This was an old science fiction story, written as a letter from the lovelorn to an advice columnist (Miss DIX VI, I think). The idea was that he had been very wealthy, had experienced a number of physical mishaps but due to his money had been able to craft artificial limbs, lungs, and brain and was essentially reduced to something that looked like a canister vacuum. He had met a woman and the tag line was that he wanted to know if the woman was just after him for his money. I read this story many, many years ago. Has anyone here read it? Do you know its name? How could I find it again? Thanks, Dopers.
xo,
C.
Fortunately, I read this one a year or so ago - it’s “Man in a Quandary” by L.J.Stecher, Jr which was originally published in Galaxy in the 1950s and republished in “The Fourth Galaxy Reader” Title: Man in a Quandary (see the brief review here Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: The Third Galaxy Reader, which confirms that it’s the right story)
Found a quote online of the end of “Man in a Quandry”
"Now, Miss Dix VI, we come to my problem. How can I tell if Gloria is in love with me, or is just marrying me for my money?
Perplexed,
Alfred Vanderform "
Un frickin’ believable!!! Thank you!! Now, I have to find a copy. I remember that 4th Galaxy Reader and many of those stories. I had joined The Science Fiction Book Club when I was about 10 years old and that was one of the first ones I received. Must have thrown it out at some point over the last half century. Wonderful. Thank you again!
You’re very welcome.
Do I understand from your post that the story, itself, is available on that datebase? I can’t seem to find a way to read it there.
No, the ISFDB just has listings of where stories were published. You can get the Fourth Galaxy Reader used from Abebooks (or possibly get it through interlibrary loan (I got it through interlibrary loan back in 2011)). You may find a site on the internet with the story, but I don’t know of one. Sorry
The issue is available here: Galaxy Magazine (July 1958) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Beautiful. Thank you. SDMB - the best!!!
Just realized that this story is online at Project Gutenberg in various formats