Adjustment Team

Philip K. Dick

Description

Posing the question of who truly controls our destiny, Adjustment Team is a remarkable short story by the prolific science fiction writer Philip K. Dick.

Ed Fletcher is a real estate salesman with a steady routine. When he leaves late for work one day, his entire life is thrust off-kilter. Arriving at his office, Ed realises the entire world has been transformed into a horrifying black-and-white nightmare. Rushing to get help, Ed begins to question the philosophy of life and, on the brink of a psychotic breakdown, he realises that he might not be in charge of his own fate.

First published in 1954, Adjustment Team was adapted into the science fiction romantic thriller The Adjustment Bureau in 2011.

Sujets

• Science-Fiction
• Toute la Science-Fiction
• Hard Science Fiction
• Science Fiction
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 06 mai 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781473396074
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

ADJUSTMENT TEAM
BY
PHILLIP K. DICK
Copyright 2013 Read Books Ltd.
This book is copyright and may not be
reproduced or copied in any way without
the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Contents
ADJUSTMENT TEAM
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was born on December 16 1928, in Chicago, Illinois. The death of his twin sister, Jane, six weeks after their birth profoundly affected the writer in later life and is said to account for the recurring theme of the phantom twin in many of his works.
Dick and his family moved to the Bay Area of San Francisco when he was young, and later on to Washington DC following his parents divorce. Dick attended Elementary school and then a Quaker school before the family moved back to California. It was around this time that Dick began to take an active interest in the science fiction genre, reading his first magazine Stirring Science Stories , at age twelve.
Dick attended High School in Berkeley, California, where he and fellow science fiction author Ursula K.Le Guin were members of the same graduating class (1947) but were unknown to each other at the time. After graduation, he briefly attended the University of California in Berkeley, taking classes in History, Psychology, Philosophy, and Zoology. Through his studies in Philosophy, he came to believe that existence is based on internal perceptions which do not necessarily correspond to external reality; he described himself as an acosmic pantheist, believing in the universe only as an extension of God. Dick ultimately concluded the world is not entirely real and there is no way to confirm whether what we see is truly there at all. This question from his early studies persisted as a theme in many of his novels.
Dick married five times between 1959 and 1973, and had three children. He sold his first story in 1951 and from that point on he wrote full-time, selling his first novel in 1955. The 1950s were a difficult and impoverished time for Dick. He once said We couldn t even pay the late fees on a library book. He published almost exclusively works of science fiction, but was said to covet a career in mainstream American literature.
In addition to 44 published novels, Dick wrote an estimated 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. Dick passed away in hospital after suffering a number of strokes, unaware of the acclaim much of his work would go on to receive. After his death, many of his stories made the transition to the big screen, with blockbuster films such as Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report being based on his works.
Dick is now considered to be one of the most influential science fiction writers of the 20th century.
ADJUSTMENT TEAM
SOMETHING WENT WRONG . . . AND ED FLETCHER GOT MIXED UP IN THE BIGGEST THING IN HIS LIFE .

It was bright morning. The sun shone down on the damp lawns and sidewalks, reflecting off the sparkling parked cars. The Clerk came walking hurriedly, leafing through his instructions, flipping pages and frowning. He stopped in front of the small green stucco house for a moment, and then turned up the walk, entering the back yard.
The dog was asleep inside his shed, his back turned to the world. Only his thick tail showed.
For Heaven s sake, the Clerk exclaimed, hands on his hips. He tapped his mechanical pencil noisily against his clipboard. Wake up, you in there.
The dog stirred. He came slowly out of his shed, head first, blinking and yawning in the morning sunlight. Oh, it s you. Already? He yawned again.
Big doings. The Clerk ran his expert finger down the traffic-control sheet. They re adjusting Sector T137 this morning. Starting at exactly nine o clock. He glanced at his pocket watch. Three hour alteration. Will finish by noon.
T137? That s not far from here.
The Clerk s lips twisted in contempt. Indeed. You re showing astonishing perspicacity, my black-haired friend. Maybe you can divine why I m here.
We overlap with T137.
Exactly. Elements from this sector are involved. We must make sure they re properly placed when adjustment begins. The Clerk glanced toward the small green stucco house. Your particular task concerns the man in there. He is employed by a business establishment lying within Sector T137. It s essential he be there before nine o clock.
The dog studied the house. The shades had been let up. The kitchen light was on. Beyond the lace curtains dim shapes could be seen, stirring around the table. A man and woman. They were drinking coffee.
There they are, the dog murmured. The man, you say? He s not going to be harmed, is he?
Of course not. But he must be at his office early. Usually he doesn t leave until after nine. Today he must leave at eight-thirty. He must be within Sector T137 before the process begins, or he won t be altered to coincide with the new adjustment.
The dog sighed. That means I have to summon.
Correct. The Clerk checked his instruction sheet. You re to summon at precisely eight-fifteen. You ve got that? Eight-fifteen. No later.
What will an eight-fifteen summons bring?
The Clerk flipped open his instruction book, examining the code columns. It will bring A Friend with a Car. To drive him to work early. He closed the book and folded his arms, preparing to wait. That way he ll get to his office almost an hour ahead of time. Which is vital.
Vital, the dog murmured. He lay down, half inside his shed. His eyes closed. Vital.
Wake up! This must be done exactly on time. If you summon too soon or too late-
The dog nodded sleepily. I know. I ll do it right. I always do it right.
Ed Fletcher poured more cream in his coffee. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. Behind him the oven hissed softly, filling the kitchen with warm fumes. The yellow overhead light beamed down.
Another roll? Ruth asked.
I m full. Ed sipped his coffee.