Where was I? What had been done? I replied that I was in the recovery room and that he had detached the lateral rectus muscle of the right eye and attached the plaque containing radioiodine {I-125, to be precise} to the sclera. I said that I was sorry it was not radioactive ruthenium instead of iodine {I have a thing for the platinum metals} but that 125, at least, was memorable for being the smallest number that was the sum of two squares in two different ways. I startled myself as I said this; I had not thought it out before-it just jumped into my mind. {I realized, a few minutes later, that I was wrong-65 is the smallest such number.}
( Oliver Sacks )
[ The Mind's Eye ]
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