"Sarah, I think you'd better come see this."
     "What is it, Karen?"
     "It's in your backyard. I don't know quite what to call it."
     Sarah stopped in the middle of washing dishes and took a look further out the window to get a good look at Karen. "Is Jim standing next to it?"
     "Uh, yeah."
     "That idiot is at it again." she moaned.
     "This is worse than normal, Sarah. Quite a bit worse."
     There was a huge roar from the backyard, drowning out any possibility of conversation. Sarah waved and covered her ears, something Karen had already done, and she headed for the back door. As soon as she opened it, the noise died. She stood there looking at something she couldn't describe. In fact, just the sight of it hurt her eyes. It was a blob of wiggling, twisting, throbbing distortion, shaped something like a pear most of the time, and standing twelve feet tall.
     "Jim, what in the name of sanity are you trying to do this time?"
     "I can't talk right now, honey. I'm having a phase problem."
     "Just stop it!"
     "I can't. If I stop now, it will blow up the whole block. Please, let me concentrate."
     "You always say that. Why are you fooling around with something that would blow up the block and looks like that?"
     "Not now, honey. I'm busy!"
     Sarah knew by now that tone of voice. "Shut it off as soon as you can. I'm going inside. It's giving me a headache."
     Jim didn't answer, being absorbed in what he was doing. Sarah returned to the kitchen. Karen was still at the window. "What is it?"
     "I don't know. He said he was too busy to explain. Something about blowing up the block."
     "He's going to blow up the block?" Karen gasped.
     "I think he's trying not to, if I read him right."
     "Sarah, why do you put up with this sort of thing?"
     "I wish I knew how many times I ask myself that. Go on home, Karen. I'll take care of this." She shut the window and went to the dining room and looked out at Jim where she didn't have to look at that thing. He was frantically working at some apparatus, a rather familiar sight for Sarah. It seemed that no matter what she tried, nothing seemed to restrain Jim's desire to tinker with things. He worked without giving away his attention for over ten minutes, but then he finally seemed to relax. Sarah opened the window. "Are you finished fooling with it yet?"
     Jim looked her way with a smile, a sign that he had obviously reached his goal, as ridiculous as it so often was. "It's stable now."
     "Then turn it off."
     "Turn it off? No, honey. Come outside and look."
     "Do I have to?" she sighed.
     "Come on and look." he pleaded.
     She bent over to where she could see it through the window. It was now a glowing sphere. "What is it?"
     "Come outside and look."
     "Oh, all right." Sarah walked to the back door and out into the yard. "And just exactly how dangerous is it?"
     "Oh, it's stable now. Safe as houses."
     "Whose houses? What is it?" she inquired, not really caring.
     "It's an inter-dimensional matrix tap."
     "Like a gate to another world? Jim, if creatures from some other world start crawling around my garden, you're sleeping in the garage."
     "It's not a gate to some other world. Not exactly."
     "There are those two words again."
     "Only the energy flows across. Matter can't cross over. Actually, it's more like the two continuums are rubbing against each other, and the stress comes out as this." he explained.
     "What does it do?" she asked with her eyes shut.
     "It does a number of things. As soon as I finish putting the converter together, I can hook the power supply to the house to it. Free electricity, and no more electrical bills." he beamed.
     "Not if it's going to blow out the appliances. I lost the dishwasher last time you tried something like this."
     "No, it's not going to blow out anything. In fact, I can use it to buy you a new dishwasher."
     "How?" she demanded.
     "Well, I'll show you. I take this two by four and place it here on the feed hoist, and press this button. Now it goes in, and I adjust the molecular attenuation selector, and then I bring it out."
     "That's not a two by four."
     "No, it is smaller because it is denser. It's the same mass, but now it's pure gold." He tossed the small board-shaped ingot to her. She caught it and looked at it suspiciously.
     "I could put garbage in there and turn it into gold?"
     "Precisely. Or diamonds, or platinum, or whatever I select. Sarah, we're rich!"
     "Yeah, yeah. I've heard that before. How are you going to keep the neighbors' kids and dogs and cats out of it?"
     "Oh, you can't stumble into it. I have to set the controls for something to be able to penetrate the surface skin of the interface. It's foolproof. I made sure of that."
     "And what if you have trouble with the controls?"
