The Return of William Proxmire

Publication date: 
1989-01
Publication type: 
Short Story
Published: 
What Might Have Been? Volume I: Alternate Empires, ed. Gregory Benford & Martin H. Greenberg, Bantam Spectra 1989
Opus No.: 
176
Setting: 
Time Travel/Parallel Universe
Characters: 
William Proxmire
Awards: 
Hugo nominee
Summary: 

A rare alternate-time-track story from Niven, and a delightful homage to one of SF's grand masters. Infamous senator William Proxmire attempts to hobble the "fanatics" in the space industry by going back in time to alter the lifestyle of a seasick young sailor named Robert Heinlein. But there's no way he could have predicted the results!

Notes: 

Shown to Robert Heinlein a few weeks before his death

Reprints: 

What Might Have Been? Volumes I & II, ed. Gregory Benford & Martin H. Greenberg, SFBC 1990;
Requiem, ed. Yoji Kondo, Tor 1992;
N-Space;
Best of Larry Niven, The