Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

THE GIVE-AWAY WORLDS Mark. ““Now, remember, offi- cially I know nothing of your intentions. As applications officer you take full responsi- bility for your selections.” He relit his cigar. ““Now get to hell out of here.” “One other thing.”” Mark paused by the door. “I’m taking on a new man, Miles Whayland. He’s a social en- gineer. Right ?’’ Jelks signalled disgusted agreement. Frank Durward walked slowly along the street from the prison. His incarceration hadn’t hurt him; if anything he had put on weight. It was the future which worried him. As a worker he was finished. No factory would employ him with his record, and if they - did the unions would object. While there were clean, decent, law-abiding men looking for jobs where did a jailbird come in? He didn’t. He went on relief or on a government project. Most men preferred jail. Frank halted, hands in pockets, feeling the few coins that were left to him. His lift 47 would have been impounded for non-payment. His apart- ment lost for the same reason, his clothes and other things packed and sent to a store where they would wait for him until he could afford to pay the charges. If he waited too long they would be sold to defray storage fees. He had almost reached the point of feeling sorry for himself when he noticed the stranger. He was a small, seedy, poorly-dressed individual with a furtive air. He sidled up to Frank and winked. “Just out, pal?’ *“What’s it to you?” “‘Nothing.”” The man was hasty in his denials. “Just thought you might be in- terested in something.” He held out a card. “Go to the ColTerm building, show them this card; it’s worth a meal and a couple of credits, maybe more.” He winked again. ‘“‘What you waiting for, pal? What can you lose?” Put like that it was logical. Frank accepted the card, slipped it in his pocket and strode towards the soaring height of the Colonial Ter- minal. He didn’t hope for comicloooks.com