I kept wondering what Alex’s real reason was for today’s visit as Margo served him his second cup of coffee.

He complimented her as usual. “I sure like your European coffee, it’s strong maybe, but it’s so smooth.” Then he gingerly took a small sip before continuing.

“My niece Jennifer stopped by yesterday on her way back to college. We had a good visit but when I asked her what she was majoring in she gave me some wishy-washy answers. She called it Molecular Biology, but she wouldn’t explain much more. It was too difficult to explain she said, probably meaning that I was too dumb to understand. So I figure you can give me some hints for the next time Jenny comes by.”

“OK,” I agreed, “I will try. What she is studying is all those different chemicals that your body is made of, and how they work together.

Let’s start with the most important one, called DNA. The DNA is a real big molecule, shaped somewhat like a twisted ladder. The rungs are your genes, and there are many of them. Now let me show you how the DNA with its genes directs your life.

For instance, the genes tell the cells in your body to make certain chemicals that can sense what your body needs. Like when your body needs more liquid. Other chemicals then make you feel thirsty.

Then there are chemicals that sense when you need more energy and you get hungry.

But here comes the sneaky part. Your genes also make chemicals that tell your brain to feel good when you obey those signals from your genes.

“Hold it right here, Horst,” he stopped me. “If that DNA molecule can do all hat, doesn’t that mean that we are not as much in charge as we think we are?”

“Good point, Alex,” I answered. “In fact, over 360 years ago a British poet by the name of Samuel Butler said that the hen is just the egg’s means to replicate itself. You realize what that means regarding us. It says that a person is just the DNA’s instrument to replicate itself.

We might as well admit that it is the DNA making us grow up to sexual maturity. And as with eating and drinking, it then makes sex such enjoyable occupation that very few can deny the urge.

Once we have done our job that the DNA had outlined for us it loses interest in us. We are getting old and decrepit.

Consider, here we stand, the crowning result of millions of years of evolution, the very top of the food chain, the builder of skyscrapers and rocket ships, the designer of operas and gothic cathedrals, the conqueror of diseases, the mind that probes the vastness of the cosmos and the infinitesimal world of basic particles.

And yet, who are we in reality.

Are we the great conqueror or are we the puppet obeying a big molecule? Or are we maybe both?”