"You're okay now," Charles reassured him. He pressed the switches on the square of black boxes and the humming noise ceased. The arch collapsed. "Just look around you and see if this isn't a different world. You'll notice we have a Finlay's Lumber Company here, which you don't have in your world. That's only one minor difference. Come on home with me and I'll give you all the proof you could want." Charles Mead's home was a spacious villa set well back from the road in pleasant handsomely kept grounds. They went inside and Charles led the way upstairs to the den, a bright, paneled room at the back of the house. "Nice place," Chuck said, awed. "I suppose it is," Charles agreed. "Sit down. We've got a lot to talk about." He poured drinks from a well-stocked cabinet and settled in an easy chair. "Now, then, I want to know if you're really convinced of this business of other worlds." "Sure," Chuck said, "unless you've got me doped or hypnotized or I'm dreaming or something. It all _seems_ real enough." "It _is_ real." Ice cubes clicked as Charles tilted his glass and drank. "Now let's get down to business. Just listen to what I have to say and don't interrupt. I want you to think for a moment about those times in your life when you've had to make a decision or choose between two alternative courses of action which would affect your whole life. Have you ever wondered, when you've made your choice, what would have happened if you had chosen the other alternative? For instance, if you arrived at a situation where two jobs were available and you chose one, wouldn't you sometimes wonder how things would have been if you had chosen the other job? "I think I can show you," he continued, "that when we reach such situations and finally select a course of action, _we also take the other course at the same time_. I'm going to try to prove to you that an alternative world somehow comes into existence in which you live your other life. As a matter of fact, you and I sprang from one of these decisive moments. I'm pretty sure I know which one, too." * * * * * He cut short his guest's protests with a quick wave of his hand. "You really can't argue with me about it. You've seen _two_ worlds already--surely you don't think it ends there? After all, we live in an infinite universe; why shouldn't we be infinite creatures living out the infinite possibilities of our lives? Still, to return to you and me--your wife's name is Kathy, isn't it?" "Yeah. Is yours?" "My wife is called Estelle. Does that mean anything to you?" Chuck put down his drink and straightened suddenly. "You mean Estelle Defoe?" "That's right. If you want to make sure we're talking about the same girl, go look out the window."