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<v Speaker 1>Circus by Allan Edward Norse. Just suppose, said Morgan, that

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<v Speaker 1>I did believe you. Just for argument, He glanced up

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<v Speaker 1>at the man across the restaurant table. Where would we

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<v Speaker 1>go from here? The man shifted uneasily in his seat.

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<v Speaker 1>He was silent, staring down at his plate. Not a

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<v Speaker 1>strange looking man, Morgan thought, Rather ordinary in fact, a

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<v Speaker 1>plain face, knows a little too long fingers, a little

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<v Speaker 1>too dainty, a suit that doesn't seem quite to fit,

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<v Speaker 1>but all in all, a perfectly ordinary looking man. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>too ordinary, Morgan thought. Finally, the man looked up. His

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<v Speaker 1>eyes were dark, with a hunted look in their depths

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<v Speaker 1>that chilled Morgan a little. Where do we go? I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know. I've tried to think it out, and I

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<v Speaker 1>get nowhere. But you've got to believe me, Morgan. I'm lost,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean it. If I can't get help, I don't

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<v Speaker 1>know where it's going to end. I'll tell you where

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<v Speaker 1>it's going to end, said Morgan. It's going to end

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<v Speaker 1>in a hospital, a mental hospital. They'll lock you up,

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<v Speaker 1>and they'll lose the key somewhere. He poured himself another

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<v Speaker 1>cup of coffee and sipped it. Scalding hot, and that,

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<v Speaker 1>he added, will be that the place was dark and

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<v Speaker 1>almost empty. Overhead, a rotary fan swished patiently. The man

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<v Speaker 1>across from Morgan ran a hand through his dark hair.

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<v Speaker 1>There must be some other way, he said, There has

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<v Speaker 1>to be. All right, let's start from the beginning again.

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<v Speaker 1>Morgan said, maybe we can pin down something a little better.

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<v Speaker 1>You say your name is Parks, right, The man nodded,

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<v Speaker 1>Jefferson Haliman Parks, if that helps any Haldeman was my

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<v Speaker 1>mother's maiden name. All right, and you got into town

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<v Speaker 1>on Friday, right, Parks nodded, fine. Now go through the

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<v Speaker 1>whole story again. What happened first? The man thought for

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<v Speaker 1>a minute, as I said, First, there was a fall

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<v Speaker 1>about twenty feet. I didn't break any bones, but I

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<v Speaker 1>was shaken up and limping. The fall was near the

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<v Speaker 1>highway going to the George Washington Bridge. I got over

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<v Speaker 1>to the highway and tried to flag down a ride.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you feel, I mean, was there anything strange

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<v Speaker 1>that you noticed? Strange? Park size widened? I was speechless

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<v Speaker 1>at first. I hadn't noticed too much. I was concerned

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<v Speaker 1>with the fall and whether I was hurt or not.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't really think about much else until I hobbled

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<v Speaker 1>up to that highway and saw those cars coming. Then

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<v Speaker 1>I could hardly believe my eyes. I thought I was crazy,

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<v Speaker 1>But a car stopped and and asked me if I

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<v Speaker 1>was going into the city, and I knew I wasn't crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>Morgan's mouth took on a gram line. You understood the language.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh yes, I don't see how I could have, but

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<v Speaker 1>I did. We talked all the way into New York.

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<v Speaker 1>Nothing very important, but we understood each other. His speech

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<v Speaker 1>had an odd sound, but Morgan nodded, I know. I noticed.

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<v Speaker 1>What did you do when you got to New York? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>obviously I needed money. I had gold coin. There'd been

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<v Speaker 1>no way of knowing if it would be useful, but

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<v Speaker 1>I'd taken it on chance. I'd tried to use it

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<v Speaker 1>at a newsstand first, and the man wouldn't touch it.

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<v Speaker 1>Asked me if I had thought I was the U.

