WISH I HAD WRITTEN THAT by Ralph Milne Farley

As those who have read my recently-published volume of Time Travel Stories, THE OMNIBUS OF TIME, will realize, I am very much interested in stories which involve knowing the future. From the same book, they will also realize that one of my pet plot-ingredients is: "What is written is written," or "it does not pay to tempt the gods". Take for example the classic story of "The Monkey's Paw."

But the story which I wish I had written is not "The Monkey's Paw". Rather it is an even better story, in the same vein. As in the case of Roger Graham's No. 4 ((in the series)), I can't remember the name of the author, the story, and the mag, nor the date of publication. But anyhow, here's the plot.

Some djinn or good fairy offers the hero his choice of any one tangible article, priced at not more than five cents. He chooses a copy of a certain newspaper of the following January 2.

Of course it contains a summary of the year's events, including the stock market fluctuations. With that newspaper in his possession, the hero plays the market, bets on baseball and football games and horse-races, etc., etc., and becomes immensely wealthy.

Toward the end of the year, he runs across in his precious paper, an item which has heretofore escaped his notice – his own death in an automobile accident,, on New Year's Day, on the street on where he lives in Newark, New Jersey.

But that one was easy to beat.! On December 31 he moved over to New York, took a room in a hotel, and stayed in New York all of January 1.

The January 2 newspaper came out identical to the copy which had been given to the hero nearly a year ago. including the item about the hero's death.

The January 3 issue contained a correction. It apologized for the confusing of the hero's home address with the scene of the fatal accident, which it now stated had taken place in New York, rather than Newark.

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Anyone know the title of this story? I would like to know it and also Roger P Graham's choice, last issue, as I plan an index or something at the end of the series.

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fandomisawayoflifewhereeveryboyislikeaw

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MASQUE COPYRIGHT 1950 this is volume two, number two, whole number seven of a magazine published for the Fantasy Amateur Press Association by William Rotsler, Route One, Box 638, Camarillo, California. This is a Perfidious Press Publication. Heed the plea for material in the Editorial! Viva la (le?) Insurgent Element! Viva even edges! Down with fugheadedness! Up Laney! Er, Up with Laney! Viva Albert & Pogo! Viva Suzanne! Viva me!

Viva the Electoral College! Viva Burbee! Viva the NFFF! )WHAT AM I SAYING?) Viva dipolar electroanalysis! Viva the inventors of the geodesic convertors! Viva Boggs! Viva Viva!

Page scans provided by Tom Veal

Data entry by Judy Bemis

Updated November 8, 2007. If you have a comment about these web pages please send a note to the Fanac Webmaster. Thank you.