DIMENSION X - Report on the Barnhouse Effect (Kurt Vonnegut Jr.)

Report on the Barnhouse Effect is Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s first published short story. It appeared in Collier's Weekly on February 11, 1950. Vonnegut is a ubiquitous 20th century author whose writing blends science fiction with insightful social commentary. Though his novels and short stories lean heavily into science fiction, his characters and settings span across genres.
Script and literary editor Claris A. Ross adapted Report on the Barnhouse Effect into a radio play for Dimension X.
Over a decade before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby imagined the X-Men, Vonnegut's protagonist grapples with what seem like mutant abilities. But is he actually a mutant or is the superpower he possesses just an advance in brain science and psychology? And what will become of him when he reveals his abilities to the United States Defense Department?
HISTORICAL GLOSSARY
In the opening scene Clinton is asked to "dictate a full report". Before he begins narrating the events of the story we see in the script "FX: dictaphone clicks on". A dictaphone was a desktop machine that recorded a person's voice on a tape. A secretary would take the tape from the dictaphone and listen to it, then type out the statements on the tape, creating a written document from the dictaphone recording.
When the professor demonstrates his ability to control the outcome of a roll of the dice Clinton says, "Professor, you're hotter than a two-dollar pistol." This idiom is a double entendre. In the 1950s one slang usage of the word "hot" was to describe something stolen. And if you could buy a pistol for only $2 then it must be stolen. Another slang usage was to describe someone who performed with great skill. To use similar 21st century idioms "be on your game" and "winning streak" are similar.
After he accidentally demolishes the old bell tower, professor Barnhouse says, "It's got to the point where my lightest whim is more dangerous than a blockbuster." Originally the term "blockbuster" referred to a bomb dropped in the Second World War that was capable of destroying an entire block of buildings.
As Corporal Gray tires of the search for Barnhouse he says, "I’d give my eye teeth to be at Jones Beach." Eye teeth, the canines in front, are important teeth, both for biting and for appearance. To be willing to trade them for something must mean it is something of great value. Another idiom with the same meaning you might be more familiar with is "give my right arm" assuming the person is right handed and the right arm is the most valuable.
When Clinton comments that what Barnhouse is doing will eventually stop the possibility of war and thus put Major Cuthrell out of a job Cuthrell says, "That's all right with me. I'll retire to a truck farm with pleasure." A truck farm is a small farm, one in which you don't need extensive equipment or resources to run. All you need is a truck to take your fruits and vegetables to the local markets.
As Cuthrell and Gray monitor the radio for information on Barnhouse, Cuthrell says, "Switch to shortwave." This is a band of radio waves between FM and AM and the waves can travel very far, so you can hear radio transmissions on shortwave that originate from very far away.
When Cuthrell and Gray go to the hotel where they suspect Barnhouse is, they show his photo to the Hotel Manager. The manager is at first hostile asking, "Who wants to know?" When Corporal Gray says, "Uncle wants to know." The manager suddenly becomes polite and gives them the information. That is because "Uncle" refers to "Uncle Sam", a personification of the government. By referring to themselves as "Uncle" Gray is informing the manager that they are government authorities asking for the information.

[@jonbarber1]

Born in 51. Almost no radio where I lived. I am enjoying these very much. Better than anything contemporary.

[@sandeakilpatrick2386]

I liked it! Thank you.

[@insights2reality100]

I appreciate you watching :-)