Dear Bob: On the pleasant side of the ledger, the fiction. A PHONE IS RINGING----a rather excellently integrated yarn. A certain resource of technique and imagination definitely present. TARRY THOU HERE--well done. Maybe I had better say no more, except that to the best of my knowledge my reason for the placing of this story is entirely aesthetic. COLIN & THE LEPRECHAUN--clever. SOLUTION T-400--this is a story? The title was good enough as a pun, but that was about the best part of the whole thing. ### Now for the CAT. If this were the only communication I ever received from Al Leverentz (direct or indirect), I would think him a terrible fellow indeed. Actually, he seems to be a rather nice guy. However, I can't let a challenge of this magnitude go by without some response. Case I: My reaction is entirely wrong. Conclusion: Al was deducing entirely too much from my short remarks, and his lack of acquaintance with my personality at the time. Case II: Al is completely wrong. Conclusion: of my remarks in preceding FAN-FARE. I probably erred in the direction of charity. Case III: Article fails insofar as it led to individual interpretations on the part of the reader--interpretations which were false, but _please!_ not maliciously so. Conclusion: Al errs by excess in his reaction. This I think is the most probable. There may be many more positions, but I think I've covered the ground sufficiently. Now that the fiery one is in the Army, it may not be just to get the last word by default, but there seemed no other course. I trust Al Leverentz will forgive me.--Keran O'Brien, 186-29 Avon Road, Jamaica 32, New York.