The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Holes and John Smith, by Edward W. Ludwig

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Title: The Holes and John Smith

Author: Edward W. Ludwig

Illustrator: Kelly Freas

Release Date: June 3, 2010 [EBook #32667]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from IF Worlds of Science Fiction June 1954.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright
on this publication was renewed.

_He was something out of a nightmare but his music was straight from
heaven. He was a ragged little man out of a hole but he was money in
the bank to Stanley's four-piece combo. He was_--whoops!...

The HOLES and JOHN SMITH

By Edward W. Ludwig

Illustration by Kelly Freas

[Illustration]

It all began on a Saturday night at _The Space Room_. If you've seen
any recent Martian travel folders, you know the place: "A picturesque
oasis of old Martian charm, situated on the beauteous Grand Canal in
the heart of Marsport. Only half a mile from historic Chandler Field,
landing site of the first Martian expedition nearly fifty years ago in
1990. A visitor to the hotel, lunch room or cocktail lounge will
thrill at the sight of hardy space pioneers mingling side by side with
colorful Martian tribesmen. An evening at _The Space Room_ is an
amazing, unforgettable experience."

Of course, the folders neglect to add that the most amazing aspect is
the scent of the Canal's stagnant water--and that the most
unforgettable experience is seeing the "root-of-all-evil" evaporate
from your pocketbook like snow from the Great Red Desert.

We were sitting on the bandstand of the candle-lit cocktail lounge.
Me--Jimmie Stanley--and my four-piece combo. Maybe you've seen our
motto back on Earth: "The Hottest Music This Side of Mercury."

But there weren't four of us tonight. Only three. Ziggy, our bass
fiddle man, had nearly sliced off two fingers while opening a can of
S