     "Sarah, please."
     "Jim, it's happened before."
     "I designed this with a triple redundancy fail-safe. All three channels have to match before it will work. Otherwise, it goes into its inert state, like it is now. See? Solid a rock. I can't get inside it, no matter how hard I push."
     "Can you move it? It's right in the way of my favorite view of the backyard. If you insist on having it, at least move it behind the garage where I don't have to look at it."
     "I can't move it. It has to be right here, because this is the only spot where it can exist on our property."
     "How did I know you were going to say that? At least you didn't build it in the bedroom or bathroom." she conceded.
     "Sarah, with the money we're going to make over this, we can afford to move to a really nice house."
     "Jim, I don't want to move. I like living here. I've put a lot of work into this place, and I don't plan on it being for nothing. I like the neighbors, and I don't want to be somewhere else."
     "Well, it has to be here."
     "Then build a shed around it. The glow will keep the neighbors awake at night. And get this mess of equipment straightened up. It-looks like a junk yard." she fumed.
     "Sarah, aren't you excited?"
     "Maybe I will be, if we survive the week." She turned around and went back in the house. She went into the kitchen and resumed washing dishes. Karen appeared at the window again. "What is it this time?"
     "Oh, some invention of his. I forget exactly what he called it. Some technical name. It turns garbage into gold and makes electricity."
     "Garbage into gold?" asked Karen, wide-eyed.
     "Yeah, or whatever."
     "Will it turn my garbage into gold?"
     "I'm sure it would. Karen, you have that look in your eye. Listen, this is another one of Jim's inventions, and you know how reliable they are. If you go around telling everybody this, nobody gets their garbage turned into gold. I will not go through another crazy madhouse of having everyone in the world showing up to use his invention. You can use it, if you keep quiet about it. The first time people start showing up and standing in line, nobody gets to use it. Do you understand me?"
     "My lips are sealed." She ran off, and Sarah saw her a minute later carrying two garbage bags from her yard to the back yard. One of the bags broke open, and Sarah moaned. She dried her hands and went out with a fresh garbage bag.
     "Try something more practical, like old lumber or bricks. Lord, Karen, what did you throw away? It smells like something dead."
     "Spoiled turkey."
     "Here. Bag it in this. I hope you don't mind if I don't help. And hose this spot down. I don't want to smell this all night." Sarah went back inside and continued washing dishes. She saw Karen walking away from the yard. She stuck her head out the window. "Karen?"
     "It really works, Sarah."
     "Don't get so carried away that you forget to hose down the spot. I can still smell it."
     "Oh, yeah, sure. I'll get to it in a minute."
     "You have sixty seconds." Sarah shut the window. When she finished with the dishes, she had to go out and wash down the area herself in the evening dusk. At least it was bright enough from the sphere to be able to see what she was doing. As she was about to turn off the water hose, David from across the street showed up with bags of garbage. "No! No more garbage! Bring something that doesn't stink." She threatened him with the hose until he left the yard with his garbage in tow. She put the hose on the rack and went into the backyard.
     "Jim, shut that down, and come inside and disconnect the door bell."
     "Why? Is it ringing on its own?"
     "It will be shortly if you don't disconnect it. If I hear it ring, you are sleeping in the garage."
     "Yes, dear."
     Sarah went into the house. Jim went to the front door with a screwdriver and disconnected the wires to the door bell, then returned to work in the back yard under the light of the glowing sphere. Sarah shut the curtains to dim the glow intruding into the rear of the house. She sat in the study and read magazines, being as far from the activity as much as possible. She could already hear the buzz from the back yard. "Like moths to a flame" was a thought she entertained more than once, and it was usually accompanied by images of garbage spilled in the yard in the morning and her handing Jim a rake and hose. The phone rang, and it was Sarah's mother.
     "Mom, can I talk to you some other time?"
     "What is it? Jim?"
     "I'd rather not talk about it."
     "I warned you about marrying him."
     "I remember it well. You don't let me forget it."
     "I told you there was something odd about Jim."
     "Later, Mom. Bye." She hung up and went back to reading until she felt sleepy. She went to bed, not expecting Jim to be there, and she was not erroneous. He would be too excited to go to bed at a sensible time. She was relieved, in a way, that he wasn't in bed. He'd only keep her awake, and she didn't want to be awake.