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<v Speaker 1>S Treasury or something. When he saw I was serious,

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<v Speaker 1>he sent me to a money lender aer a hawk shop,

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<v Speaker 1>I think he called it. So I've found the place.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me see the coins. Parks dropped two small gold

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<v Speaker 1>discs on the table. They were perfectly smooth, and perfectly round,

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<v Speaker 1>tapered by where to a thin blunt edge. There was

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<v Speaker 1>no design on them, and no printing. Morgan looked up

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<v Speaker 1>at the man sharply, what did you get for these?

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<v Speaker 1>Park shrugged too little. I suspect two dollars for the

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<v Speaker 1>small one, five for the larger. You should have gone

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<v Speaker 1>to a bank. I know that now, I didn't. Then, naturally,

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<v Speaker 1>I assumed that with everything else so similar, principles of

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<v Speaker 1>business would also be similar. Morgan sighed and leaned back

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<v Speaker 1>in his chair. Well, then, what Park's poured some more coffee.

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<v Speaker 1>His face was very pale, Morgan thought, and his hands

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<v Speaker 1>trembled as he raised the cup to his lips. Fright,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe it's hard to tell. The man put down the

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<v Speaker 1>cup and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand.

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<v Speaker 1>First I went to the Mayor's office, he said. I

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<v Speaker 1>kept trying to think what anyone at home would do

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<v Speaker 1>in my place. That seemed a good I asked a

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<v Speaker 1>policeman where it was, and then I went there. But

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<v Speaker 1>you didn't get to see him. No. I saw a secretary.

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<v Speaker 1>She said the mayor was in conference and that I

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<v Speaker 1>would have to have an appointment. She let me speak

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<v Speaker 1>to another man, one of the mayor's assistants, and you

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<v Speaker 1>told him no, I wanted to see the mayor himself.

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<v Speaker 1>I thought that was the best thing to do. I

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<v Speaker 1>waited for a couple of hours until another assistant came

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<v Speaker 1>along and told me flatly that the mayor wouldn't see

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<v Speaker 1>me unless I stated my business first. He drew in

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<v Speaker 1>a deep breath. So I stated it, and then I

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<v Speaker 1>was gently but firmly ushered back into the street. Again.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't believe you, said Morgan, not for a minute.

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<v Speaker 1>They laughed in my face. Morgan nodded, I'm beginning to

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<v Speaker 1>get the pattern. So what did you do next? Next?

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<v Speaker 1>I tried the police. I got the same treatment there,

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<v Speaker 1>only they were so gentle they wouldn't listen either. They

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<v Speaker 1>muttered something about cranks and their crazy notions, and when

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<v Speaker 1>they asked me where I lived, they thought I was

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<v Speaker 1>what did they call it? A wise guy? Told me

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<v Speaker 1>to get out and not come back with any more

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<v Speaker 1>wild stories. I see, said Morgan. Jefferson Parks finished his

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<v Speaker 1>last bite of pie and pushed the plate away. By then,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know quite what to do. I'd been prepared

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<v Speaker 1>for almost anything, excepting this. It was frightening. I tried

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<v Speaker 1>to rationalize it, and then I quit trying. It wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>that I attracted attention or anything like that. Quite the contrary.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody even looked at me unless I said something to them.

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<v Speaker 1>I began to look for things that were different, things

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<v Speaker 1>that I could show them and say, see this proves

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<v Speaker 1>I'm telling the truth. Look at it. He looked up helplessly,

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<v Speaker 1>and what did you find? Nothing? Oh, little thing things,

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<v Speaker 1>insignificant little things. Your calendars, for instance. Naturally I couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>understand your frame of reference, and the coinage you stamp

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<v Speaker 1>your coins we don't and cigarettes, we don't have any

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<v Speaker 1>such thing as tobacco. The man gave a short laugh.

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<v Speaker 1>And you're house dogs. We have little animals that look

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<v Speaker 1>more like rabbits than poodles. But there was nothing any

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<v Speaker 1>more significant than that, Absolutely nothing except yourself. Morgan said, ah, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>I thought that went over carefully. I looked for differences,

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<v Speaker 1>obvious ones. I couldn't find any. You can see that

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<v Speaker 1>just looking at me. So I searched for more subtle things,

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<v Speaker 1>skin texture, fingerprints, bone structure, body proportion. I still couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>find anything. Then I went to a doctor. Morgan's eyebrows lifted, good,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, Park shrugged tiredly. Not really. He examined me.

