TAFF

August 1962

It was a Saturday morning that I received the letter from Eric Bentcliffe that told me I was to be the 1962 TAFF delegate to Chicago. I immediately rushed out of my room feeling I had to tell somebody right away; and I pounced upon Ann the maid to blurt out – "I'm going to America!"

It was days before the delirium of excitement into which I was swept began to die down a little so that I could think coherently and make some tentative plans.

Mail began to arrive – some of the nicest letters I have ever received. From Eddie Jones came a long letter calculated to make sure I would not mar my joy on his behalf... a truly generous and wonderful letter. A postcard from Archie Mercer with the message "Oh Good!" squeezed up into the corner, made me laugh delightedly. The postcard from Walt Willis said... "Three Gaels in the Windy City"... surely the best pun of 1962!

Well: my plans are now set. The date I travel – August 20th; the places I hope to visit – New York, Chicago, Los Angeles – beckon enticingly. I have worked hard to clear my publishing fanac before I leave so that I will have a clear field for the trip report on my return. The next two issues of SCOTTISHE are all ready so that it can be carried on; however with the July issue of HAVERINGS I shall suspend it until the trip report is finished.

Which brings me to the first point I should like to make. I would like to know what type of trip report is favoured by the majority. It can go out either as a complete project as with EPITAFF or be issued in serial form in a monthly fanzine. Do let me know your opinion. I must point out that the first way adds to the TAFF funds.

There are a great many people I wish to thank. Particularly in my mind are fanzine editors who ran TAFF slogans, and kind friends who said nice things about me – which I hope I can live up to! Thanks however are due to all the fans who consistently support TAFF and make this something of which fandom can be proud.

I am now official administrator for TAFF on this side; so a final vote of thanks should go to Eric Bentcliffe for all the hard work he did for TAFF. Thanks Eric!

I hope you will all support TAFF again in the next campaign, and I shall help all I can in the sterling work done in aid of TAFF by Ron Ellik.


Published by Ethel Lindsay, Courage House, 6 Langley Avenue, Surbiton, Surrey, Britain.

Distributed to all fans who voted in this past campaign.