
In a cramped kitchen the narrator marvels that her newborn hasn't cried once, thanks to an unseen playmate that only the baby can see. The creature—a shaggy, scaly being with a tiny trunk—slides in and out of the crib, turning a routine diaper change into a surreal showdown. As neighbors gossip over coffee and the husband remains blissfully unaware, the mother’s domestic routine unravels into frantic attempts to protect both infant and the mysterious friend.
The story follows her desperate call to a bewildered workplace, only to hear the baffling reply, “Sorry, you must have the wrong dimension.” From there, the narrative balances wry humor with a creeping sense of otherworldly danger, as everyday chores clash with the absurdity of a monster‑filled nursery. Listeners are drawn into a frantic, funny, and slightly unsettling portrait of motherhood pushed beyond the ordinary.
Language
en
Duration
~17 minutes (16K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-08-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1913–1988
A lively Golden Age science fiction writer, he filled the pulps with big ideas, cosmic puzzles, and fast-moving adventure. His stories helped shape the early magazine era of the genre and are still remembered by longtime SF readers.
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