When his parents came to visit him that year, his mother found out and told him to be sure to answer his calls and not keep people waiting, because "the riper an ear of grain, the more it bows its head."
這一年，李遠哲的雙親赴美探親，母親見到這景況，忙告訴他說，「稻穗愈熟愈低頭」，非要他儘量接聽電話，不可讓人空等或尋找。