Time Enough at Last

"Time Enough at Last" by Lyn Venable, explores the ironic consequences of human desires in a post-apocalyptic world. The story introduces Henry Bemis, a bank teller consumed by a desire to read, a pastime constantly interrupted by his demanding job and wife. A global catastrophe occurs, leaving Henry as possibly the last man alive surrounded by the ruins of society; devastated by the loss of civilization, he discovers a library full of books, seemingly granting him his ultimate wish of endless reading time. Just when he's about to immerse himself in his passion, a cruel twist of fate occurs: Henry breaks his glasses, leaving him unable to read, turning his dream into a heartbreaking nightmare and highlighting the story's themes of desire, loss, and the ultimate irony of fate.