Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION not slow; that would have been stupid, for it was more efficient for it to keep running, but the series of baby carriages came to an end. Frank slipped on the last pair of wheels, straightened his back and turned as a woman came down the aisle pushing a trolley loaded with containers of coffee and packages of sand- wiches. She handed them out, one container and package to each man. Frank pressed in the top of the coffee container, stood it to one side while the built-in unit heated the con- tents and stripped the plastic wrappings from the sand- wiches. “What you got?’ The nut- fixer, his mouth full, gestured with his package. “Soybean butter and yeast-cheese in mine. Want to share?’ ‘““No point.” Frank exam- ined his food. “Mine are the same.” He bit into one, trying to enjoy it, but finding it hard. It was food, that was all that could be said for it. He had finished the sand- wiches and was drinking the coffee when the foreman, his face dark with anger, came down the aisle. “Durward! Do you park your lift in the restricted area?” / “Maybe.” Frank was defensive. ““Why?”’ “The office has just phoned down.” The foreman seemed really angry. ““Damn it, Dur- ward. You know as well as anyone that you aren’t al- lowed to use the restricted area.” He glanced at his wrist watch. “Get up there and shift it right away. If you’re fast you can be back before the break’s over. If you’re not, then I’ll have to book you in as being late on the job for the second time today. Move!”’ Frank hesitated, then, gulp- ing a mouthful of coffee, ran towards the exit. The foreman was trying to give him a 14 break and he knew it. Twice late in one day meant im- mediate dismissal, and despite what he had said about work in general, he had no desire to test his job-getting powers. Even quitting a job made it difficult to find another; to be fired was almost economic suicide. A man was standing beside comiclbooks.conn