Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION Schultz speculated mildly upon the acid reaction there would be in their neighbourhood when they drove up to church tomorrow morning in the biggest, slickest, most up-to- the-second automobile in the whole county. Loise would revel in the envious glances and smile glowingly upon all her friends. A man reeled off the side- walk. A drunk, thought Schultz, instinctively touching the horn button. The mellow chiming notes surprised him. It also surprised the drunk. In one bound he regained the safety of the sidewalk, then turned and stared as the car swept past. *‘Sure is some tooter that,” observed Schultz. “‘Guess that guy got an earful. Glad I had them fix it before we took delivery. Sounds swell. Listen.”” He touched the but- ton again. The sound de- lighted him. Like a child with a new toy, he found every opportunity to use it and often without any at all. Mrs. Schultz unbent suf- ficiently to smile at him occasionally, but usually at those they overtook. Quite 130 suddenly the novelty wore off. “Quit making all that noise,’ she demanded. “I’m tired of it. Can’t you make it play another tune?” ‘The man said I could trade it in if you didn’t like it,” replied Schultz soothingly. ‘Said he had other tunes.”’ “Then have him change it. For pity’s sake. Sort of makes me feel cold.” “O.K., honey. Just as you say.” A lot of the pleasure of the new gadget had already evaporated in that short ex- change of words. He felt a little hurt and angry. Should have got Loise to hear the thing, he thought, before deciding on this particular one. Plenty to choose from. But this was the biggest. As an after-thought, he added: “Pity. I thought it was swell.” Loise did not answer. He left it at that and smiled inwardly. So far, she had only heard half of it. She would see the other when they drove up to the garage. Schultz barely suppressed a chuckle as he thought of the look of amazement that would appear comiclhooks.conm