     When she did wake in the morning, there was Jim, sound asleep. Her stirring didn't bother him from his deep sleep that came from being up late and excited. She looked out in the yard, and there was indeed spilled garbage to be seen. There were also neighbors waving excitedly, holding bags of garbage. Sarah stuck her head out the door, beginning quite calmly. "Jim is still asleep, and we're not taking any more garbage. If you want something changed, it had better be neat and not smelling like high heaven. I will not have my home turned into a garbage dump. Please pass the word on. No more garbage. Now get your refuse back home where it belongs!" She ended with a snarl and slammed the door shut. She sighed to herself and went to made coffee, finding Karen at the window. She opened it.
     "Where's Jim?"
     "Still in bed. He was up quite late, I assume. I told-you that I didn't want anyone told, Karen."
     "I didn't tell anybody."
     "Then how come David brought over his garbage shortly after you turned yours into gold?"
     "He came over to see what I was doing, and Jim told him. Then I assume he came back with his garbage. I didn't tell anybody. Everyone already knew. When is Jim going to wake up?"
     "In about two minutes." She shut the window and went to the bedroom.
     "Jim Turner, you wake up this minute!"
     Jim stirred sluggishly, but she kept up the verbal assault until he was sitting upright. "What time is it?"
     "Late enough for decent folk to be out of bed. Late enough for people to bother me when they should be bothering you. If you want breakfast, I want to see a yard free of garbage first. Go outside and rake up and hose down what was spilled yesterday. I refuse to have my yard looking like slobs live here. Now, Jim. Don't you dare go back to sleep on me if you ever want in this house again."
     "Yes, dear." Jim rose and showered and dressed, then he went out and cleaned the yard of litter, fending off the neighbors with words to the effect that he wouldn't be operating the interface until the afternoon. Sarah inspected the yard when he came in, and except for unwanted people, she approved of his efforts. She cooked him breakfast, turning on the radio to a talk show to discourage Jim from saying anything that would stir her anger. She always left it on that station.
     As she was putting his plate on the table, a caller started babbling. The host calmed him by switching him off for a few seconds. "Now, sir, if you will speak more plainly so we can understand you."
     "There is a man on my street turning garbage into gold."
     "And I'm the sultan of Bagdad. Please, no jokes."
     "This is no joke. Yesterday, I took my week's garbage over to the home of Jim Turner on Beckett Street, and he turned it all into gold. I took the gold to a jeweler, and he ran a test on it and found it to be pure gold without a trance of impurity."
     "Seriously?" the DJ asked.
     "Yes. If you don't believe me, go see Jim yourself. He lives at 3142 Beckett here in town."
     Sarah screamed and turned off the radio. "Jim, either that thing is gone within the hour, or you are homeless!" She stamped her foot hard enough to shake the things on the shelves on the wall and stormed out of the kitchen.
     "But, honey. . . ."
     "No buts! I will not live in a circus!" She went to the study and slammed the door, nearly in tears.
     Jim went outside and started feeding all the scrap material into the sphere and turned it into platinum. At the end of the hour, with the whole neighborhood watching from over the fence, Jim dissolved the sphere. There was a riot brewing from the abhorrence of the vanishing, but Jim went inside with the platinum. He went to the study door and knocked.
     "What is it?" he heard through the door.
     "I got rid of the dimensional interface."
     Sarah came out and went to the back window to check. There came a pounding from the front door. "Don't you dare invite anyone inside. I want everyone off the property. You caused this freak show, you get rid of it!"
     "I wish you'd be more understanding, dear."
     Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Jim, I have almost divorced you three times because of your stupid desire to fool around with things that other people have better sense to leave alone. I haven't said a word when you had to rebuild the garage when you developed that new fuel and it blew up. I've been as patient as any woman can be expected to be. But this takes the cake, Jim. I wanted to live here because it's nice and quiet. It is no longer nice and quiet outside. If you ever want to see me smile again, you get rid of everyone right now."
     "I made enough platinum to buy a place where I can do my work. I'll move everything there and work from there so it will be quiet here again."
     The pounding resounded.
     "Will you go answer that?" Sarah returned to the study. Jim went to the door, and there were television reporters with cameras running.
