The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Best Made Plans, by Everett B. Cole

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Title: The Best Made Plans

Author: Everett B. Cole

Release Date: October 5, 2007 [EBook #22892]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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[Illustration: Illustrated by van Dongen]

THE BEST MADE PLANS

By

EVERETT B. COLE

Astounding Science Fiction

[Illustration] _There
are some people that it is extremely unwise
to cross ... and the fireworks start when
two such people cross each other!_

Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Astounding Science
Fiction, November and December, 1959. Extensive research did not
reveal any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was
renewed.

Don Michaels twisted about uneasily for a moment, then looked toward
the doors of the darkened auditorium. He shook his head, then returned
his attention to the stage. Of course, he'd joined in the applause--a
guy felt sort of idiotic, just sitting there while everyone else in the
place made loud noises--but that comedy act had been pretty smelly.
They should have groaned instead of applauding.

Oh, sure, he thought, the drama students had to have experience on the
stage. And they really needed an audience--if they were going to have
any realism in their performances. Sure, that part of it was all right,
but why did the professionals have to join the party? Why did they have
to have 'casts like that last thing--especially at a school Aud Call?
It seemed anything but educational, and he'd had to skip a good class
for this one. He shrugged. Of course, everyone else had skipped one
class or another, he knew. So why should he be an exception? Too, some
of the students would welcome and applaud anything that gave them a
break from their studies. And the schedule probably took account of
this sort of thing anyway. But....

A fanfare interrupted his thoughts. From the backstage speakers came