Another Segment

The first story written and sold by H. Beam Piper was based on the idea of psychic time  travel.  I'm having a go at the concept to explain the differences between our real universe and the fictional universe:

Diary of E.A. Keller, October 14, 1975

I also had an encounter with Stephanie Kane today. 

Miss Kane appears to be a narcissistic personality, that is someone who sees herself as the most important, if not the only person, in her private universe.  This materially manifests as a habit of dressing to project the appearance of being sexually attractive.  And though she wears normal clothes for the climate outside of school hours she changes over to the attractive mode and back in the girl’s restroom before and after class. 

Up to this time she had ignored me as I was properly seen before the change as a long term loser.  As I am not trying to hide the change to an adult mental state, and especially with the adult manner of grooming and speech, I’ve suddenly become a “chick magnet.”  If I wasn’t an old man in a young body I wouldn’t be bothered by this but as part of the change I’ve not only picked up a moral standard but an esthetic standard as well.

What can I say about Miss Kane apart from that she looks ridiculous?

But Miss Kane came on to me so I replied to her.

“Miss Kane, I don’t know a nice way to put this, but you look like a common prostitute.”

She was shocked.  I continued.

“Seriously, apart from the needle tracks and related heath issues, you look like one of the hookers working on Block E, or worse, one of those on Lake Street.”

She asked me what Block E was.

“It’s the west side of Hennepin Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets in Downtown Minneapolis.  I don’t know offhand what the east side is called but it’s probably worse.”

She then asked me how it could be worse.

“There’s an actual porno theater on the other side.”

At this point she just stared at me and at this point I made a suggestion.

“Stephanie, everyone is privately laughing at you behind your back, you don’t need to slut up, just be yourself.”

I don’t know if there really is a self for her to be but I had to say it.