The Salesman
The doorbell rang and Daniel couldn't think why it should, he answered it anyway.
"Good afternoon sir!" said a plump face, hanging about six feet off the ground.
"Good afternoon to you also." Daniel was too flabbergasted to say anything else.
"I hope I am not interrupting anything important" the face smiled, "but I am here from the Inter-Planetary Council of Traveling Salesmen, and was wondering if you would be interested in buying some of my wares." A large case suddenly appeared, floating where it would have been if it were tucked under the man's arm, if he had an arm.
"Well, I..." Daniel didn't really know what to say.
"Please," said the man, an anxious look growing on his face. "Let me at least come in and show some of them to you."
Daniel realized what was happening and he slammed the door quickly. He wished that he was dreaming. Cautiously, he cracked the door open. The face, the box, were gone.
Daniel sighed heavily and said to himself, "Damn Salesmen, they will try anything these days."
Originally Published 1981. Loose. Periodical Publication Lab, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA (copyright for the author)