When invention mogul Malcolm Blyn spots an unusual can of paint that a young boy brings to his factory, he begins to wonder whether it came from the future and what else the future may hold.
I hand him an empty can and say I want it filled with green paint—it should have orange polka dots.

Variants

(1)
  1. “Errand Boy” by William Tenn, Astounding, June 1947.
    2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . written by William Tenn