DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | En Garde, whole no. 7, September 1943

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En Garde, whole no. 7, September 1943

Page 1

[wrote inside a box] EN GARDE! A FAPA PUBLICATION WHOLE NUMBER VII.
Dashingly done (or nearly so) by Al and Abby Lu Asheley
of 86 Upton Avenue, Battle Creek, Michigan.
SEPTEMBER 1943 [end of box]

PSYCHOPATHIA SLANIS

Perspiringly, I tooled my '42 Chevrolet cab along the angling streets and alleys of the sprawling metropolis of Battle Creek. It was Sunday, the busiest day of the week for the cab business. But I consoled myself with thoughts of the two days I was to have off starting the next day. When I chanced to remember Walt and Jack and Abby Lu, and how they were lolling about taking life easy, I would turn my thoughts away and let them dwell on the prospective utter bliss that would be mine, sleeping in until noon on Monday.

Came noon, and I dropped in at home for lunch. I heard the startling news. It seems that Walt had idly mentioned that it would be fun to go to Detroit. By the time I arrived it was all set. Essaying some feeble remark to the effect that this was so sudden, I was rapidly drowned out by a great flapping of lips, and sent sputtering back to work.

Six o'clock quitting time came. The hour following was somewhat confused in my mind, but its end found the bunch of us watching the Twilight Limited pull into the station. There were about two or three hundred thousand soldiers, as well as most of their relatives, also bent on boarding that train. But what chance has the Army against a group of determined civilians? We selected a likely looking coach---and, by gosh, we boarded it. Surprisingly, we found seats immediately. We were on our way.

It was a lovely coach, air-conditioned and all that. There was only one drawback---it was an awfully hot evening, and the air-conditioner had broken down. Everybody got busy throwing up windows, but there was a catch in that too. The windows were double, and the outer one wasn't intended to open. We simmered gently.

By and By, Abby Lu and Walt set out to see if they could discover a Club Car. Hour after hour sped by, or so it seemed. Finally they returned. The best they could discover was a Diner. As it was obviously Jack's and my turn, we set out to seek nourishment too. Our coach was near the front of the train, but I think the Diner was just passing through Battle Creek when we reached it. Before we left to go back to our coach, we had the cook pack us each a good lunch to sustain us on the long trek back to our seats. Of course we had to stop off here and there along the course of that hike, and, needless to say, we formed some wonderful friendships. But we shan't bore you with a recitation of the details. After all, such affairs all follow a general pattern. Anyway, we reached our coach just as it was pulling into Detroit.

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[wrote inside a box] EN GARDE! A FAPA PUBLICATION WHOLE NUMBER VII. Dashingly done (or nearly so) by Al and Abby Lu Asheley of 86 Upton Avenue, Battle Creek, Michigan. SEPTEMBER 1943 [end of box] PSYCHOPATHIA SLANIS Perspiringly, I tooled my '42 Chevrolet cab along the angling streets and alleys of the sprawling metropolis of Battle Creek. It was Sunday, the busiest day of the week for the cab business. But I consoled myself with thoughts of the two days I was to have off starting the next day. When I chanced to remember Walt and Jack and Abby Lu, and how they were lolling about taking life easy, I would turn my thoughts away and let them dwell on the prospective utter bliss that would be mine, sleeping in until noon on Monday. Came noon, and I dropped in at home for lunch. I heard the startling news. It seems that Walt had idly mentioned that it would be fun to go to Detroit. By the time I arrived it was all set. Essaying some feeble remark to the effect that this was so sudden, I was rapidly drowned out by a great flapping of lips, and sent sputtering back to work. Six o'clock quitting time came. The hour following was somewhat confused in my mind, but its end found the bunch of us watching the Twilight Limited pull into the station. There were about two or three hundred thousand soldiers, as well as most of their relatives, also bent on boarding that train. But what chance has the Army against a group of determined civilians? We selected a likely looking coach---and, by gosh, we boarded it. Surprisingly, we found seats immediately. We were on our way. It was a lovely coach, air-conditioned and all that. There was only one drawback---it was an awfully hot evening, and the air-conditioner had broken down. Everybody got busy throwing up windows, but there was a catch in that too. The windows were double, and the outer one wasn't intended to open. We simmered gently. By and By, Abby Lu and Walt set out to see if they could discover a Club Car. Hour after hour sped by, or so it seemed. Finally they returned. The best they could discover was a Diner. As it was obviously Jack's and my turn, we set out to seek nourishment too. Our coach was near the front of the train, but I think the Diner was just passing through Battle Creek when we reached it. Before we left to go back to our coach, we had the cook pack us each a good lunch to sustain us on the long trek back to our seats. Of course we had to stop off here and there along the course of that hike, and, needless to say, we formed some wonderful friendships. But we shan't bore you with a recitation of the details. After all, such affairs all follow a general pattern. Anyway, we reached our coach just as it was pulling into Detroit.