Austin Improv

Hi guys --

Scratch resurfacing here... thinking about a few of you guys out there who I know are sci fi aficionados...

I am desperately, obsessively trying to find the name of a story I read in some 1950's collection years ago. I think the book was one of the 1950's paperback sci fi short story collections that belonged to my mother -- they were well worn when I got them, and I know a few of them disintegrated in the last decade or so. The story I am trying to remember was obviously in one of the distintegrated ones since I do not have it on my shelves anymore.

I don't have enough details about it to successfully google it or get help from Bookpeople staff (tried). Here is what I know about it (barely more than dream-like memories):

1950's or maybe '60s
Arthur C Clarke? or Issac Asimov? Or Harlan Ellison? or possibly none of those...
very short
story images/themes - a man is tired of being constantly in communication; constant auditory assaults -- his wife "calls" him all the time... (I can't remember the technology, but I do remember the story had the classic sexist tone of most of the stories from that era)... auditory ads assail him... he is on a bus, thinking about the bliss of what silence would be like.. the repeated imagery he thinks of is something like a bolt of [cotton or felt or wool] in his ears... I am very bad at remembering the endings of stories but I am sure it ended, of course, with something happening and him enjoying the silence, with that tag line about the bolt of some material repeated again...

I found this anthology online and got all excited thinking it was in it, since I recognized the book as one I used to own: "50 Short Science Fiction Tales" edited by Asimov http://www.iblist.com/book67614.htm

but alas, the story with which I am obsessed is not part of that anthology. (I remember a bunch of those stories though, and may have to get my hands on a copy again)

Any ideas? Anyone? I am glued to my web browser reading sci fi message boards from 1997 and scanning lists of short story anthologies until I find this story. I'd like to be able to leave the house sometime soon; thanks for any help.

Can't help much. But that story is very fitting these days huh?

ALF. you're thinking of ALF.

you're welcome.

You might have luck in one of these Livejournal communities:

http://community.livejournal.com/whatwasthatbook/

http://community.livejournal.com/book_finder/

I and several of my friends have found nearly forgotten books there.

Scratch wrote: story images/themes - a man is tired of being constantly in communication; constant auditory assaults -- his wife "calls" him all the time... (I can't remember the technology, but I do remember the story had the classic sexist tone of most of the stories from that era)... auditory ads assail him... he is on a bus, thinking about the bliss of what silence would be like.. the repeated imagery he thinks of is something like a bolt of [cotton or felt or wool] in his ears... I am very bad at remembering the endings of stories but I am sure it ended, of course, with something happening and him enjoying the silence, with that tag line about the bolt of some material repeated again...

No, if it's the one I'm thinking of the wife runs away to stay in an ad-free sort of utopian (and locked) gated community. She emerges long enough to pretend to want to reconcile with her husband, empties his bank accounts and locks herself back in again. Rather nasty ending as I recall. Let me research a bit. I think I know whereof you speak.

I want to say is was Kuttner and Moore, but don't hold me to that.

Those livejournal links are pitiful! How do those people think they are ever going to get useful information with such vague ramblings.... "I think it had the word 'violet' in it... or maybe it was lavender.."

oh, wait.



heh.

Brockman, if that is the story I will be very surprised, since that all sounds completely unfamiliar. But anything is possible. Except for it being ALF. That is not possible.

Yes, it was an oddly prescient story that is more fitting every day. I think. From what I remember.

Thanks for the responses.. I did tear myself away and went to see "127 Hours" which took my mind off everything. Do NOT order heavy Alamo food for this one; stick with salads and things you can eat quickly, that you will not still be burping an hour into the movie. At least I was not chewing on chicken wings...

Scratch wrote:Brockman, if that is the story I will be very surprised, since that all sounds completely unfamiliar. But anything is possible. Except for it being ALF. That is not possible.

EAT DRINK PLAY SLEEP!
EAT DRINK PLAY SLEEP!
BE ADMIRED BE TOPDOG!
JOYSMOKE! CREAMIES! MARSFOOD!
HURRYHURRYHURRYHURRYHURRYHURRY!
NIOBE GAI SAYS-FREDDI LESTER PRESENTS-PARADISE HOMES FOR HAPPY ADJUSTMENT!
BE BEAUTIFUL!
EAT DRINK PLAY SLEEP EAT DRINK PLAY SLEEP BUY BUY BUY!

I think I've got it. Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore's "Year Day" c1953. Hard to find now. Kuttner and Moore have always been under-appreciated, maybe because they're not "pure" SF but incorporate psychological, horror and fantasy themes. They were also way ahead of their time (writing about 4th dimensional logic in 1943). The only stories by them reprinted with any regularity are "What You Need" and "Two-Handed Engine".

I could be wrong about the story but the themes are right. Check it out, if I'm wrong I'll keep thinking.

good find, "The Year," -- I read it here http://henrykuttner.bravehost.com/Kuttn ... 20Day.html

same themes for sure. Good story.

but not the story I am thinking of. The one I am thinking of was not so... complex? rich? I remember it reading more matter-of-fact. And I think the only real storyline was about the intrusion itself -- ads, yes, but definitely people calling you was a big(ger?) part of it. The bolt of _______ as silence.

I did try that livejournal whatwasthatbook -- a lot of people have gotten their answers there with not much more detail than I have!

Not related, but you've reminded me that I want to see that movie about the guy getting angry at car alarms in the city... so he takes a baseball bat to them in the night! Whooo. Movie night.

Other things that spring to mind:

Philip K. Dick's "Sales Pitch"
J.G. Ballard's "Subliminal Man"

Again, same themes; but I don't think either of those are right.

Although it sure sounds like it could be a PKD story. He was such a dystopian futurist.

I'll keep thinking.

That "whatwasthatbook" livejournal forum is amazing. Took all of three replies for someone to know what story I was talking about.

"The Murderer" by Ray Bradbury
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Murderer

(1953; man that guy sure saw it coming, didn't he?)

Scratch wrote:That "whatwasthatbook" livejournal forum is amazing. Took all of three replies for someone to know what story I was talking about.

"The Murderer" by Ray Bradbury
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Murderer

(1953; man that guy sure saw it coming, didn't he?)

Whew...

i still say it's ALF...