02416cam a22003493u 4500 74161 UtSlPG 20260610134721.0 m cr n 260607r20241954utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Hunter, Mel, 1927-2004 Or Darwin, if you prefer Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2024 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Fantastic Universe September 1954. Release date is 2024-07-31 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Or Darwin, if you prefer" by Mel Hunter is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century, specifically the 1950s. The book explores themes of dissatisfaction with contemporary life, the quest for meaning, and the intersection of different realities through the lens of time travel. It follows the surreal journey of Mr. Harbinger, who, amid existential crisis, encounters a disembodied mouth and eyes in his mundane living space. The story begins with Mr. Harbinger resigning from his tedious job and reflecting on his monotonous life, until he discovers a mouth and eyes appearing on his wall. These disembodied beings engage him in conversation about their shared boredom and longing for excitement and meaning. As their odd friendship grows, they discuss the possibility of Mr. Harbinger (who also takes on the name "Darwin") venturing into the future with the help of the mouth, named Jones, who operates a Time Mechanism. Their plans turn awry due to a technical glitch, causing them to be stranded in the unpredictable realm of Variable Time. The tale closes with Mr. Harbinger and Jones adrift in time, hinting at their continuous search for fulfillment beyond the mundane constraints of their realities. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: New York, NY: King-Size Publications, Inc., 1954 Science fiction Short stories Time travel -- Fiction Produced from Fantastic Universe September 1954. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/74161 114886 114886