Time out for redheads

In Short

This story follows Mikel Skot, a sheltered, solitary man working in a 29th-century time-travel bureau, whose life is upended when a woman is seemingly murdered at his window. Panicked and unequipped for violence, he impulsively travels into the past to escape. The narrative is a brisk, imaginative exploration of a man trapped between a utopian, conflict-free future and a messy, confusing past. It endures as a charming piece of mid-century science fiction that uses the contrast of eras to gently satirize the protagonist’s lack of worldly experience.

The Story

Mikel Skot is a man of routine. For twelve years, he has worked as a ticket-seller for Time Travel Tours, Unlimited, in the year 2839. Despite his proximity to endless eras, he has never left his own time or city. His life is defined by predictability and a lack of social connection until a redheaded woman approaches his window, smiles at him, and then collapses in a pool of blood. Armed with the murder weapon—a steel knife—and overcome by a fear he has never been conditioned to handle, Mikel frantically grabs a random ticket and teleports to the past.

He arrives in a city that is clearly Los Angeles, but in a primitive, unrecognizable era. The architecture is small, the vehicles are archaic, and the people dress in strange, varied clothing. Distraught and lacking the local currency to survive, Mikel realizes he is effectively a refugee in his own history. He attempts to sell the knife, only to be told by a shopkeeper that it is worthless "junk." While sitting in a park, he meets a girl named Betty French, who also has red hair and green eyes. Through their conversation, Mikel learns about the confusing nature of the era, the concept of "panhandling," and his own profound ignorance of human behavior.

Mikel confesses everything to Betty, including his identity as a traveler and his fear that he will be euthanized as an "atavistic deviant" if he returns to his own time and is accused of the killing. Betty, initially skeptical, treats his story as a delusion but offers him advice on how to handle the situation. Just as Mikel begins to accept his fate, an executive from his own firm appears at the restaurant where he is eating. The executive reveals the truth: the "murder" was a staged performance for a film production, and Mikel was used as an unwitting extra. Mikel’s panic, he learns, was the perfect performance. The story concludes on a note of unexpected optimism; the executive mentions that the actress who played the victim, Dafne Dart, is interested in meeting him. Suddenly shedding his lifelong shyness, the formerly timid clerk is eager to return home to pursue the woman who had captivated him.

How It Unfolds

The sudden collapse Mikel’s quiet life is shattered when a beautiful stranger dies at his ticket counter. He is left holding a bloodied antique knife, prompting a blind, panicked escape into the unknown.

Arrival in the past Mikel finds himself in a bewildering, primitive version of his home city. He struggles to navigate a world without atomic power or standardized social rules, feeling entirely out of place in his simple tunic.

An encounter with the present He meets a woman named Betty French, who proves to be a foil to his sheltered upbringing. Through their dialogue, he learns the basics of her society and realizes how vastly different his own "civilized" life is from reality.

The truth is revealed The mystery of the murder is solved when a supervisor arrives from the future. The entire event was a staged theatrical production, exposing Mikel’s fear as a product of his lack of real-world experience.

The People

Mikel Skot is the heart of the story. A timid, "dusty" clerk, he has been conditioned by his utopian society to avoid conflict and new experiences, leaving him startlingly naive. His journey is one of awakening; the shock of the "murder" forces him to act, and his interaction with the past allows him to shed his lifelong isolation.

Betty French is a woman of the past who acts as an anchor for Mikel. She is practical, skeptical, and somewhat cynical, viewing Mikel as either a street performer or a "looney." Her interactions with him provide the reader with a sense of how a "normal" person views the bizarre, future-dwelling protagonist.

The TTT Executive serves as the voice of the 29th century. He is pragmatic and amused by Mikel’s ignorance, representing a society that has so thoroughly eradicated crime that its citizens are essentially children regarding human danger. He facilitates Mikel's return and serves as the bridge between the protagonist's sheltered existence and the reality of his error.

In Its Own Voice

"He was thirty-four, five-feet-ten and lean, with decent features and all his hair and quite nice brown eyes."

Mikel is introduced as a man who is physically unremarkable and seemingly defined by his lack of history.

"He reached behind him and grabbed a ticket at random, not even looking to see what date it was."

This moment captures the desperation of a man who has never had to make a spontaneous decision in his life.

"I suppose I'll be demoted now," Mikel said gloomily.

Even after the trauma of the "murder," Mikel’s first instinct is to worry about his rigid corporate standing.

What It's Really About

The book explores the tension between security and experience. The 29th-century society depicted is a paradise of order, but it comes at the cost of the inhabitants' humanity; they are so "conditioned" that they have lost the ability to comprehend basic human emotions like greed, jealousy, or even the concept of a crime. Mikel represents the danger of a life lived without friction. The story argues that while a world without conflict is peaceful, it is also stagnant. By being thrust into a "barbarous" past, Mikel is forced to engage with the world directly, ultimately discovering that his sheltered life has left him unprepared for the simple, messy realities of being human.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy vintage science fiction that favors character studies over heavy technology will appreciate this piece. It is a light, brisk read that captures the mid-century fascination with "utopian" futures and the clash between sterile science and the chaotic, colorful past. The writing is warm and precise, focusing on Mikel’s internal shift from an invisible clerk to a man discovering his own desires.

The book is not without its period-specific attitudes; it reflects the mid-1950s cultural expectations regarding gender roles, particularly in its portrayal of "policewomen" and the dynamics between the lead characters. Some readers might find the protagonist's utter lack of street smarts a bit extreme, but this is clearly intentional, serving to highlight the satirical critique of his society. It is an ideal pick for a reader looking for a short, charming story that lingers on the idea that even the most regimented life can be interrupted by a single, red-headed spark. You will likely walk away thinking about the trade-offs we make for safety and the unexpected ways that fear can finally push us into the life we were meant to lead.