DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Fantasite, v. 1, issue 2, February 1941

Transcribe
Translate

Fantasite, v. 1, issue 2, February 1941

Page 20

"THE DOOR" 
by John L. Chapman

It was merely a joke at first, and hardly laughable, for the idea was too ridiculous. But there it was, a sudden thought come to life in the midst of a heated telephone conversation. One fan suggested:
".... a man staggering alone in the desert, water gone, discovering a door ... an ordinary door as you'd find in any house, standing upright in the hot sand... the man opens it, goes through and shuts it behind him. Then what?..."
The other fan had an answer and it struck like a thunderbolt. They were silent. Then they laughed and said it was crazy. No possible chance for a story --- there was nothing to it, not even a plot. 
Yet there was an ending, one that might have been a shock or a let-down to the reader. It was a good ending, and should see use in one way or another. 
The time was winter, 1938, and the idea brought forth by two Minneapolis fans. 
For some it was forgotten. Then a third fan was introduced to the brain-child. and a fourth. There was enthusiasm, but no hope. It was, without a doubt too ridiculous. And there were un-answered questions. W here did the door come from? Why was it there? What possible explanations could there be for the ending?
It was shelved. Several months went by and it was never mentioned. All Minneapolis fans who heard of it agreed that it was of no use. 
An author came to town. Activity brightened, and with it came lengthy meetings and longer discussions. Someone breathed a word about the door. 
"Yeah-- we had a swell idea once -- 'bout a guy wandering around in the desert. Goes through a door. "
Ad infinitum . 'Round and 'round went the door. It was liked, fought over, hated, heated, torn apart and added to. All in one night. Everybody went home saying it was quite a yarn, but wow -- was it  a brain-teaser !!
At each successive meeting the door was dragged out and laid open for discussion. It became routine. With every meeting, and with every new member, the door went another round. 
Soon it became to change. New thoughts were heaped upon it, the old ones yanked. Soon it had a plot enough of a plot for a fair story. IT was attempted unsuccessfully and dropped. Again the door was....forgotten.
The fall of 1940 brought a new enthusiasm to the Twin Cities, resulting in the Minneapolis Fantasy Society. The door, it seemed wasn't quite down and out. At the first meeting of the society, many insisted that this be a meeting without mention of the door business. 
Out it popped from its hiding place toward the close of the gathering, and up came the old enthusiasm. 
The door carried the meeting beyond all time limits and into the late hours. Likewise the second official meeting, and the third. And the door will no doubt be discussed for many meetings to come, only in a slightly different vein. All discussion will be in the past tense. 
For after the second meeting a prominent author-fan promised to write the door once and for all, and to turn a portion of its proceeds, if any into the society's treasury. 
And now we're glad it's over, 'cause there'll be no more arguments about the doom and its possibilities. The door's been done. 
When you read it don't hold your breath. There's nothing unusual about it --- it's just like any other short short story you'll come across . You may not like it at all. 
But we like it, and we think the author's done a good job, with undisputable help of every member of the Minneapolis Fantasy Society. It was no one man affair. 
"The Door" is the society's dedication to Bob Madsen, well-known Minneapolis fan recently appointed to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Bob had a lot to do with the story's progress. You might keep that in mind when you read "The Door" It's by Oliver K. Seari and you'll see it soon is ASTOUNDING.

Saving...

"THE DOOR" by John L. Chapman It was merely a joke at first, and hardly laughable, for the idea was too ridiculous. But there it was, a sudden thought come to life in the midst of a heated telephone conversation. One fan suggested: ".... a man staggering alone in the desert, water gone, discovering a door ... an ordinary door as you'd find in any house, standing upright in the hot sand... the man opens it, goes through and shuts it behind him. Then what?..." The other fan had an answer and it struck like a thunderbolt. They were silent. Then they laughed and said it was crazy. No possible chance for a story --- there was nothing to it, not even a plot. Yet there was an ending, one that might have been a shock or a let-down to the reader. It was a good ending, and should see use in one way or another. The time was winter, 1938, and the idea brought forth by two Minneapolis fans. For some it was forgotten. Then a third fan was introduced to the brain-child. and a fourth. There was enthusiasm, but no hope. It was, without a doubt too ridiculous. And there were un-answered questions. W here did the door come from? Why was it there? What possible explanations could there be for the ending? It was shelved. Several months went by and it was never mentioned. All Minneapolis fans who heard of it agreed that it was of no use. An author came to town. Activity brightened, and with it came lengthy meetings and longer discussions. Someone breathed a word about the door. "Yeah-- we had a swell idea once -- 'bout a guy wandering around in the desert. Goes through a door. " Ad infinitum . 'Round and 'round went the door. It was liked, fought over, hated, heated, torn apart and added to. All in one night. Everybody went home saying it was quite a yarn, but wow -- was it a brain-teaser !! At each successive meeting the door was dragged out and laid open for discussion. It became routine. With every meeting, and with every new member, the door went another round. Soon it became to change. New thoughts were heaped upon it, the old ones yanked. Soon it had a plot enough of a plot for a fair story. IT was attempted unsuccessfully and dropped. Again the door was....forgotten. The fall of 1940 brought a new enthusiasm to the Twin Cities, resulting in the Minneapolis Fantasy Society. The door, it seemed wasn't quite down and out. At the first meeting of the society, many insisted that this be a meeting without mention of the door business. Out it popped from its hiding place toward the close of the gathering, and up came the old enthusiasm. The door carried the meeting beyond all time limits and into the late hours. Likewise the second official meeting, and the third. And the door will no doubt be discussed for many meetings to come, only in a slightly different vein. All discussion will be in the past tense. For after the second meeting a prominent author-fan promised to write the door once and for all, and to turn a portion of its proceeds, if any into the society's treasury. And now we're glad it's over, 'cause there'll be no more arguments about the doom and its possibilities. The door's been done. When you read it don't hold your breath. There's nothing unusual about it --- it's just like any other short short story you'll come across . You may not like it at all. But we like it, and we think the author's done a good job, with undisputable help of every member of the Minneapolis Fantasy Society. It was no one man affair. "The Door" is the society's dedication to Bob Madsen, well-known Minneapolis fan recently appointed to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Bob had a lot to do with the story's progress. You might keep that in mind when you read "The Door" It's by Oliver K. Seari and you'll see it soon is ASTOUNDING.