The Happy Unfortunate by Robert Silverberg

The Happy Unfortunate by Robert Silverberg is a science fiction novel featuring Dekker as he returns from a mission in space to find huge changes in the people of Earth. Five years ago he would have been horrified however today he just wants to fit in, even if it means he has to lose an eye and both ears to do it...

This short story originally appeared in Amazing Stories in 1957 and then was published in Science Fiction Greats in the winter of 1969. The story became open source in 2008.