The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tape Jockey, by Tom Leahy

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Title: Tape Jockey

Author: Tom Leahy

Release Date: May 29, 2010 [EBook #32583]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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TAPE JOCKEY

By Tom Leahy

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

[Sidenote: _Pettigill was, you might say, in tune with the world. It
wouldn't even have been an exaggeration to say the world was in tune
with Pettigill. Then somebody struck a sour note...._]

The little man said, "Why, Mr. Bartle, come in. This is indeed a
pleasure." His pinched face was lighted with an enthusiastic smile.

"You know my name, so I suppose you know the _Bulletin_ sent me for a
personality interview," the tall man who stood in the doorway said in a
monotone as if it were a statement he had made a thousand times--which
he had.

"Oh, certainly, Mr. Bartle. I was informed by Section Secretary Andrews
this morning. I must say, I am greatly honored by this visit, too. Oh
heavens, here I am letting you stand in the doorway. Excuse my
discourtesy, sir--come in, come in," the little man said, and bustled
the bored Bartle into a great room.

The walls of the room were lined by gray metal boxes that had spools of
reproduction tape mounted on their vertical fronts--tape recorders,
hundreds of them.

"I have a rather lonely occupation, Mr. Bartle, and sometimes the common
courtesies slip my mind. It is a rather grievous fault and I beg you to
overlook it. It would be rather distressing to me if Section Secretary
Andrews were to hear of it; he has a rather intolerant attitude toward
such _faux pas_. Do you understand what I mean? Not that I'm
dissatisfied with my superior--perish the thought, it's just that--"

"Don't worry, I won't breathe a word," the tall man interrupted without
looking at