"MEN WANTED - 21-40, pref. single, mil. or tech. exp., good physique, for high-pay work with foreign travel. Engineering Studies Co., 305 E. 45, 9-12 & 2-6."
-Poul Anderson, Time Patrol (New York, 2006), p. 1.
We probably skip past the ad whenever we reread the sacred texts of the Time Patrol. Foreign travel indeed! Does anyone out there know what all those numbers mean? Someone commented that the ad does not include any contact number or address but maybe they are hidden in there somewhere?
I have commented on short stories in Multiverse. A Time Patrol story required more commentary because of its complexities. This has led back to some reflections on the Time Patrol series itself. Another way forward from Multiverse might be to read some Greg Bear novels influenced by Poul Anderson. Who knows what will happen next?
5 comments:
Could it be the address for the job interview? There is a 305 E 45th St, New York. The rest could be the date (September 12th) followed by the time the interviewer would be there. Just an idea. A test of initiative to see whether ME had the kind of brain the Time Patrol was looking for.
Hi, Ketlan!
That's exactly what I had been thinking was the case: number 305 East 45th Street. And the 9 to 12 and 2 to 6 referred to the hours when the Time Patrol interviewer would be in the office. And the bit about men with military or technical experience being desired would help weed out unsuitable candidates.
Sean
Thanks, guys.
Hi, both. Interesting that this address just happens to be close to the United Nations and the State Department buildings. In fact it seems to be in the middle of what might be described as the embassy area. Significant?
Hi, Ketlan!
If this address has any significance I would say that was only because such a location might be where you would find an esp. high concentration of the types of men the Time Patrol recruits.
Sean
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