For a minute I couldn’t think of anything to say. I’ve juggled with weird things like that for years--but strictly on paper, you understand. Now, meeting one in real life gave me a creepy feeling. Because Porky was telling me the truth. I wouldn’t doubt it. He was plainly about frightened out of his wits. “You say you can do this any time you like?” I said at last. “Sure I can. That’s just the trouble--sometimes it’s almost involuntarily, if I’m dozing, half asleep for instance, I just seem suddenly to slip into it. I got into a nasty jam just last night.” He waited for me to ask him, what? But I just stared at him. * * * * * “Seems a man and his wife were having a big argument--the room over me in my boarding house,” he went on. “I could hear them. I don’t know what possessed me but all of a sudden I decided to take the wife’s part. So I did. She was a little woman, but when my--my personality got control of her--she’d always been meek, see? Afraid of the big bruiser, see? Well, anyway, it seems I changed all that in a hurry--” Porky smiled weakly. “Sort of hard to explain--” “I get what you mean. Go on.” “Well, the little woman took a few socks at him which surprised him--” “I should think it might,” I commented. “And just as he was socking back at her--” “You withdrew?” “Yes--yes I did. And that’s what worries me too, Ray. Not just for myself--this damned thing, see? It can work injustice to other people--” “Easily,” I agreed. “That henpecked husband getting home drunk, for instance.” “That’s what I mean.” He was still gripping my arm and his hands were shaking. “Ray, listen--a fellow oughtn’t to be able to do a thing like this. It’s not normal, is it?” “No,” I admitted. “No--certainly not exactly normal. But you’re not sick, Porky? Nothing seems to be the matter with you--except this, of course?” “No. If I wouldn’t be so scared I guess I’d feel all right.” He shuddered. “But what am I going to _do_? Want me to show you how the thing works? It’s easy enough. Let’s look out your window here. You just pick out anybody--anybody at all--” * * * * *