# Help me ID an old short story I read? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203 "2010-10-15T01:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/1 "2010-10-15T01:21:17Z")
I read this short story while I was still in school, and I graduated high school in 1973. In this story most people can, and do, use magic. The focus is on a young boy who doesn’t seem to have any interest in learning spells, he prefers math. His parents are very worried, and as a last resort they summon a demon who is supposed to frighten kids. It advances on the boy, saying something like “A naughty little boy!” The kid defends himself by grabbing one of his books and summoning an accountantcy spirit, which protects him and subdues the other spirit. The parents realize their kid has magical talent after all and leave him alone. Anyone know this story? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/2 "2010-10-15T01:33:09Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I read this short story while I was still in school, and I graduated high school in 1973. > > In this story most people can, and do, use magic. The focus is on a young boy who doesn’t seem to have any interest in learning spells, he prefers math. His parents are very worried, and as a last resort they summon a demon who is supposed to frighten kids. It advances on the boy, saying something like “A naughty little boy!” > > The kid defends himself by grabbing one of his books and summoning an accountantcy spirit, which protects him and subdues the other spirit. The parents realize their kid has magical talent after all and leave him alone. > > Anyone know this story? “The Accountant” by Robert Sheckley ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/3 "2010-10-15T01:41:28Z")
Thank you, thank you! God, I love this board. _sniff_ ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/4 "2010-10-15T01:49:21Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Thank you, thank you! > > God, I love this board. > > _sniff_ Glad to help. Here’s a list of where the story is collected [Title: The Accountant](http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?58540) I read it in Asimov’s anthology “Tomorrow’s Children” ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/5 "2010-10-15T11:26:00Z")
> **[Title of this short story?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=394861)** > > When I was a kid I read a book of mildly scary stories. Most haven’t stuck in my memory, but there was one I’d like to find again. In it the world is pretty much like ours except that magic is an integral part of daily life. The story centers on... 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/6 "2010-10-15T12:11:24Z")
> [@eunoia](#): > > [Title of this short story? - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=394861) > > 😃 LOL ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-an-old-short-story-i-read/557203/7 "2010-10-15T17:01:05Z")
Good God, I’d forgotten about that! _(Hangs head in shame)_