Prominent Author

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick - It was the dawn of a golden age of transportation. Terran Development was ready to market a fourth dimension "vehicle" which afforded almost instantaneous travel. For instance, Henry Ellis commuted 160 miles to work in five steps and a few seconds. Then, one morning, he met some people on the way...

"My husband," said Mary Ellis, "although he is a very prompt man, and hasn't been late to work in twenty-five years, is actually still someplace around the house." She sipped at her faintly-scented hormone and carbohydrate drink. ''As a matter of fact, he won't be leaving for another ten minutes."

"Incredible," said Dorothy Lawrence, who had finished her drink, and now basked in the dermalmist spray that descended over her virtually unclad body from an automatic jet above the couch. "What they won't think of next!''

Mrs. Ellis beamed proudly, as if she personally were an employee of Terran Development. "Yes, it is incredible. According to somebody down at the office, the whole history of civilization can be explained in terms of transportation techniques. Of course, I don't know anything about history. That's for Government research people. But from what this man told Henry-"

"Where's my briefcase?" came a fussy voice from the bedroom. "Good Lord, Mary. I know I left it on the clothes-cleaner last night."

"You left it upstairs," Mary replied, raising her voice slightly. "Look in the closet."

"Why would it be in the closet?" Sounds of angry stirring-arounds. "You'd think a man's own briefcase would be safe."