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<v Speaker 1>He practically took me apart. I carefully refrained from saying

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<v Speaker 1>anything about who I was or where I came from,

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<v Speaker 1>just said I wanted a complete physical examination and let

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<v Speaker 1>him go to it. He was thorough, and when he finished,

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<v Speaker 1>he patted me on the back and said, Parks, you've

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<v Speaker 1>got nothing to worry about. You're as fine strapping a

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<v Speaker 1>specimen of a healthy human being as I've ever seen.

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<v Speaker 1>And that was that. Parks laughed bitterly. I guess I

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<v Speaker 1>was supposed to be happy with the verdict, and instead

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<v Speaker 1>I was ready to knock him down. It was idiotic,

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<v Speaker 1>It defied reason. It was infuriating. Morgan nodded sourly. Because

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<v Speaker 1>you're not a human being, he said, that's right, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not a human being at all. How did you happen

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<v Speaker 1>to pick this planet or this sun? Morgan asked curiously.

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<v Speaker 1>There must have been a million others to choose from.

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<v Speaker 1>Park's unbuttoned his collar and rub his stuble chin. Unhappily,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't make the choice. Neither did anyone else. Travel

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<v Speaker 1>by warp is a little different from travel by the

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<v Speaker 1>rocket you fiction writers make so much of With a

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<v Speaker 1>rocket vehicle, you pick your destination, you make your calculations,

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<v Speaker 1>and off you go. The warp is blind, flying strictly blind.

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<v Speaker 1>We send an unmanned scanner ahead. It probes around more

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<v Speaker 1>or less, hit or miss, until it locates something somewhere

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<v Speaker 1>that looks habitable. When it spots a likely looking place,

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<v Speaker 1>we keep a tight beam on it and send through

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<v Speaker 1>a man's scalp. He grinned sourly like me. If it

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<v Speaker 1>looks good to the scout, he signals back, and they

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<v Speaker 1>leave the warp anchored for a sort of permanent gateway

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<v Speaker 1>until we can get a transport beam built. But we

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<v Speaker 1>can't control the directional and dimensional scope of the warp.

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<v Speaker 1>There are an infinity of ways it can go until

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<v Speaker 1>we have a guide beam transmitting from the other side.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we can just scan a segment of space with

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<v Speaker 1>warp and the scanner picks up the beam. He shook

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<v Speaker 1>his head wearily. We're new at it, Morgan, We've only

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<v Speaker 1>tried a few dozen runs. We're not too far ahead

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<v Speaker 1>of you in technology. We've been using rocket vehicles just

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<v Speaker 1>like yours for over a century. That's fine for a

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<v Speaker 1>solar system, but it's not much good for the stars.

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<v Speaker 1>When the warp principle was discovered, it looked like the answer.

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<v Speaker 1>But something went wrong. The scanner picked up this planet,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was coming through, and then something blue. Next

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<v Speaker 1>thing I knew, I was falling. When I tried to

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<v Speaker 1>make contact again, the scanner was gone. And you found

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<v Speaker 1>things here the same as back home, said Morgan, the same.

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<v Speaker 1>Your planet might are practically twins, similar cities, similar technology, everything.

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<v Speaker 1>The people are the same, with precisely the same anatomy

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<v Speaker 1>and physiology, the same sort of laws, the same institutions,

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<v Speaker 1>than compatible languages. Can't you see the importance of it.

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<v Speaker 1>This planet is on the other side of the universe

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<v Speaker 1>from mind, with the first intelligent life we've yet encountered anywhere.

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<v Speaker 1>But when I try to tell your people that I'm

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<v Speaker 1>a native of another star system, they won't believe me.

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<v Speaker 1>Why should, they asked Morgan, You look like a human being,

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<v Speaker 1>you talk like one, you eat like one, you act

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<v Speaker 1>like one. What you're asking them to believe is utterly incredible.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's true, Morgan shrugged. So it's true. I won't

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<v Speaker 1>argue with you, but as I asked before, even if

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<v Speaker 1>I did believe you, what do you expect me to

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<v Speaker 1>do about it? Why pick me of all people you've seen?

