The Project Gutenberg EBook of Love Story, by Irving E. Cox, Jr.

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Title: Love Story

Author: Irving E. Cox, Jr.

Illustrator: Paul Orban

Release Date: April 21, 2010 [EBook #32078]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction April 1956.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed.

_love story_

BY IRVING E. COX, JR.

_Illustrated by Paul Orban_

_Everything was aimed at satisfying the whims of women. The
popular cliches, the pretty romances, the catchwords of
advertising became realities; and the compound kept the men
enslaved. George knew what he had to do...._

* * * * *

The duty bell rang and obediently George clattered down the steps from his
confinement cubicle over the garage. His mother's chartreuse-colored
Cadillac convertible purred to a stop in the drive.

"It's so sweet of you to come, Georgie," his mother said when George
opened the door for her.

"Whenever you need me, Mummy." It was no effort at all to keep the
sneer out of his voice. Deception had become a part of his character.

His mother squeezed his arm. "I can always count on my little boy to
do the right thing."

"Yes, Mummy." They were mouthing a formula of words. They were both
very much aware that if George hadn't snapped to attention as soon as
the duty bell rang, he risked being sentenced, at least temporarily,
to the national hero's corps.

Still in the customary, martyr's whisper, George's mother said, "This
has been such a tiring day. A man can never understand what a woman
has to endure, Georgie; my life is such an ordeal." Her tone turned at
once coldly practical. "I've two packages in the trunk; carry them to
the house for me."

George picked up the card