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Q: looking for science fiction story ( No Answer,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: looking for science fiction story
Category: Arts and Entertainment > Books and Literature
Asked by: philip_lynx-ga
List Price: $30.00
Posted: 10 Jun 2002 07:11 PDT
Expires: 10 Jul 2002 07:11 PDT
Question ID: 24102
This is a continuation of Question #3071 and Question #13341. Before
trying to answer / comment, please go to those questions and read the
previous material...

https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=3071
https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=13341

Short recapitulation:

I am looking for one spceific short story. The story appeared at least
ten, maybe 20, years ago, and I read it in the german version of the
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

The main theme is a private detective, who, after becoming suspicious,
finds out that the owner of a coffee shop or restaurant is an immortal
(or near-immortal).  At the end of the story, she serves him a very
special coffee (without his approval), which gives him a chance of
becoming immortal too. (Or die in the process). The detective is male,
the coffee shop / restaurant owner is female. Only humans are
involved, the setting is contemporary earth, probably north america.

The story is NOT 'cautionary tales' by Niven, and it is NOT 'Jungle of
Stars' by Jack Chalker. It also is not 'Perchance to Dream' by Sally
A. Sellers.

To claim the money, please include a substantial summary of the story
you found.

Request for Question Clarification by grimace-ga on 10 Jun 2002 09:25 PDT
Hi,

Sorry to hear you're still frustrated by this!

Can you just confirm - was the story translated into German, or was it
originally written in German?

Request for Question Clarification by webadept-ga on 10 Jun 2002 09:37 PDT
I use to publish in Asimov's, I'll write a editor I know, if she's
still there, and see if she can hunt it down. I'm posting this so they
don't get a few hundered emails asking about it.

webadept-ga

Clarification of Question by philip_lynx-ga on 10 Jun 2002 23:30 PDT
grimace-ga: To my knowledge, the "Isaac Asimov's SF Magzin" carries
almost only stories selected out of the US IASFM.

webadept-ga: Very much looking forward to what you can find out! ;)

angel1-ga: I am sorry, but as explained elsewhere, the story I am
looking for was not written by Asimov. It 'only' appeared in the
IASFM. But thanks for the nice links anyway.

Request for Question Clarification by markoft-ga on 15 Jun 2002 16:37 PDT
I have found a listing of the contents of the american edition of
IASFM covering all issues from it's start back in 1977.  Browes
through the contents listing to see if any titles sound familiar. 
Then search for the author and title to find a review or possibly an
electronic copy of the story.

Asimov's Science Fiction Listings
http://www.sfsite.com/isfdb/asimovs.html

Good Luck!

Clarification of Question by philip_lynx-ga on 18 Jun 2002 12:19 PDT
markoft-ga: I have read the german translation of the story. Titles
are totally different, and none on the isfdb rings a bell. But thanks
anyway.

Request for Question Clarification by markoft-ga on 18 Jun 2002 16:28 PDT
Sorry to hear that.  But at least that might indicate that the story
was not named after a main character.  Any narrowing of the field
would help.

Clarification of Question by philip_lynx-ga on 30 Jun 2002 06:51 PDT
I have done all the narrowing I could do in Q3071 and Q13341 (links
above).
I understand this is a very hard question -- and I certainly have all
the patience needed to wait for the positive answer ;-)
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: looking for science fiction story
From: angel1-ga on 10 Jun 2002 13:36 PDT
 
Hi there!

I personally am Isaac Asimov's #1 fan and been reading his stories
since I was nine!
I was hoping to help you but I haven't read anything like that in
Asimov's short stories as far as I remember.
I searched & I found this site "A Guide to Isaac Asimov's Short
Fiction" @ http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/short_fiction_guide.html

It's a very excellent site, you might want to surf through it and
hopefully you will find something, it has ALL works by asimov.
I searched throughout the site & one helpful page that I found is @
http://homepage.mac.com/jenkins/Asimov/SNumerical.html

It has Isaac Asimov’s short fiction in chronological order with a
description of each story when you click on the link...

One question that came to my mind just now is that since I have never
seen the magazine, I am just wondering if the story WASN'T by Isaac
Asimov because in a lot of such magazines there are stories by other
authors included...

Search term used in google: Isaac asimov short story "immortal"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Isaac+asimov+short+story+%22immortal%22

Search term used in google: all asimov's stories
://www.google.com/search?q=all+asimov%27s+stories&hl=en&lr=&sa=n&oq=all+asimove%27s+stories

Search term used in google: search isaac asimov's work
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=search+isaac+asimov%27s+work

I am sorry I couldn't be more of help but I hope you find what you are
searching for and when you do please don't forget to tell us because I
am very curious, I will search some more in library catalogues and
miraculously I might find it :-)

Have a nice day!
~Angel1
Subject: Re: looking for science fiction story
From: gloria-ga on 13 Jun 2002 14:54 PDT
 
Hi, whether anybody answers still lies mainly on you.  Take a moment
to think back on the story.  Try to remember some of the characters
name, the restaurants name, etc.

Try answering these questions:
1.  Why did you like the story so much?  List your answers.
2.  Is there a romance, action, what's the real conflict? List
details.
3.  What city or place does it take place?
4.  What was the detective originally searching for before meeting the
owner?
5.  List character details.

If you give me more details about the actual story, I'm certain that
either I or any of the Researchers will be able to help.

Good luck remembering!
Subject: Re: looking for science fiction story
From: actualwolf-ga on 18 Jun 2002 06:40 PDT
 
Hi-

I can think of a short story by Robert Silverberg called "The
Regulars" that you may want to look into.  It originally appeared in
the May 11 1981 Asimov's although this publication date is for the
U.S. version.

I did find a Russian reference to the story and the date May 11 on
this page:
http://bestsf.narod.ru/locus/locus82fb.htm 

I'm sure that the German edition wouldn't be too far off.

I  suggest it from memory and what few references I can find online. 
I do remember that it concernstwo immortals, one male, one female.

Notable differences between this story and the one you seem to
remember:

-It takes place in a tavern, not a coffee house.
-I don't remember any reference to a detective, thogh the man does
have several jobs.

Hope this is what you're looking for, or at least will narrow your
search.

-actualwolf

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