Upon reaching their destination, the atoms would be rearranged in a receiver and everything would be as good as new.The transmitters made exploring th...e universe an everyday occurrence for the average man. The only hang-up was that a transmitter had to be taken to a planet first. Thus Ponkert, and other like him, were needed to man the long rocket voyages to the stars. Their job was to establish transmitter bases on Earth-type planets, usually for Time-Shift Universal, a near governmental. Putting up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Baking cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn’t the same by myself and besides I was getting a little chubby.’ The stranger put his hand on George’s shoulder. ‘But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child who you loaned your truck will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save many people from. I started to walk to the bedroom. I lay her down on the bed and stood up. As I turned around to get a condom out of the drawer I heard the sheets on the bed rustle as Meg stood up to take her clothes of. I turned around to see her in a black lacy bra with matching underwear. She lay back down on the bed. “Hurry up, I’m all wet with nothing to do!” Meg murmured seductively. I threw off my clothes and lay down next to her. She grabbed my head and pushed me down her body until I got to her moist. Later. Maybe.”And we spoke of other things.This day she has shown me a thing that sits on a wall of the room where we spend our days. It is like the box on the table, which she calls computer, but bigger and different. She says the name is television, or teevee, and she shows how it, too, lights up when she takes up a small thing and presses a boss on it.“I don’t usually watch, but it’s time for the news and I have no idea what’s happening in the world,” she tells me. I ask what is news, and.