Such Interesting Neighbors
Such Interesting Neighbors
Such Interesting Neighbors is a science fiction short story by American writer Jack Finney. It was first published in January 1951 in Collier’s.
Plot
Al and Nell Lewis move into a new house and meet their neighbors, the Hellenbeks, who behave in unusually polite and curious ways. Al grows puzzled by their odd manners and tries to uncover the reason behind them. He eventually learns that the Hellenbeks are time travelers from the future. In their time, cheap time machines become available because of a looming global war. Many people use them to move to past eras to avoid the bad future. This mass migration leaves the future with far fewer people, making war impossible. Eventually, the remaining population also moves through time.
Adaptations
The story was adapted for television twice. It aired on Science Fiction Theatre as "Time Is Just a Place" on April 16, 1955. It was later adapted for Amazing Stories on March 20, 1987, under the original title.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:52 (CET).