     "Mr. Turner, people have alleged that you can turn garbage into gold. Is there any truth to this?"
     "I have found a way to convert the elemental structure of molecules into whatever compound I wish to produce."
     "Could we have a demonstration?"
     "Not at this time. I have shut down the operation because of the flood of people arriving at the house with nothing but greed showing on their faces. I will no longer be operating the process here at the house."
     "Will you set up the process somewhere else?" the reporter asked.
     "That is my intention, yes."
     "Where will you set up this process?"
     "I have not yet selected a site. Now if you will excuse me." Jim went back inside to protests and questions. He went out into the back yard and retrieved his equipment. The cameras came around to the back, and he ordered everyone from the property, then finished taking the equipment into the house. He stored it out of the way of Sarah. He then made a sign for the front yard, stating in no uncertain terms that trespassing was not allowed and the people in the house were not to be disturbed. He then took the platinum to the car and drove off, followed by a caravan of reporters and curiosity seekers.
     Jim drove for several hours until he shook the tails, then he took the platinum to the metal exchange and sold it. He made the bank drive-in before it closed. When he returned home, there was a police corridor keeping the crowds back. Outside of a landfill, Jim had never seen so many garbage bags. There was more than one fight in progress as the police checked on him and let him through to the driveway. They followed him onto the property."Mr. Turner, I'm John Davers, chief of police. Could we have a word in private?"
     "In the back yard."
     They went into the fenced off area. "Now what is this nonsense about your being able to turn garbage into gold?"
     "It's not nonsense."
     "Then you can turn garbage into gold."
     "I can change the molecular structure of any material into whatever is desired, provided I know the chemical structure of the desired material. Gold is easy because it's a stable single element. But it could be just about anything else, outside of something as complex as living tissue."
     "Could I see this work?" the police chief asked.
     "Not at this time. I discontinued the necessary conditions because of the attention it brought on my home. I never realized that people would react this way."
     "What is your intention with this process?"
     "Oh, there are many uses for it. Generation of electrical power, disposal of toxic chemicals, disposal of garbage, and much more. It really has a place in our society, considering the sheer mass of things we throw away and the energy we consume."
     "Is this process dangerous?"
     "Only in the initial set up of the conditions for the interface to be established. Once it is established, it's quite safe."
     "Do you plan on going into business with this?"
     "Yes, I think so. I'm sure there is a lot of red tape to deal with. I need to hire lawyers to investigate these things for me and come to some sort of terms with the government and patent office and EPA. Then I will need to franchise the plants and set them up. This process must be set up in the proper location. It can't be done just anywhere."
     "Why is that?"
     "Well, it's complicated. A set of natural conditions must exist for this process to be established. I will have to first locate these sites before I can set up the process."
     "So you don't plan to proceed until you have settled matters legally?"
     "No. And I will not resume the process here. I just discovered the full procedure yesterday on my first run. I do not plan on repeating it until I have another site with adequate security and government approval. I'm sure that the next time will be a demonstration for the government."
     "So these people here are waiting for nothing to happen."
     "That is correct. Some fool that was here last night called in to a talk show this morning and gave out my address. I never intended for this sort of thing to happen. But word got out and people got greedy."
     "I'll clear the street of people then."
     "That would be highly appreciated, especially by my wife."
     "Very well. I'm going to report this to the federal authorities."
     "Okay. I'm going to call a lawyer to get things rolling on my end."
     "Good thinking. You'll need a whole crew of them for this."
     Jim went inside the house. Sarah sat there and said nothing in return to him. "The police are going to clear the people from the street."
     "Jim, I had two men crawl in through our bedroom window carrying bags of garbage. I want the sheets on the bed washed and the carpet cleaned spotlessly."
     "Yes, dear. I had no idea that this sort of thing would happen. I'm very sorry that it got out of hand this way. I'm not going to run it here again. You have my word on that. I'll sleep in the garage if it makes you feel better."
     "Oh, never mind. Jim, you never seem to be able to predict what your tinkering will cause people to do. This is just another example."
     "But this time is different. This process will do so very much for the world. It's the ultimate in recycling, and you are very conscientious about that. With this, toxic wastes can be turned into something useful and safe. Electricity can be produced without pollution. It does so many different things that this world desperately needs. And on top of that, we will never have to worry about money again, once I get things rolling.
