02602cam a22003613u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000200011324500300013326400510016330000470021433600260026133700260028733800360031349000750034950000310042450800960045552013760055153400770192765300200200465300180202465300380204265300230208083000750210385600430217899900190222165924UtSlPG20260610134524.0mcr n260607r20211952utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aBukstein, I. M.10a"Hey Ma, Where's Willie?" 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2021  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy October 1952.  aRelease date is 2021-07-26  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"Hey Ma, Where's Willie?" by I. M. Bukstein is a short story that blends elements of humor and science fiction, likely written in the early 1950s. The narrative presents a rural family's experience following the mysterious disappearance of one of their sons, Willie, who is depicted as an oddball amidst his more conventional siblings. The story explores themes of familial relationships, societal perceptions of intelligence and normalcy, and the all-too-human tendency to overlook those who may not fit neatly into societal norms.  The plot unfolds from the perspective of Willie's father as he reflects on Willie's peculiarities and contrasts him with his other children. Willie, who often asked outlandish questions and struggled with traditional farming tasks, goes missing around the time of an unusual phenomenon involving strange lights in the sky. As the family searches for him, the father's initial indifference turns into a feeling of curiosity about Willie's fate. The story culminates in an unexpected reunion, revealing that Willie has returned with unusual companions, hinting at an extraterrestrial element. This twist adds a humorous touch to the father's worries and highlights the absurdity of their situation while also suggesting that even the least favored family member can have remarkable adventures. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cUnited States: Greenleaf Publishing Company, 1952  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aHuman-alien encounters -- Fiction  aFarmers -- Fiction 0aProduced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy October 1952.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65924  c106746d106746