Reply to post: Re: Lost at Sea

A floppy filled with software worth thousands of francs: Techie can't take it, customs won't keep it. What to do?

Robert Carnegie Silver badge

Re: Lost at Sea

"Allamagoosa is a science fiction short story by English author Eric Frank Russell, originally published in the May 1955 issue of Astounding Science Fiction" says Wikipedia, and quite like your story. Perhaps not coincidentally.

An item on a military starship's inventory is unidentifiable and not located, the "offog". With effort, a story is concocted of how it was lost. This causes greater trouble.

Ah, Wikipedia goes on: "James Nicoll has commented that it is 'apparently based on an urban legend'. In fact, it is essentially a science-fictional retelling of a traditional tall story called 'The Shovewood'."

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