Return of the Moon Man

by E. L. Malpass

Release: 2 January 1955
Format: Short Story
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

During a surprise trip to the moon by Grandpa, Grandma is mad about being left behind and leaves town with another man with a time machine. Grandpa returns, finds another time machine, and strands Grandma in time and space.

— Dave Hook

We got the meal ready, and then someone said, “Where is Grandfather?”

DEBUT

“Return of the Moon Man,” in The Observer, 2 January 1955.

VARIANTS

3 English variants

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Middle Ages (AD 476 to 1454)
Circa AD 1950 to 1959: AD 1954
Near Future, AD 2300 and Beyond: AD 2500

Time Travel Methods

Generic Time Machine: “Hired a time machine in Llandudno.”

Themes

Chases through Time: “Chased them right back to the Middle Ages.”
Exiled or Intentionally Stranded in Time: “Stranded in the Middle Ages with no money, and no means of getting back.”

Real-World Tags

Black Death: “Llewellyn caught the Black Death.”

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From Aberystwyth, AD 2500 ⋙ to an unspecified location, AD 1954. Note: Gran and Llewellyn Time Machine.
From Aberystwyth, AD 2500 ⋙ to an unspecified location, AD 1954. Note: Grandfather follows when he returns from the moon.
From an unspecified place, AD 1954 ⋙ to the Middle Ages. Note: Gran and Llewellyn flee with Grandfather in pursuit.
From the Middle Ages ⋙ to Aberystwyth, AD 2500. Note: Only Grandfather returns.

INDEXER NOTES (SPOILERS!)

Debut—Initial publication unformation in <em>The Observer</em> as by Darley Samson from <a href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philsp.com%2Fresources%2FISFAC%2Fd40.htm'>Galactic Central</a>.