The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Street That Wasn't There, by
Clifford Donald Simak and Carl Richard Jacobi

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Title: The Street That Wasn't There

Author: Clifford Donald Simak
Carl Richard Jacobi

Release Date: August 2, 2007 [EBook #22218]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Comet, July 1941. Extensive research did
not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication
was renewed.

The Street That

Wasn't There

by CLIFFORD D. SIMAK and CARL JACOBI

[Illustration]

* * * * *

Mr. Jonathon Chambers left his house on Maple Street at exactly
seven o'clock in the evening and set out on the daily walk he had
taken, at the same time, come rain or snow, for twenty solid
years.

The walk never varied. He paced two blocks down Maple Street,
stopped at the Red Star confectionery to buy a Rose Trofero
perfecto, then walked to the end of the fourth block on Maple.
There he turned right on Lexington, followed Lexington to Oak,
down Oak and so by way of Lincoln back to Maple again and to his
home.

He didn't walk fast. He took his time. He always returned to his
front door at exactly 7:45. No one ever stopped to talk with
him. Even the man at the Red Star confectionery, where he bought
his cigar, remained silent while the purchase was being made. Mr.
Chambers merely tapped on the glass top of the counter with a
coin, the man reached in and brought forth the box, and Mr.
Chambers took his cigar. That was all.

For people long ago had gathered that Mr. Chambers desired to be
left alone. The newer generation of townsfolk called it
eccentricity. Certain uncouth persons had a different word for
it. The oldsters remembered that this queer looking individual
with his black silk muffler, rosewood cane and bowler