Analog SF, May 2003 by Dell Magazines

Author:Dell Magazines [Magazines, Dell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher: www.Fictionwise.com
Published: 2001-09-24T21:00:00+00:00

The Monopole Affair by Ken Wharton

Sometimes it just takes the right kind of stimulus to get people thinking in practical terms.

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Topological defects, Charles mused. They just had to be. Although some bubbles in his beer were rising from random locations, most were being created at four distinct sites on the inside wall of the glass, pulsed out with a steady rhythm. Invisible defects on the inner walls must be acting as catalysts for bubble formation, he decided. But why the steady rate?

Sudden movement through the top of the glass distracted him, and Charles glanced up to see a young woman walking past his table. He knew instantly there was something odd about her, but it still took him a whopping three seconds to notice that she was navigating with a white cane.

A blind person, here in the bar? She must feel almost as out of place as he did. For the first time that night, Charles noticed just how noisy it was, how crowded, how difficult it must be to maneuver through the mass of university students. In fact, the woman had just reached a particularly dense knot of fratboys and was forced to stop. They didn't notice her, too busy shouting one-word conversations over the alt-country music.

Bubbles forgotten, Charles watched the blind woman from his tiny round table in the corner. Was she over thirty? It was hard to tell with her sunglasses. Behind her, a young man leaned down to say something in her ear, but it wasn't until she responded that Charles realized they had come in together. Then, just as Charles was losing interest, the man ventured into the crush of bodies, leaving her standing awkwardly alone.

Charles felt a flash of sympathy, and glanced around to see if there were any empty tables. As it happened, the only vacant chair in the room was currently supporting his feet.

He hesitated before speaking, not sure if he should get involved. The woman was here with someone else, after all; she might take the gesture the wrong way. But she was just five feet away, and looked so uncomfortable...

“Excuse me, ma'am?” he found himself shouting at her. “Would you like a seat?”

She didn't respond immediately, and he was about to give up when she turned in his direction.

“Are you talking to me?” Her voice was sweet and level, with no trace of a southern accent. As Charles had suspected, she was from out of town. Although he had difficulty remembering faces, even in small-town Auburn, he was positive he had never seen her before.

“Er...” Charles now noticed that she was very attractive. The observation made him nervous, but it was too late to turn back. “Er ... yes. There's an extra seat right...” He fumbled to remove his feet.

She walked toward him and—amazingly—found the back of the chair with her free hand. “This one?”

Charles nodded, then quickly thought better of his typical non-verbal communication. “I mean ... yes. Yes, that's impressive how you...” He trailed off, mentally kicking himself for sounding so stupid.

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