Hi! Alexander,   
      
   On 11/09/2015 2:49 AM, you wrote:   
      
    PQ>> My initial thoughts on the tale centered on the incredible timing   
    PQ>> required to snatch & return the star author.   
      
    ak> Before the deal, the author was asked what he wanted stronger: to die   
    ak> that moment, or to have another month of life and do his favorite   
    ak> business. ;-)   
      
   If it were me in the place of that fan, I would have chosen a time much   
   earlier than leaving the matter so close to the author's death.  Since the fan   
   is essentially a time 'lord' (in the Doctor Who sense), he could have, and   
   should have, chosen a more opportune time.  The 'reward' need only be to give   
   the author any time in a future not otherwise available to him.   
      
   BTW, this was just a random thought of mine.  Unrelated to your question...   
    PQ>> That's strange. I'm reminded of a book or short story titled   
    PQ>> "Support Your Local Police". By Robert Heinlein? Was it Heinlein?   
    PQ>> Do I get a cookie? :)   
      
    ak> I believe it was Ray Bradbury, but I couldn't figure out the English   
    ak> name of the book. Perhaps, the book's name in the Russian translation   
    ak> does not resemble the original one. I want read it in the original.   
      
   I hadn't thought of him.  Yes, he's a good choice.  Heinlein was just a an   
   idea, snatched hastily.  The story that I do recall was more in the style of   
   Harry Harrison.  I have checked both Bradbury and Harrison using Google, to no   
   avail, unless it was from one from their 'anthologies' partnership   
   collection.  I checked Brian Aldiss as a possibility, with the same negative   
   result.  Oh, well.  Them's the breaks.   
      
   Cheers,   
   Paul.   
      
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