Years ago, I remember reading some (of what I thought were) truly outstanding science fiction short stories. They were part of a volume along the lines of “Best Science Fiction”, or “Science Fiction Classics”. I’d guess that the collection was published in the 1950’s, so could have included anything written before, say, 1960 or so. That said, I have a strong sense that the stories were originally published in the 1940’s.
To this day, almost fifty years later, I still remember two of the them in particular. I’d love to be able to read them again (if for no other reason to see if I would still think so highly of them). Alas, I can remember neither their titles nor their authors. Can you help?
The first one may have been called something like “Permanent Hook-up” (or maybe not!). It was set in a future where time travellers arriving from the past had become quite a nuisance. So many were popping up that the effort required to integrate them into their new present, with the attendant counselling and re-education was extremely time-consuming and costly. Simply put, it had become too much of a hassle.
What was done instead, therefore, was to take those innocent, trusting, and naive time travellers, and hook them and their brains up to a device that basically created a virtual reality for them - a reality with which they had been previously determined to have a strong emotional attachment. So, for example, one guy’s virtual reality device placed him in the Old West, riding tall in the saddle, as a cowboy - a fantasy he had enjoyed since he was kid.
I remember it as a terrific little story which, among other things, as indicated above, anticipated the concept of virtual reality. If it rings a bell - author or title - please do reply.
The second short story was about archaeologists on a mission to some alien planet where they unearthed a mysterious artifact. Eventually they deduce that what they’ve found was a device and medium by which images could be captured, saved, and viewed at will (i.e. like a movie camera and film). After much hard work, they figured out how to operate the device and were bursting with enthusiasm and anticipation as they awaited what they hoped would be the first images of the beings that once lived on the planet. After decades of searching and exploration, they would finally be able lo learn what the planet’s inhabitants looked like. It would be one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time.
Shortly after turning on the device, and before any images appeared, strange symbols began to appear on the ‘screen’. The looked like this: Walt Disney presents . . . Steamboat Willie.
It would be so great to be able to read these stories again, fifty years after the first, and last, time I did so. So, again, if it rings a bell - author or title - please do reply.
Thanks in anticipation!
