the work.)
Catherine: This proof is mine I swear!
Mathematicians: Catherine this work is almost impossible for a woman like you to have created.
Catherine: So since I am a woman all of you are undermining my work. Was Sophie Germaine’s work any less of a masterpiece than many other male mathematicians?
Mathematicians: Catherine there is no way you could have created this work, the handwriting is identical to your fathers. It seems nearly impossible for a girl who had been watching her father rather than attending college, to create such work.
Catherine: While I took care of my father I created this proof. Living with my father gave me the material to work with, not attending a college. He was in terrible shape for four years. He created absolutely no work during that time.
Mathematicians: Catherine it’s the same notebook as your fathers.
Catherine: I took one of the notebooks and used it!
(Suddenly Hal barges in. He goes in front of the audience and begins to back up Catherine. He adjusts his tie and clears his throat.)
Hal: Hey Cathy
Catherine: What are you doing here?!
(Hal begins to speak to the mathematicians.)
Hal: Hello, I am a student of Catherine’s Father and I have been working for years to create some work. After reading this proof I did not believe that this could possibly be Catherine’s work similarly to all of you. But a week went by and I read the work over and over again, and it all checks out. Much of the material is hard to comprehend but I can’t seem to find anything wrong with it.
Mathematicians: How are you positive that this is her work and not her fathers?
Hal: It’s all there in the proof. Many of the techniques were developed in the last decade while her father was not creating any work. It uses elliptic curves, modular forms, techniques I would have never even thought of but so new and creative that her father would have never been able to create such work in his state of being. This proof is Catherine’s work I can guarantee it.
Catherine: Hal I don’t know what to say.
Hal: No, I want to apologize, I should have just believed you, this work is beautiful Catherine.
Mathematicians: Well if this is so the proof should be published and as for you Catherine, congratulations this is a big step in your life, with work like this you could write your ticket to any math department in the country.
Catherine: Thank you all.
(Catherine and Hal both leave the building and go outside. There Claire is waiting. She approaches the two.)
Claire: I don’t know what to say Catherine.
Catherine: Well for starters you were wrong about me and I really don’t need your babysitting.
Claire: I was only trying to help but I guess I was wrong all along.
Catherine: Yeah it feels good to be right.
Hal: You would know, that proof is something else Catherine.
Catherine: You know Hal, you really pissed me off, but what you did in there for me was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, Thank you.
(All three go back to the house and Claire packs her stuff up to go back to New York.)

Claire: So Catherine did you pack up your stuff.
Catherine: I think im going to stay here with Hal and continue on my work.
Claire: Are you sure? In New York there is great coffee and…
Catherine: Yeah Claire, I’m sure.
Hal: Don’t worry Claire, I’ll take good care of her here.
Claire: Well then I better get going if I’m going to catch my flight. Catherine if you need anything please feel free to call me.
Catherine: If I start to lose my mind I’ll give you a call.
(Claire gives Hal and Catherine a hug and says goodbye. Catherine sits down next to Hal. They both sit there in the old rugged house for the rest of the night.)