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The Big Bounce

English, published in 1958
4,745 words (21 pages)

Seeing it in action, anybody would quaver in alarm: What hath Farnsworth overwrought?

Excerpt

eeks can stand by a fireplace of the sort that seems to demand a big man with tweeds, pipe and, perhaps, a saber wound.

Anyway, he held the box dramatically and he said, "Last week, I was playing around in the chem lab, trying to make a new kind of rubber eraser. Did quite well with the other drafting equipment, you know, especially the dimensional curve and the photosensitive ink. Well, I approached the job by trying for a material that would absorb graphite without abrading paper."

I was a little disappointed with this; it sounded pretty tame. But I said, "How did it come out?"

* * * * *

He screwed his pudgy face up thoughtfully. "Synthesized the material, all right, and it seems to work, but the interesting thing is that it has a certain--ah--secondar

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2009.06.24
normb

"What are you up to Farnsworth?" (Farnsworth?).
Farnsworth has created a rubber ball he hoped would be an eraser, but he messed up and the new rubber compound takes heat energy out of it's surroundings and uses it to bounce higher and higher. It becomes a danger, bouncing ever higher out of control. They chase it, finally to find it kills itself by hitting the ground so hard it makes a crater and breaks into pieces. They then bury the pieces to prevent a repeat. Who are these guys anyway? They live in San Francisco; I don't know, does that explain any of it?

Well, I disagree with the last reviewer. I think this story is ridiculous, and not worth a read. At least it's mercifully short. Do you hear me Farnsworth! I am going to write a story about a chicken liver that can play scrabble!

2008.05.07
K. Vincent

Excellent story, much enjoyed. Reminiscent of Asimov's short stories. Good concept development, excellent blending in of humor, and written in good style.