TOO MANY EGGS BY KRIS MELVILLE Everybody likes fried eggs for breakfast--but would a chicken? [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, November 1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] Coxe, an unusually phlegmatic citizen, came to buy the new refrigerator in the usual fashion. He was looking for a bargain. It was the latest model, fresh from the new production line in Los Angeles, and was marked down considerably below standard. The freezing compartment held 245 lbs. of meat. "How come so cheap?" Coxe wanted to know. "Frankly," the salesman said, "I asked myself that. Usually there's a dent in them or something, when they have that factory tag on them. But I checked it over and I can't find anything wrong with it. However, she goes as is." "At that price," Coxe said, "I'll take it." It arrived, refinished in a copper color to his specifications, the following Tuesday. It was plugged in and operated perfectly. He checked it out by freezing ice cubes. * * * * * Wednesday evening, when he opened the door to chill some beer, there was a package in the freezing compartment. He took out the package. It was some sort of plastic and appeared to contain fish eggs. Coxe had not seen fresh fish eggs, considered by some a delicacy, for a number of years. He chilled the beer and fried the eggs. Both tasted about right. * * * * * The following Friday, his girl friend came over to fix dinner for him, and when she looked in the freezing compartment, she said, "What's this?" "Fish eggs," Coxe said. "How many of them?" "Two packages." "We'll fry them up for breakfast," he said. * * * * * Saturday morning, there were three packages of eggs in the refrigerator. "Where do they come from?" his girl friend wanted to know. "They just appear. I ate some and they're very good." She was reluctant, but he talked her into preparing a package. She agreed they were very good. "What are you going to do about it?" she asked. "I don't think there's anything to do about it," he said. "I like fish eggs." * * * * * On Sunday, the package they had eaten Saturday had been replaced. They were coming in at a steady rate of one a day. Coxe cooked a package for breakfast and took the other two to his parents. By Tuesday, he was getting tired of the eggs, and by the end of the week, he had four more packages. He succeeded in giving two packages to the neighbors. At the end of another week, he had eight packages. He explained to his girl friend. She suggested they visit all their friends, leaving a package with each of them.