What’s He Doing in There by Fritz Leiber

“What’s He Doing in There” is a 1957 science fiction short story by Fritz Leiber. It is about an American anthropologist who hosts Earth’s first visitor from another planet.

Aaaahhh!

Here is a gem of a story which partially answers the question I would often ask while reading novels: don’t the characters ever have to go to the bathroom? Well sure they do, but we usually don’t want to read about it. This funny story may be the one exception.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Professor Coltish is pleased as punch when the first Martian to visit Earth chooses to stay with his family. Things are going well when the alien asks to use the family restroom. That shouldn’t be a problem – I mean even Martians have to do their business right? Well, the situation gets a little bit tense when the alien doesn’t come out – prompting the Coltish family to ask that age old question asked by concerned parents everywhere: what’s he doing in there?

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 5
• Word Count: 1,916
• Did you know that Fritz Leiber worked as a lay preacher for a time? Yep. You can learn more about this science fiction author at Wikipedia.

Where You Can Find What’s He Doing in There:

• This story was originally published in the December 1957 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.
• You can read “What’s He Doing in There” online for free, or download it in a variety of formats, at Project Gutenberg.
• If you are in the mood to read this story in a real book, you can find it in 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories
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