The Marrying Man

Pete is a veteran of interstellar service, spending months on near‑light‑speed missions while decades slip by for the people he leaves behind. To make sense of the endless cycles of loss, he treats marriage as a practical investment—each wife a policy that pays out when time finally catches up. The story follows his routine of returning to Earth, confronting the grief of another widow, and negotiating with an insurance agent who seems to share his cold calculus.

Against this backdrop of futuristic cities, repulsor belts, and shifting fashions, Pete encounters Nancy, a bright‑eyed student eager to interview a “time man.” Her curiosity and vitality stir something beyond his usual detached calculations, hinting at a possible shift in his outlook. As their friendship deepens, Pete begins to question whether his methodical approach to love and loss can ever truly satisfy a man who has watched centuries drift past.