The Project Gutenberg EBook of My Fair Planet, by Evelyn E. Smith

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Title: My Fair Planet

Author: Evelyn E. Smith

Illustrator: DILLON

Release Date: March 15, 2010 [EBook #31648]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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My Fair Planet

By EVELYN E. SMITH

Illustrated by DILLON

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction
March 1958. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

[Sidenote: _All the world's a stage, so there was room even for this bad
actor ... only he intended to direct it!_]

As Paul Lambrequin was clambering up the stairs of his rooming house, he
met a man whose face was all wrong. "Good evening," Paul said politely
and was about to continue on his way when the man stopped him.

"You are the first person I have encountered in this place who has not
shuttered at the sight of me," he said in a toneless voice with an
accent that was outside the standard repertoire.

"Am I?" Paul asked, bringing himself back from one of the roseate dreams
with which he kept himself insulated from a not-too-kind reality. "I
daresay that's because I'm a bit near-sighted." He peered vaguely at
the stranger. Then he recoiled.

"What is incorrect about me, then?" the stranger demanded. "Do I not
have two eyes, one nose and one mouth, the identical as other people?"

Paul studied the other man. "Yes, but somehow they seem to be put
together all wrong. Not that you can help it, of course," he added
apologetically, for, when he thought of it, he hated to hurt people's
feelings.

"Yes, I can, for, of a truth, 'twas I who put myself together. What did
I do amiss?"

Paul looked consideringly at him. "I can't quite put my finger on it,
but there are certain subtle nuances you just don't seem to have caught.
If you want my professional advice, you'll model yourself directly o