Mathematics? It's all just life.

[DanaC]

I read a story years ago...cant for the life of me recaol either title or author. It was part of a collection of short stories. The basic premise was a time travel holiday firm. You could buy a trip back in time but it was all very tramlined. You had to stay on the "path" which existed sperately from its surroundings. At no point were you to step fro the path....The central character steps from the path....a minor adventure ensues whilst he attempts not to alter history....By the time he gets back to the path it seems he has succeeded in not damaging or affecting anything major. Just a butterfly dies thats all.
When he is returned to his own time he steps into the travelcentre lobby and the signs are all written in a strange format, more like old english than modern. As he leaves the travel station he sees more and more differences. he had chanegd the past when he killed the butterfly....Ok it wasmuch better the waythe wrter did it...I am recalling from 12 years ago and am a tad stoned.

(edited to say i think the writer was JG Ballard )