Standing Room Only

by Karen Joy Fowler

Release: August 1997
Format: Short Story
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

On Good Friday in 1865, Anna Surratt pines for one of her mother’s boarders—a certain John Wilkes Booth—not knowing anything of Booth’s plans for the evening, her mother and brother’s possible role in those plans, or the reason for the legion of odd tourists packing the streets in the nation’s capital around Ford’s Theatre.

— Michael Main

“It didn’t seem a good show,” Anna said to Mrs. Streichman. “A comedy and not very funny.”

Mrs. Streichman twisted into the space next to her. “That was just a rehearsal. The reviews are incredible. And you wouldn’t believe the waiting list. Years. Centuries! I’ll never have tickets again.” She took a deep, calming breath. “At least you’re here, dear. That’s something I couldn’t have expected. That makes it very real. [. . .]”

DEBUT

“Standing Room Only,” in Asimov’s Science Fiction, August 1997.

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Circa AD 1800 to 1899: April 1895

Timeline Models

Single Static Timeline: “And,” she pressed Anna’s arm, “if it helps in any way, you must tell yourself later there’s nothing you could have done to make it come out differently. Everything that will happen has already happened. It won’t be changed.”

Time Travel Methods

Unexplained Time Travel Methods

Themes

Time Travel Agencies, Safaris, and Tourists: presumed tourists

Real-World Tags

Abraham Lincoln: Does not actually appear.
John Wilkes Booth

Groupings

Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine (periodical): August 1997

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From an unspecified place and time at an unknown time ⋙ to Washington, D.C., shortly before 14 April 1865. Note: probably time travel tourists.