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<v Speaker 1>There is a desperate light in Park's eyes. I was tired,

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<v Speaker 1>tired of being laughed at, tired of having people looking

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<v Speaker 1>at me as though I'd lost my wits. When I

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<v Speaker 1>tried to tell him the truth. You were here, you

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<v Speaker 1>were alone, so I started talking. And then I've found

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<v Speaker 1>out you wrote stories. He looked up eagerly. I've got

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<v Speaker 1>to get back, Morgan, somehow. My life is there, my family,

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<v Speaker 1>and think what it would mean to both our worlds

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<v Speaker 1>contact with another human race, combine our knowledges, our technologies,

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<v Speaker 1>and we could explore the galaxy. He leaned forward, his

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<v Speaker 1>thin face and tints. I need money and I need help.

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<v Speaker 1>I know some of the mathematics of the war principle.

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<v Speaker 1>I know some of the designs, some of the power

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<v Speaker 1>and wiring principles. You have engineers and physicists, technologists. They

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<v Speaker 1>could fill in what I don't know and build a

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<v Speaker 1>guide beam. But they won't do it if they don't

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<v Speaker 1>believe me. Your government won't listen to me. They won't

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<v Speaker 1>appropriate any money. Of course, they won't they've got a

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<v Speaker 1>war or two on their hands. They have public welfare

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<v Speaker 1>and atomic bombs and rockets to the moon to sink

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<v Speaker 1>their money into. Morgan stared at the man. But what

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<v Speaker 1>can I do? You can write, That's what you can do.

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<v Speaker 1>You can tell the world about me. You can tell

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<v Speaker 1>exactly what has happened. I know how public interest can

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<v Speaker 1>be aroused in my world. It must be the same

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<v Speaker 1>in yours. Morgan didn't move, He just stared. How many

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<v Speaker 1>people have you talked to? He asked? A dozen, a hundred,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe a thousand, And how many believed you? None? You mean,

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<v Speaker 1>nobody would believe you, not one soul until I talk

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<v Speaker 1>to you. And then Morgan was laughing, laughing bitterly, tears

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<v Speaker 1>rolling down his cheeks. And I'm the one man who

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<v Speaker 1>couldn't help you if my life depended on it. He gasped.

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<v Speaker 1>You believe me, Morgan nodded sadly. I believe you. Yes.

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<v Speaker 1>I think your warp brought you through to a parallel

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<v Speaker 1>universe of your own planet, not to another star. But

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<v Speaker 1>I think you're telling the truth. Then you can help me.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm afraid not. Why not, because I'd be worse than

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<v Speaker 1>no help at all Jefferson Parks gripped the table, his

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<v Speaker 1>knuckles white. Why, he cried hoarsely. If you believe me,

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<v Speaker 1>why can't you help me? Morgan pointed to the magazine

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<v Speaker 1>lying on the table. I wright, yes, he said, sadly,

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<v Speaker 1>ever read stories like this before? Parks picked up the

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<v Speaker 1>magazine glanced at the bright cover. I barely looked at it.

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<v Speaker 1>You should look more closely. I have a story in

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<v Speaker 1>this issue. The readers thought it was very interesting. Morgan grinned,

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<v Speaker 1>go ahead, look at it. The Stranger from the Stars

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<v Speaker 1>leafed through the magazine stopped at a page that carried

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<v Speaker 1>Roger Morgan's name. His eyes caught the first paragraph, and

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<v Speaker 1>he turned white. He set the magaz seen down with

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<v Speaker 1>a trembling hand. I see, he said, and the life

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<v Speaker 1>was gone out of his voice. He spread the pages viciously,

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<v Speaker 1>read the lines again. The paragraph said, Just suppose, said Martin,

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<v Speaker 1>that I did believe you. Just for argument, He glanced

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<v Speaker 1>up at the man across the table. Where do we

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<v Speaker 1>go from here? End of Circus by Allan Edward Norse