Defektiv bokstav E i den gigantiska linotypmaskinen i himlen

"Angelic Angleworm" av Fredric Brown , publicerad först Okända världar , februari 1943 , som finns tillgänglig på Internetarkivet (klicka här för nedladdningsalternativ). (Enligt denna bio började Brown sin karriär som arbetar som typskrivare och korrekturläsare för Milwaukee Journal .)

Charlie Wills förklarar problemet till huvudkompositören i himmelen:

"Sure," said Charlie. "They're supposed to be perfect, so perfect that you don't even need proofreaders. But maybe once out of infinity something can happen to perfection, can't it? Mathematically, once out of infinity anything can happen. Now look; there is a separate typesetting machine and operator for the records covering each person, isn't there?"

The Head Compositor nodded. "Correct, although in a manner of speaking the operator and the machine are one, in that the operator is a function of the machine and the machine is a function of the operator and both are extensions of the ego of—but I guess that is a little too complicated for you to understand."

"Yes, I—well, anyway, the channels that the matrices run in must be tremendous. On our linotypes at the Hapworth Printing Company, an e-mat would make the circuit every sixty seconds or so, and if one was defective it would cause one mistake a minute, but up here—Well, is my calculation of fifty hours and ten minutes correct?"

"It is," agreed the Head Compositor. "And since there is no way you could have found out that fact except—"

"Exactly. And once every that often the defective e-matrix comes round and falls when the operator hits the e-key. Probably the ears of the mat are worn; anyway it falls through a long distributor front and falls too fast and lands ahead of its right place in the word, and a typographical error goes through. Like a week ago Sunday, I was supposed to pick up an angleworm, and—"

"Wait."

The Head Compositor pressed a buzzer and issued an order. A moment later, a heavy book was brought in and placed on his desk. Before the Head Compositor opened it, Charlie caught a glimpse of his own name on the cover.

"You said at five-fifteen A.M.?"

Charlie nodded. Pages turned.

"I'll be—blessed!" said the Head Compositor. "Angelworm! It must have been something to see. Don't know I've ever heard of an angelworm before. And what was next?"