In Which Tragedy Comes Upon Us

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 30, 19 January 1940, Page 24

In Which Tragedy Comes Upon Us

To the Editor, "The Listener" Sir.-For many moons now I have been serving you faithfully. As each week’s mail has brought in letters for my attention I have sat down at my desk and puzzled industriously. In many cases, I have reached the correct answers. You have to thank me for relieving the suspense among your staff when importunate correspondents have been so careless as to set problems and omit the answers. Sometimes I have been wrong, but usually when I’m wrong the

typist is right. Any way, we give you good service. Your complaint that subScribers, nerve racked, might cancel subscriptions, seems to have been quite unfounded, if the latest audit is any indication, All this is leading up to the confession that when you receive this I shall no longer be with you. I came to work this morning full of stewed peaches and cereal, my summertime counterpart of beans. All went well. Along came the mail. All was bad. I’ve left the mail behind, but for the rest of the day I Shall be lying beside the peaceful sea. If you really want to find me, travel north three miles, take the mean of the tram numbers you see on the route, divide that by 234, add the name of your favourite author, mutter it ten times into the ear of the nearest policeman, ask him what sort of lipstick he uses, and jump through the nearest shop window. When you arrive, I shall be there to meet you. And bring your toothbrush. They tell me it takes a long time, sometimes. Yours, etc., YOUR PUZZLE PUDDLER Porirua, January 5, 1940 P.S.: I’ve left the mail. Throw it at the printer.