Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 41 — page 129: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION youths watching the boy with the radio controlled auto. As he watched, the toy performed intricate and amusing manceu- vres around the broken box furniture. It backed up, raced around in tight circles, and skidded to realistic stops. “What time is it, Jim?” Phil asked an intense young boy near him. “T ain’t allowed a watch, ' Phil. Last time I ripped one apart they took it away from me before I could put it back together again. I was four.” The explanation was un- necessary. Phil remembered that the boy had told the same story five or six dozen times before. Suddenly the toy car veered crazily from the centre of the room and came to an abrupt stop against Phil’s outstretched foot. Startled, he drew his foot back. The others laughed at him. Then he kicked out again in anger, nudging the thing back into the centre of the room. ““Hey!’’ cried the owner, aggressively. But Phil had risen to his feet. He walked away from them and approached Jake. The youth had been standing apart from the others, watch- ing them, amusedly. “What time is it, Jake?”’ The older boy produced an expensive pocket watch. “It’s nine seventeen, plus or minus fifteen seconds.” “IT have to go,”’ Phil said. “Stick around—just calm down a little. I’m going to show the kids a new trick with a loop of piano wire. Learned it from my uncle— he was a Ranger in the war, you know.” “Jake 2." ““What’s the matter with - you, Phil? Your folks riding you?” “No!”? The denial carried more strength than was needed. : The other boy stepped back in exaggerated reaction. “Don’t get sore, Phil. I didn’t say your dad was a horse thief.” “Tm sorry...” “You have to learn to deal with the adults. It’s our most important objective at this point.” “‘Jake—when do we get beyond this... this kid’s stuff? These kids’ games. When do 128 conniclooolkks.comhn)