+1. I was in the process of linking this exact question as well, what a world.

Love that the top answerer shows their work, and as a bonus they reached out to the author of the story:

  UPDATE: I emailed Greg Cox about
  the question. Here's his response:
  
  > Wow. I had no idea people were
  > still talking about that story,
  > which I haven't thought of for years.
  > I can't speak for the original
  > questioner of course, but that 
  > description sure sounds like my
  > story, which I wrote nearly thirty
  > years ago!
  > 
  > greg