eated to describe only what they had gained from their own experience!
How could he hope to make them gain a true understanding of it?

He might tell them simply and truthfully everything he experienced--and
it might come out utter nonsense! It probably would. Unless he could
bring back some of the evidence, either intentionally or unwittingly.

At first that evidence might present a pattern of utter nonsense and
contradiction with known thought patterns and concepts. It might present
seemingly normal events in nonsense sequences. It might present
impossible events in seemingly normal sequences. It might even present
disjointed events in sequence.

What it would present would be only what the screen of the senses and
the screen of the mind could accept. Underneath would be a perfectly
orderly pattern of events of some sort, behaving according to different
natural laws in conflict with those we have existed under. Slowly we
might penetrate to an understanding of them, but not at first, because
at first they would be completely UNTHINKABLE.

In this story, UNTHINKABLE, an attempt has been made to depict such a
conflict of nature and human mentality. It is not the ordinary science
fiction attempt. It is not new laws working in harmony with old, or new
discoveries that fit into the old pattern. It is, if you please, an
utterly alien bit of reality in conflict with the old.

The story cannot but be inadequate. It is the froth and foam of the
struggle. It is the parts that fit into the words and phrases and
sentences. You won't like it at all--unless you have the type of mind
that can reach a little way beyond experience. And though what you may
"see" may have no counterpart in all reality, if this story serves to
expand your mental horizons, it has at least found an excuse for being
written.

--ROG PHILLIPS

Dr. Nale Hargrave tossed his spotless grey hat expertly across the six
feet of space between him and the coat tree, humming the while a
currently popular tune whose only words he could remember were "Feemo
fimo fujo, the flumy fwam to fwojo."

His eyes rested self-congratulatingly on the hat after it came to a safe
stop, then turned to beam an instant at his receptionist before he
continued on to his office.

She smiled after him with an affectionate, indulgent look, gave him as
long as it took her to powder her nose and tuck a few stray hairs into