The Aggravation of Elmer
The Aggravation of Elmer
The world would beat a path to Elmer's door—but he had to go carry the door along with him!
Book Excerpt
was the darnedest traffic jam I'd ever seen in White Plains. For two blocks ahead of me, Main Street was gutter to gutter with stalled cars, trucks and buses.
If I hadn't been in such a hurry to get back to the shop, I might have paid more attention. I might have noticed nobody was leaning on his horn. Or that at least a quarter of the drivers were out peering under their hoods.
But at the time it didn't register. I gave the tie-up a passing glance and was turning up the side street toward Biltom Electronics--Bill-Tom, get it?--when I saw Marge threading her way to the curb. She was leading a small blonde girl of about eight, who clutched a child-size hatbox in her hand. Marge was hot and exasperated, but small fry was as cool and composed as a vanilla cone.
I waited. Even flushed and disheveled, Marge is a treat to look at. She is tall and slender
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3.3
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A simple, silly story about a boy inventor. His inventions astonish the owner of an electronics store. But some of them bite back.
The childish mispronunciations of the girl are a pretty weak plot device that gets old quickly. The author did correctly predict global warming and the rise of the oceans, though.
The childish mispronunciations of the girl are a pretty weak plot device that gets old quickly. The author did correctly predict global warming and the rise of the oceans, though.
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(1955) Sci-fi (Inventions) / Humor
From 'Galaxy Science Fiction May 1955.
R: * * * *
Plot bullets
Elmer is an inventor.
Elmer is only 13.
Elmer doesn't know his own abilities.
From 'Galaxy Science Fiction May 1955.
R: * * * *
Plot bullets
Elmer is an inventor.
Elmer is only 13.
Elmer doesn't know his own abilities.
12/15/2013
Competently written but uninspired.
10/28/2009