Off The Main Sequence, page 95
My eye fell on “The By-Laws of Time," over my bed:
Never Do Yesterday What Should be Done Tomorrow.
If At Last You Do Succeed, Never Try Again.
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine Billion.
A Paradox May be Paradoctored.
It is Earlier When You Think.
Ancestors Are Just People.
Even Jove Nods.
They didn’t inspire me the way they had when I was a recruit; thirty subjective years of time-jumping wears you down. I undressed and when I got down to the hide I looked at my belly. A Caesarian leaves a big scar but I’m so hairy now that I don’t notice it unless I look for it.
Then I glanced at the ring on my finger.
The Snake That Eats Its Own Tail, Forever and Ever … I know where I came from — but where did all you zombies come from?
I felt a headache coming on, but a headache powder is one thing I do not take. I did it once — and you all went away.
So I crawled into bed and whistled out the light.
You aren’t really there at all. There isn’t anybody but me — Jane — here alone in the dark.
I miss you dreadfully!
The End
Robert A Heinlein, Off The Main Sequence