     "I know that all this is disturbing to you. It bothers me too. But it is not something we can control. People are greedy by lesson. If you're ever caught short in your life, you learn to put away the opportunities. Lots of people are being caught short these days. Most everybody is looking for an edge. You can't blame them. If they were good to us or to other people, then they will get a share of the fortunes that have found us. They will learn that quietly does the trick.
     "Sarah, I will make you this promise. Now that I have a means of properly conducting research, I promise as truly as is possible for me that I will never again run another experiment at home. I can now afford a proper workshop for my investigations. Here's the bank deposit slip for the platinum I made. This should tell you that I am serious about all this. You've put up with a lot from me. I know it and appreciate it very deeply. I know I get carried away when I get ideas. I am fascinated with the state of reality, of seeing things that no one has ever seen before. I have at times been what you could call obsessed." Sarah snorted in response. Jim chuckled. "Hey, would you have had it any other way?"
     "Oh, I guess some other women have it worse. At least you're staying alive inside, being interested in life. It just sometimes gets to be too much to handle, like that outside."
     "I know, but that is the need expressing itself. Sarah, I'd never start doling gold and platinum to the public. That would weaken the gold standard. A little won't dilute the market. A lot would. I'm going to pay people very little for what they bring to me. That way, it'll be the people who really want to get rid of something that costs a bunch of money to discard. I'll process garbage, but it will be to produce power and things like plastic resins and fibers and construction materials. This will all be aimed at taking the strain off of the environment. It's the only reasonable way the government would allow me to run this thing. In fact, I won't be running them at all. Other people will, but they will do so under a strict policy. We'll pay transportation costs for the materials. This way, we'll cater to garbage disposal services, industry, and the like and never be open to public access.
     "That outside is the dream. What they will get will be something that benefits them environmentally, not financially. We'll get rich selling commodities, taking franchise royalties. The business will never come to our door. Things will be quiet again, and we'll never again have to worry about money. I'll have a lab away from here so I won't be in your hair all the time with my ideas."
     Sarah sighed. "The best intentions. . . .
     "I. . . ."
     "Jim, you've said enough. Don't spoil it, huh?"
     "Okay."
     "I know you mean well, and I guess that's why I never walked out on you. Living with you is sometimes like living with a child excited about school. I must like it, in a way, to put up with it. Go do what you were going to do."
     "I need to contact lawyers."
     "You'll have to plug the phone in, then lift the handle and hang up before you try to dial. The calls are coming in constantly."
     "I'll get us a second line that's unlisted." Jim walked to the phone and had to make several tries before he got an open line.      "Reality verses reality. The mother of all necessity." He dialed and heard the line ring.
     "Pearson, Hort, Marley, and Danbridge. How may we help you?"
     "I'm going to need the services of a law firm that does not currently have a heavy load, but wants more than they can chew in terms of corporate law. Would your firm fit that description?"
     "Let me put you in touch with Mr. Pearson."
     "Please." Jim was put on hold for a few seconds.
     "Linsey Pearson speaking."
     "Mr. Pearson, I'm not aware if you have had contact with the media today, but my name is Jim Turner."
     "The man with the gold mine machine?" he responded.
     "Yes. I know it's late in the day, but I am in need of a lot of legal assistance, local to federal and international. I'm looking for representation that would be loyal to my services and not looking for a fast buck overnight. If your firm can resist any move to cash in quick, I would be interested in retaining you for a long haul. You would probably have to hire a larger staff, perhaps triple in the next five years.
     "You'd be dealing in establishing legislation for the process I've just invented. We're talking patent, corporation establishment, legislative approval, executive regulation, international trade agreements, the whole works from scratch. I want to sell this thing not as a cornucopia, but as a sensible plan for environmental improvement. I expect a lot of regulation, records, audits, the works. Do you feel that your firm has the integrity, drive, and determination to see that this doesn't turn into a disaster?"
     "We wouldn't be cheap."
     "Money is not a prospect that bothers me, as long as I can get the process into operation on a large scale. My capital expenditure is minimal. Most of the costs will be services, and that will leave a healthy margin for profit. I'm more interested in seeing that the process is not abused, like producing pure uranium 235 to unauthorized people, diluting the gold market, and other problems. I can afford you."
