The Long Way

Illustrated by Kramer
Don Channing stood back and admired his latest acquisition with all of the fervency of a high school girl inspecting her first party dress. It was so apparent, this affection between man and gadget, that the workmen who were now carrying off the remnants of the packing case did so from the far side of the bench so that they would not come between the director of communications and the object of his affection. So intent was Channing in his adoration of the object that he did not hear the door open, nor the click of high heels against the plastic flooring. He was completely unaware of his surroundings until Arden said:
Don, what off earth is that?
Ain't she a beaut? breathed Channing.
Jilted for a jimcrank, groaned Arden. Tell me, my quondam husband, what is it?
Huh? asked Don, coming to life once more.
In plain, unvarnished words of one cylinder, what is that ... that, that ?
Oh, you mean the transmission tube?
How do you do? said Arden to the big tube. Funny-looking thing, not like any transmitting tube I've ever seen before.
Not a transmitting tube, explained Channing. It is one of those power transmission tubes that Baler and Carroll found on the Martian desert.
I presume that is why the etch says: 'Made by Terran Electric, Chicago'?
Channing laughed. Not one found—there was only one found. This is a carbon copy. They are going to revolutionize the transmission of power with 'em.