How the surges roared to greet me, soared to meet me as I came! And it seemed that they were calling clearer, chorusing my name. When the moonlight on them glowing like the luster in a pearl And the sapphire dwelling in their depths, I saw the waves uncurl As they spread their crystal fingers, carving figures in the sand-- That the sea had known and bounded, tales from every distant shore; And I knew that the enchantment would be with me evermore, That the restless roll and refluence would shackle me apart, For the sea was in my spirit, and its song was in my heart. --Andrew Duane TAVERN MOOD The melancholy faces drift in gloom like pale headlights through the fog. --Walt Klein WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN All letters for this column should be sent to Robert E. Briney, 561 W. Western Avenue, Muskegon, Michigan. No letter should exceed 250 words in length. Dear Bob: Maybe you're wondering what my reaction was toward Saunders' story, A PHONE IS RINGING. Well, I'm still wondering, too. I don't know whether I liked it or whether I didn't. I'm perplexed. Before I go any further, however, I must admit that the story held my interest. The suspense was superbly executed. But when I read the ending, I was disappointed. It seemed as if Saunders had a good idea in the beginning ... but as the tale progressed, he forgot about it. He seemed to be in too much of a rush to get it finished. And the ending struck me----huh? I'm still saying "huh?" Perhaps I skipped a vital paragraph in the story--I'll have to reread it one of these days and possibly my "huh?" will change to an "Oh!" I don't know, though. The short-shorts, I didn't care for, and as for Leverentz' column.... I cannot see how he considers "The Crimson Pirate" as science-fiction. He creates an argument that really isn't an argument. CP was a comedy, anyway, and it was supposed to create a laugh, which it did.... This is the first time I have heard it classed as science fiction. [If memory serves, it was not Leverentz but the movie reviewer he quoted who classed "Crimson Pirate" as science fiction, thus reflecting the public opinion of sf.--Ed.] Not that science fiction is "respectable"--but Leverentz should have chosen a better example to illustrate his point.----Joe Semenovich, 155-07 71st Avenue, Flushing 67, New York. P.S.: In SOLUTION T-400 there are 399 words! You're wrong, Ken, I took time to count them. [Judging from the following letter from Larry Saunders, we doubt that you missed a vital point in A PHONE IS RINGING. In fact, you probably noticed something that no one else has bothered to comment upon, and which Larry mentions in his letter.--Ed.]