Aphelion

I started reading this month's issue today at lunch (I know, I know, _weeks_ late), and started with this strange little tale.

Weird and creepy -- as I read it, I kept picturing my wife's arm falling off into a bowl of popcorn. Gives new meaning to the term "warts and all". Made me think of plastic surgery, or euthanasia.

The Willingsworth living room I pictured a stark, sterile white, nothing on the walls, just a couch and TV. Maybe a Phillip Glass soundtrack in the background.

Best love story I've read all day.

Now that Frank has mentioned it, I have a vague memory of a story in which the girlfriend/wife/husband is dead (or undead), and has a similar problem. viz. the Tim Burton film 'The Corpse Bride', where the Bride has to laugh off an embarrassing moment when a worm pushes one of her eyes out of its socket ... but I think I remember something much older than that, in print...

Yeah, loose body parts. Always good for a giggle or two.

(Lines from "Addams Family Values", as Morticia gazes lovingly upon Baby Pubert:

Oh, Gomez -- he has your father's eyes... Take those out of his mouth immediately!)

(Lines from a comedy routine on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' circa 1963(?) -- can't remember who did it:

Igor, have you gathered all the parts I requested?

Yes, Mahthter. I got his brain in Philadelphia. I got his arms in New York. I got his legs in Atlanta. I -- oh, no! I left his heart in San Francisco!)

Robert "Head full of useless junk" M.

PS Of course, if the 'droid owner had kept his old model, and they ever acquired a nice feline companion (in lieu of ordering a child-bot), the line "You're so quiet this evening. What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" could take on a whole new meaning.