     "Very well. Would you like to come to our office?"
     "I think it's better that you came here with your staff, so that I don't have to try and transport documents and so forth through public domain. Things have gotten a bit out of hand here."
     "Yes. I understand. I'll bring a team to your address. Could I have it, please?" Pearson requested.
     "3142 Beckett."
     "We'll be there shortly."
     "Please do." Jim hung up and looked out the window. The people were leaving, but not willingly. Trash was being thrown into the yard in anger. The phone rang. He hung up again and called a private clean up service to come by and clean the premises. He unplugged the phone. He went back to where Sarah was sitting. "I called some people to come clean up the mess out front. They'll be here in a little while. The lawyers are coming over. Will you be up to talking to them? I want to make sure that you agree with everything. I don't want to make these decisions without you."
     "Okay.""Bear with me a few days until we get things quieted down a bit."
     "Okay. I'll make it. Now that I know that you are looking at the real aspects, I think I can handle it.
     "Slap me, Mama.
     "What?
     "Multiple realities. The mother of necessity. It slaps pretty hard sometimes."
     "Oh. Really."
     "I spent so much time looking at the nature of reality that I forgot social reality. It's hard to juggle them both at times, sacrificing one so I can explore the other."
     "As long you know when to turn back."
     "Who can disregard Mother when she calls your name? Thank you, Sarah, for being so understanding."
     "I won't be next time you do something this provoking. Fool me once."
     "Shame on you. Actually, I do have this idea. . . ."
     "I don't want to hear about it until the world turns right side up again."
     "Fair enough."
     There was a knock at the door. Jim answered it to find a news crew, camera rolling. "Mr. Turner?"
     "Yes?"
     "Do you have any comments for the public?"
     "Yes. I would like to say this. When realities collide, especially when they do so with a passion, necessity is conceived, and the labor is not far behind. The responsibility becomes that of a parent, to create an environment where the resulting invention can meet needs with dignity and respect. Only then does the merger become meaningful. Do as your mother tells you to do. Thank you." Jim closed the door behind him with a smile. There were more knocks, then the sound of verbal confrontation as the police asked them to leave. From the sound of things, the cameras were still rolling. Then things quieted, most of the people having already departed.
     Sarah got up and went to wash dishes. Karen saw her and came to the window. "What's going on in there?"
     "Jim has gone out of the King Midas business."
     "Why?"
     "His mother slapped his wrists. He decided to become a garbage man instead."
     "He's not to recycle our garbage for us any more?"
     "Not for free."
     "That's not very fair." Karen fussed.
     "Look at my front yard and tell me about what is fair. We decided not to go at this in a small change manner. Jim has better things to do than to cater to people's personal greed."
     "Are you calling me greedy?"
     "I'm not calling you anything, Karen. But if the shoe fits. . . ."
     "Well, of all the nerve!"
     "Karen, don't talk to me about nerve. I've never brought my trash problems to you. Before you go off and get huffy, let me say that those of you here that have put up with Jim's propensities will not go unrewarded, if you are civil about things. If we turn your trash into gold, what is to stop everyone in the world showing up and expecting the same? You just saw what that stirred in less than a day. I don't think all the gold in the world would pay for putting up with that on a constant basis. We will find a quieter way to show our future appreciation, Karen, if things ever return to being quiet. That's why we moved here. It's a quiet neighborhood. I'd like to keep it that way. I'm sure you would too."
     "You do have a point."
     "I have many of them, Karen. Let us work this out with the lawyers and get the ideas we have rolling, and then we'll see about helping the neighborhood in a less publicized manner. But for now, King Midas has retired to the private sector. You can tell everyone that we'll be too busy dealing in the legal system to hear private pleas at this point. Once we get things settled, then we might be more sociable and generous, but only to those that give us the space to do so. I'm sure that everyone got enough last night to handle their needs for a while." Sarah closed the window and started washing dishes. Jim heard her and came in to dry them and put them away. Sarah kissed his cheek. There was a knock at the door as they finished.
     "Well, I guess the lawyers are finally here."
     "I'm ready, Jim."
     "Are you sure?"
     "My mama didn't raise a fool. Let's show the boys in the pin-striped suits what necessity is."