Encounter with a Hick
Encyclopedia
"Encounter with a Hick" is a short story
by Jonathan Brand from Harlan Ellison
's science fiction
anthology
Dangerous Visions
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A young man is explaining to a police officer why an old man he was sitting with dropped dead. The man states that his father is a "creator", and owns several planets. He was on a date with a girl whose father is also a creator. The date is an attempt by both fathers to unite their families. The titular hick arrives, and the man shows him a brochure that advertises his father's business. Aggravated, the man proudly proclaims his religious beliefs, but collapses when he discovers the man is the "creator's" son.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Jonathan Brand from Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
's science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Dangerous Visions
Dangerous Visions
Dangerous Visions is a science fiction short story anthology edited by Harlan Ellison, published in 1967.A path-breaking collection, Dangerous Visions helped define the New Wave science fiction movement, particularly in its depiction of sex in science fiction...
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A young man is explaining to a police officer why an old man he was sitting with dropped dead. The man states that his father is a "creator", and owns several planets. He was on a date with a girl whose father is also a creator. The date is an attempt by both fathers to unite their families. The titular hick arrives, and the man shows him a brochure that advertises his father's business. Aggravated, the man proudly proclaims his religious beliefs, but collapses when he discovers the man is the "creator's" son.