From their mental remarks I conclude that I lost my vermiform appendix, tonsils and a mole on my left shoulder blade. Most of the other items which I acquired were too grotesque to describe further. "The two additional cardiac structures and the adrenal adjustments should assure some likelihood of immortality," one of the intruders was explaining. "Which would probably bring about over-population in ten generations," the other reminded him. "Ah, yes. I should compensate for that." Buzz, and he did! "I'm corroding." "Exude some chrome as I told you." "I think I hear mother calling, anyway. Let's go before she--" * * * * * They were too late. A third bumpy ball-bearing materialized behind the two aliens, and instantly a barrage of maternal scolding dominated the ether. "I've been searching the whole continuum for you two! What are you doing back here?" "We were just about to return, Mother." "That's the truth, Mother. We just broke through here so we could practice our advanced--" "Practice!" Mother exclaimed. "Practice on this poor, primitive, organic creature?" I felt poor and primitive indeed. Paralyzed with fear, my only wonder now was that apparently I had retained my sanity throughout this waking nightmare. "We didn't hurt him." "You put him back the way you found him, do you understand? Do it right this instant!" "Yes, Mother. Let's see, how _did_ we find him?" "Simple bilateral symmetry, stupid!" "Oh, yes, two of everything except--" "Hold it! Remember the anaesthesia." Buzz! * * * * * When I awakened this time they were gone. My electric clock hummed softly on the mantle, revealing the nonsensical information that less than an hour had passed since my visitors first arrived. I staggered to my feet, bracing myself against the thick air, but the air was just ordinary, thin, substanceless air again. My hand dropped to my right hip. The tentacle was gone. "Thank God!" I breathed, and for an instant my common sense tried to insist that I had merely fallen asleep for a few minutes and dreamed the whole fantastic sequence. But no! Why would I be stark naked? And why were my clothes lying ruined in my chair like bandages split with a huge razor? I clenched my left fist and gained comfort from the reassuring pressure of four fingers and a thumb in my palm. But then I stepped into my bedroom and stood before my full-length mirror--where I have stood rooted ever since. And the question revolves in my brain, punctuated only by my profanity and sobs of despair. How can I marry Betty now? How can I face her, let alone marry her? What woman on earth could bring herself to marry a man with no navel ... and two heads?