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Fan-Atic, v. 2, issue 1, whole no. 4, July 1941

Page 10

FAN-ATIC
10

"AS THE WIND LISTETH..."
by D. B. Thompson

Just before midnight, Tuesday, July 8, I arrived home from the Denvention, via The Zephyr. Just twenty-four hours later, Widner and party arrived at 2302 You. And eight hours later, while six assorted fans were eating breakfast, the following arrived in a letter from Beling (quote) I'd like your column by this coming Saturday or next Monday...Hope that doesn't make all of the column about the Convention...unquote. Just what does he think I'm going to write about on such short notice? ((Oh, now, Don. You should have been gathering ideas for the last four months. eds))

For me, the highlight of the Convention itself was Heinlein's exceptionally lucid and absorbing speech, with E. E. Evans' excellent talk a close second. Least enjoyed was the banquet, for the very good reason that a digestive disturbance, which dogged me throughout my stay in Denver, prevented me from attending. But I'm not to write about the Convention--so I'm going to stick to events of the days immediately preceding and following the Convention proper. ((Who said you weren't to write bout the Convention proper? All we said was not to make all of the column about the Convention. Sorry you misunderstood. eds))

The trip out was great. A woman professor of English from the University of Nebraska transported me and two other passengers from Lincoln to Denver--500 miles, more or less a little--in nine hours, including two stops for meals. Twice, we ran into miniature cloudbursts, and had to slow down to forty miles per hour, but most of the time, we traveled right along.

The feature of that first evening in Denver was a visit to Wiggins' diggin's. Lew Martin, Rusty Barron, Allen Class, Lang, and Al McKeel were there most of the evening. Martin displayed remarkable skill in acquiring the Queen of Spaces in a game of Hearts.

The next morning, Lang, Wiggins, and I met Galactic Roamers Millard, Counts, and 3E (E. E. Evans) at Union Station. Martin, Barron, and McKeel arrived too -- fifteen minutes after we left. McKeel had a good alibi--he had driven for twenty-two hours straight, to get to Denver Tuesday morning. The rest of the day, a pre-convention held the stage in the Michifans' suite. I had lime rickey, straight. Lew also had lime rickey, strongly diluted. The Roamers came prepared to talk up E. E. Smith's new novel, but had all they could do to parry leading questions as to plot, setting, characters, etc.

Thursday morning, 4e conducted Gene Miles and me to Heinlein's room, for a two-hour gabfest with the honor guests. Walt Daugherty and Eleanor popped in with the recorder, an infernal machine which kept Heinlein in a sweat throughout the rest of the week. For the first time, I heard myself as others hear me, and discovered that I speak typical Mid-Western, as I suspected.

Naturally, the chief topic of discussion was Heinlein's stories, but many other things were discussed too. I went into Heinlein's room with a high regard for him as a writer. I came out with an even higher regard for him as a Human Being. In both respects, he is ably assisted by Mrs. Heinlein, long time resident of -- quote -- "Hollywood! A little town, where ten years ago, you couldn't even buy an ice-cream soda after ten o'clock at night" -- unquote.

I left Denver Tuesday afternoon, but the Denvention wasn't yet over for me, for 3E walked into the same car of the streamliner, ten minutes after I entered, and took a seat across the aisle. 3E, besides being the oldest fan at the Denvention, was, in all probability, the most enthusiastic. Anyone who was at the Denvention will understand with what regret I left the train at Lincoln.

The unscheduled LINCOLN started at 11:30 P. M., July 7, when Art Widner phoned me from a service garage, to the effect that the Skylark of Foo Foo ((?)) was in drydock. Half an hour later, Art, Rothman, Unger, Barron, and Madle trekked up 23rd St. from "R" St., after vainly attempting to follow U St. from 14th to 23d. U St. is definitely an intermittant thoroughfare.

(Continued on next page.)

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FAN-ATIC 10 "AS THE WIND LISTETH..." by D. B. Thompson Just before midnight, Tuesday, July 8, I arrived home from the Denvention, via The Zephyr. Just twenty-four hours later, Widner and party arrived at 2302 You. And eight hours later, while six assorted fans were eating breakfast, the following arrived in a letter from Beling (quote) I'd like your column by this coming Saturday or next Monday...Hope that doesn't make all of the column about the Convention...unquote. Just what does he think I'm going to write about on such short notice? ((Oh, now, Don. You should have been gathering ideas for the last four months. eds)) For me, the highlight of the Convention itself was Heinlein's exceptionally lucid and absorbing speech, with E. E. Evans' excellent talk a close second. Least enjoyed was the banquet, for the very good reason that a digestive disturbance, which dogged me throughout my stay in Denver, prevented me from attending. But I'm not to write about the Convention--so I'm going to stick to events of the days immediately preceding and following the Convention proper. ((Who said you weren't to write bout the Convention proper? All we said was not to make all of the column about the Convention. Sorry you misunderstood. eds)) The trip out was great. A woman professor of English from the University of Nebraska transported me and two other passengers from Lincoln to Denver--500 miles, more or less a little--in nine hours, including two stops for meals. Twice, we ran into miniature cloudbursts, and had to slow down to forty miles per hour, but most of the time, we traveled right along. The feature of that first evening in Denver was a visit to Wiggins' diggin's. Lew Martin, Rusty Barron, Allen Class, Lang, and Al McKeel were there most of the evening. Martin displayed remarkable skill in acquiring the Queen of Spaces in a game of Hearts. The next morning, Lang, Wiggins, and I met Galactic Roamers Millard, Counts, and 3E (E. E. Evans) at Union Station. Martin, Barron, and McKeel arrived too -- fifteen minutes after we left. McKeel had a good alibi--he had driven for twenty-two hours straight, to get to Denver Tuesday morning. The rest of the day, a pre-convention held the stage in the Michifans' suite. I had lime rickey, straight. Lew also had lime rickey, strongly diluted. The Roamers came prepared to talk up E. E. Smith's new novel, but had all they could do to parry leading questions as to plot, setting, characters, etc. Thursday morning, 4e conducted Gene Miles and me to Heinlein's room, for a two-hour gabfest with the honor guests. Walt Daugherty and Eleanor popped in with the recorder, an infernal machine which kept Heinlein in a sweat throughout the rest of the week. For the first time, I heard myself as others hear me, and discovered that I speak typical Mid-Western, as I suspected. Naturally, the chief topic of discussion was Heinlein's stories, but many other things were discussed too. I went into Heinlein's room with a high regard for him as a writer. I came out with an even higher regard for him as a Human Being. In both respects, he is ably assisted by Mrs. Heinlein, long time resident of -- quote -- "Hollywood! A little town, where ten years ago, you couldn't even buy an ice-cream soda after ten o'clock at night" -- unquote. I left Denver Tuesday afternoon, but the Denvention wasn't yet over for me, for 3E walked into the same car of the streamliner, ten minutes after I entered, and took a seat across the aisle. 3E, besides being the oldest fan at the Denvention, was, in all probability, the most enthusiastic. Anyone who was at the Denvention will understand with what regret I left the train at Lincoln. The unscheduled LINCOLN started at 11:30 P. M., July 7, when Art Widner phoned me from a service garage, to the effect that the Skylark of Foo Foo ((?)) was in drydock. Half an hour later, Art, Rothman, Unger, Barron, and Madle trekked up 23rd St. from "R" St., after vainly attempting to follow U St. from 14th to 23d. U St. is definitely an intermittant thoroughfare. (Continued on next page.)