# Help me ID this Science Fiction Short Story **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2018, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716 "2018-02-28T01:43:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/21 "2018-03-04T03:29:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Ixnay on the evealray to the ubjectsay! Ahhh, guess I’m slow. It didn’t even occur to me that he was joking. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/22 "2018-03-04T10:20:34Z")
Haven’t you asked this question every day this past week? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/23 "2018-03-04T12:31:56Z")
I remember this story, but I don’t remember the author or title, unfortunately.  ☹ When I was young I read a large number of anthologies of SF short stories, and it could have been from any of them. If I remember correctly, the main character is marginally aware of an audience of people from the future. Every time he says certain lines, he can hear them laugh, but he doesn’t know why. I think that in the story the machinery breaks down, and for a short time he is free. He sees other ‘exhibits’ from different time periods. Then it is fixed, and the endless loop starts up again. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/24 "2018-03-04T23:46:49Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I remember this story, but I don’t remember the author or title, unfortunately.  ☹ > > When I was young I read a large number of anthologies of SF short stories, and it could have been from any of them. > > If I remember correctly, the main character is marginally aware of an audience of people from the future. Every time he says certain lines, he can hear them laugh, but he doesn’t know why. I think that in the story the machinery breaks down, and for a short time he is free. He sees other ‘exhibits’ from different time periods. Then it is fixed, and the endless loop starts up again. **Yes, yes, yes!!!** This is the story. I had forgotten the part about the breakdown of machinery, but it rings true. Too bad you don’t remember the author or title either, but I was starting to wonder if I was dealing with a false memory. Now maybe someone else will chime in. Thanks GreenWyvern! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/25 "2018-03-04T23:48:32Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Haven’t you asked this question every day this past week? 😉 No I have not. Perhaps you are confusing me with one or more other posters?:o ---
**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:** [March 5, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/26 "2018-03-05T00:32:45Z")
Something about this is making me think of Barry Malzberg (list of stories here [http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?534](http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?534)) (if the overall impression of the story was tragic) or Keith Laumer ([Summary Bibliography: Keith Laumer](http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?211)) (if the overall impression of the story was funny) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/27 "2018-03-05T01:57:25Z")
wasnt this on the outer limits or twilight zone or one of the copies that aired ? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelMixologyOS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@MichaelMixologyOS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelMixologyOS)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/28 "2018-03-05T03:49:17Z")
Maybe something by Ray Bradbury, sounds kind of like Farienhite 451 has to do same things everyday, burn books, no life no adventure. Same premise as Christian Bale movie Equilibrium ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/29 "2018-03-05T12:03:38Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > wasnt this on the outer limits or twilight zone or one of the copies that aired ? It’s not impossible. It would certainly make a good plotline for either of those shows. But, if so, I have never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/30 "2018-03-05T12:08:27Z")
> [@MichaelMixologyOS](#): > > Maybe something by Ray Bradbury, sounds kind of like Farienhite 451 has to do same things everyday, burn books, no life no adventure. Same premise as Christian Bale movie Equilibrium No, I am quite sure it was not Ray Bradbury. I have read most if not all of his short stories since I read the story I am asking about. I would have remembered if it was one of his. I took a look at the plot line for Equilibrium and I see no similarity at all. Thanks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/31 "2018-03-05T15:34:23Z")
It’s nothing at all like Bradbury. Montag had a humdrum life with a boring, routine job (well, at first, at least), but that’s nothing at all like being used as a meat-puppet compelled to do the exact same thing every day. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/32 "2018-03-05T16:45:34Z")
Maybe something by Vonnegut? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/33 "2018-03-05T17:49:14Z")
No idea here, I’m just surprised you didn’t get the answer within 2 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mr.Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Bill)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/34 "2018-03-05T20:56:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > No idea here, I’m just surprised you didn’t get the answer within 2 minutes. 2 minutes is maybe a bit optimistic, given that it was published at least 45 years ago, but I thought I’d get a positive ID by now. At least GreenWyvern remembers the story too! ---
**Author:** ![NorthernLemming](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northernlemming/32/21695_2.png) [@NorthernLemming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NorthernLemming)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/35 "2026-08-19T23:09:12Z")
Sorry to necro the thread, but I found this while trying to ID what is probably the same story. My memory is that the protagonist wakes to the sound of another man shaving; that man is having an affair with his wife. The protagonist knows he’s trapped in an alien ‘zoo’ exhibit where each day repeats exactly, but his thoughts remain his own. The story begins, and ends, with the same sentence, something like “John woke to the sound of David shaving” (the names are probably wrong). ---
**Author:** ![TheZenPaperboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@TheZenPaperboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheZenPaperboy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/36 "2026-08-19T23:23:55Z")
I did a small search and came up with not for an age by Brian Aldiss. Does this help? ---
**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:** [August 19, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/37 "2026-08-19T23:32:37Z")
Yeah, that’s it [Not for an Age – Brian Aldiss](https://brianaldiss.co.uk/not-for-an-age/) > “Not for an Age,” a science fiction short story by Brian Aldiss, revolves around the protagonist, Rodney Furnell, who finds himself trapped in a repeating, unchanging day. Alien observers in the future have resurrected a moment from his life, forcing him to relive it endlessly without the ability to alter his actions. The story explores themes of repetition, awareness, and the nature of consciousness in the face of an inescapable, predetermined reality. > **The Premise:** > Aliens in a far-future society have developed technology that allows them to momentarily resurrect moments from the past. Rodney Furnell, a man from the 20th century, is unknowingly caught in this resurrection, reliving the same day over and over. > > **Endless Repetition:** > Rodney is forced to repeat the same mundane tasks and experiences, like his son shaving and his wife getting up, without any possibility of changing his actions or the events around him. > > **Awareness and Observation:** > Despite the repetition, Rodney is dimly aware of the fact that he is being watched and relived, and he even senses the presence of the alien spectators. ---
**Author:** ![NorthernLemming](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northernlemming/32/21695_2.png) [@NorthernLemming](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NorthernLemming)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/38 "2026-08-20T08:15:14Z")
Perfect, that’s the one. Thanks both. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/39 "2026-08-20T14:56:35Z")
I wonder if Mr Bill is still around. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716/40 "2026-08-20T15:13:16Z")
Of course, still living the same day over and over… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-science-fiction-short-story/809716.md?page=1)