Challenge 1117

Outlandish

In Marina J. Neary’s People of Pleasure:
1. Does it seem that the former Art professor is the victim of a run of bad luck? If so, might he do something to improve it?
2. Or is Rupert Irwin haunted or pursued by others, especially the strange portrait model? If so, does he appear to have done anything to deserve it?
In Andreas Britz’s, Bearskin: A bear comes to drink out of a chlorinated swimming pool. Two men carry away the 800-pound bear on a stretcher. What further unlikely or impossible events do these two incidents portend?
In Domonique D. Krentz, Hot Toot:
1. Could Pier have reacted to her accident in a way that might have reduced the embarrassment to herself and avoided her appearing to blame Patrick?
2. What Bewildering Stories guideline implies that the “s-word” should be spelled out in full in its context in this story:? In other words, why would an alternative title such as “Hot Sh*t” be considered inappropriate spelling?
In Floyd Largent’s Midnight in the Garden: What elements are unlikely to be found in the science fiction of, say, the 1940’s and 1950’s? What does the story portend about the science fiction of today?