Trouble

In Short

This science-fiction narrative explores a unique case of split personality: Tom, a pragmatic consulting engineer obsessed with mechanical utility, and Thomas, a theoretical physicist who values abstract discovery above all else. As they alternate control of their shared body, they engage in a high-stakes intellectual war, using elaborate engineering projects and mind-bending physics experiments to outwit one another. It remains a fascinating look at the friction between the person who wants to build the world and the person who wants to understand it.

The Story

Tom Lionel wakes up frequently to find his life in disarray, his workshop rearranged, and his bank account drained by an unseen presence he considers an "interloper." This other personality, Thomas, is a physicist who prioritizes theoretical research over financial stability. Tom spends his days tackling practical consulting jobs, such as improving radio antenna coverage or designing heating systems for furniture manufacturing, all while fuming over the "cock-eyed" scientific books Thomas leaves lying about. Their relationship is defined by a cold war of passive-aggression; Tom attempts to "exorcise" his alter ego by creating practical products out of Thomas's experimental messes, while Thomas deliberately sabotages Tom’s sense of order by ordering crates of useless, expensive scientific equipment.

Seeking resolution, both personalities independently consult Dr. Hamilton, a psychiatrist who concludes that their condition is a "remarkable cleavage" rooted in a common frustration. Hamilton posits that Tom is merely a "frustrated physicist" and that they are two sides of the same brilliant mind. He suggests that the only way to "reintegrate" is for one to present the other with an unsolvable problem that is so intellectually compelling it commands total focus.

Tom takes this advice to heart. He spends seven weeks documenting "poltergeist" phenomena—the mysterious, unexplained movement of stones—and presents Thomas with a mountain of rigorous, empirical data. Thomas, initially dismissive, is hooked by the scientific anomaly. He dives into the research, eventually discovering that the poltergeist effect is, in fact, a form of gravity manipulation. He manages to create an antigravity device, though it is hilariously inefficient, requiring three tons of machinery to lift just fifty pounds.

The story concludes with a final, complex gambit. Tom struggles to understand the physicist’s miraculous—and seemingly impossible—inventions, such as a solid, indestructible tungsten box that defies standard casting methods. As Tom realizes that these discoveries are far more valuable than the annoyance of his alter ego, he finds himself ensnared. He cannot get rid of the physicist because he is too fascinated by the engineering challenges the physicist has created. Thomas has effectively checkmated his practical counterpart, ensuring that the two will remain locked together in a permanent, productive, and endlessly frustrating partnership.

How It Unfolds

The awakening Tom Lionel begins his day finding his living space altered and his chessboard set in a way he did not intend. He discovers a dense physics book and reacts with visceral distaste, reinforcing his self-image as a man of practical application.

The laboratory conflict Tom walks into his workshop to find his high-frequency heater cannibalized into a "cyclotronic spectrograph." He realizes his alter ego has been active, leading to a heated internal exchange of notes and petty grievances.

The psychiatric intervention Both personalities seek out Dr. Hamilton, who attempts to play the role of a neutral referee. The doctor reveals that each of them has been secretly visiting him to complain about the other, highlighting their shared, deep-seated intellectual obsession.

The poltergeist data Tom pivots to his master plan, spending weeks methodically documenting anomalous occurrences. He presents this data to Thomas, baiting him with a puzzle that demands a scientific explanation rather than a commercial one.

The antigravity discovery Thomas triumphs in the lab, transforming the mysterious data into a working antigravity device. He leaves Tom a challenge to figure out how to make the massive, inefficient system practical for public use.

The checkmate Tom realizes that the mystery of casting tungsten and perfecting antigravity has bound him to the physicist forever. He sees the "CHECKMATE!" sign at his own chessboard, accepting that he has lost his battle to eliminate the theorist.

The People

Tom Lionel is a consulting engineer who prizes precision, profit, and the tangible world. He is driven by the need to justify every action through "practicality," but he is constantly thwarted by his own deep, suppressed desire for fundamental discovery.

Thomas Lionel is the physicist who views the world through equations and monomolecular films. He wants to understand the nature of reality and feels no obligation to make money or create consumer products. He acts as the catalyst for change, refusing to be reigned in by Tom’s industrial standards.

Dr. Hamilton serves as the amused, slightly overwhelmed mediator. He represents the voice of psychological reason, attempting to steer the two personalities toward integration, yet he eventually realizes that he is merely a spectator to their intellectual games.

In Its Own Voice

"The whole trouble with the entire tribe of physicists per se is the fact that once, someone told one of them that he was a theorist, an idealist, and a dealer in the abstract."

Tom expresses his frustration with the academic mindset while critiquing a book on nuclear physics.

"I, as a physicist, do not care about the practicality of the device; I have made it work."

Thomas explains his disregard for industrial efficiency after successfully creating an antigravity field.

What It's Really About

The book is a sharp, witty argument about the synthesis of theory and practice. It posits that the "engineer" and the "physicist" are not enemies, but two halves of a single, necessary human impulse. Without the physicist’s willingness to chase abstract, "impractical" leads, engineering would stagnate. Conversely, without the engineer’s ability to convert those theories into reality, science would remain locked in a vacuum. The internal conflict is a metaphor for the scientific method itself, suggesting that true progress only occurs when the dreamer and the builder are forced to reconcile their opposing worldviews.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy mid-century science fiction will find this a refreshing departure from the usual space-opera tropes. It feels like a high-stakes chess match played within a single brain, written with a dry, technical humor that is both endearing and intellectually stimulating. The writing style is brisk and character-driven, focusing on the personalities of the two men rather than complex scientific jargon.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the mid-1940s setting; the prose is dense with the idioms of that era and a preoccupation with "hard" mechanical engineering that can feel quite specific to its time. There are no grand galactic battles here, but rather a quiet, domestic intensity that stays with you. You will likely walk away thinking about the "poltergeist" in your own life—the parts of your personality that you try to suppress but which are actually essential to your creative growth. It is a warm, intelligent exploration of how we make sense of a world that is often far more mysterious than our daily routines suggest.