Philip Dick – Now Wait for Last Year

The apertyx-shaped building, so familiar to him, gave off its usual smoky gray light as Eric Sweetscent collapsed his wheel and managed to park in the tiny stall allocated him. Eight o"clock in the morning, he thought drearily. And already his employer Mr Virgil L. Ackerman had opened TF&D Corporation's offices for business. Imagine a man whose mind is most sharp at eight a.m., Dr Sweetscent mused. It runs against God's clear command. A fine world they"re doling out to us; the war excuses any human aberration, even the old man's.

Nonetheless he started toward the in-track – only to be halted by the calling of his name. 'say, Mr Sweetscent! Just a moment, sir!" The twangy – and highly repellant – voice of a robant; Eric stopped reluctantly, and now the thing coasted u…