Bimmie Says

"Bimmie Says" by Sydney J. Van Scyoc is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story centers around a young couple, Bimmie and Listie, exploring themes of ambition, love, and the humorous complexities of married life, particularly how they navigate their aspirations in the context of domestic challenges and scientific experimentation. The narrative unfolds through Listie's diary entries, capturing her quirky and often humorous observations about their life together. Bimmie, a budding scientist, is dedicated to conducting experiments in their basement laboratory, often at the expense of his wife's feelings and their relationship. As Listie grapples with her role as a young wife and the upcoming responsibilities of motherhood, she also teases out the implications of Bimmie's experiments on their pets and her own life. The story culminates in a series of comedic yet poignant moments, including the unexpected results of Bimmie’s experiments, reflecting on larger questions about human ambition and the nature of family. Ultimately, "Bimmie Says" offers a satirical look at marriage and scientific curiosity, blending humor with serious undertones in a relatable narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sydney J. Van Scyoc was an American science fiction writer. Her first published story was "Shatter the Wall" in Galaxy in 1962. She continued to write short stories throughout the 1960s and in 1971, published her first novel, Saltflower. Other novels followed until 1992, when she abandoned writing to make and sell jewelry. Gordon Van Gelder, editor of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction published her first story in more than 20 years in the December 2004 issue. He stated in an introduction to the story that: "in June 1992, after years of writing fiction, she became obsessed with jewelry making and spent a decade selling earrings and bracelets in the San Francisco Bay area. Last year she retired from that trade and now spends most of her time gardening and conferring with her cats...and, yes, writing again." Van Gelder would publish one more story in the December 2005 issue of his magazine and at that time stated in the introduction: "Joyce Van Scyoc lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends all summer gardening until the October rains drive her inside."