The Servant Problem

"The Servant Problem" by Robert F. Young is a science fiction tale from the early 1960s about Francis Pfleuger, a small-town inventor who accidentally creates a cosmic portal, offering his entire town a route to a new world. The book explores themes of community, humanity's pursuit of improved living conditions, and the sometimes funny, sometimes sad outcomes of their escape. The arrival of Philip Myles, a real estate agent tasked with appraising properties in the deserted town of Valleyview for the remaining resident, Judith Darrow, sets the stage for the story the truth. Philip learns about the strange circumstances that led the townspeople to abandon their homes for Pfleugersville, a thriving utopia on a faraway planet. The narrative cleverly blends humorous inventions, thoughtful examinations of human nature, and a budding love story. The push and pull between remaining in the familiar and chasing a possibly brighter future culminates in a funny and heartfelt examination of belonging and desire.