Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 43 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

- TO-MORROW IS He felt at once impelled to explain and desperately em- barrassed at making excuses. Harrop eyed him thought- fully. ‘““You need that lunch, Michel—even without the ex- cuse of celebration.” THE CLERK at the bank where he presented the cheque was not known to him. “Yes, Mr. Michel?” He knows my name——? Oh, of course—it was on the cheque I just presented. He said: “A «blank cheque, please.” The clerk passed him one, indicated the pens and ink on the counter. Michel thanked him, glanced at the calendar, and dated thecheque, inscribed “‘Cash’’ on the top line. Just enough for his immediate needs—he could make some ambitious plans later. A trip abroad to take advantage of what was left of the summer His thoughts ran blithely ahead, and he signed the cheque. Then he presented it to the clerk, who said: ““How 19 ANOTHER DAY would you like it, Mr. Michel? In fives ?”’ “Oh, in ones will be all right,’” said Michel. The clerk looked at him half humorously. “Two hun- dred one-pound ‘notes are rather bulky, don’t you think? Are you sure?” Michel looked at him blankly. Two hundred——? But that was much more than his immediate requirements. Abruptly he said: “Let me see that cheque again.” The clerk handed it back. Sure enough, it was made out for two hundred pounds, in his own writing. He had meant to write twenty, not two hundred. He started to speak, stopped before he had got a word out, wondering. The clerk still iooked at him with an expression half quiz- zical, half amused. He did remember making it out for two hundred after all. The reason was unclear; but the memory was there, in a curiously unreal setting, as if an impulse from the depths of his mind had guided his hand, connicloooks. com