Expanded Universe

FOREWORD

For any wordsmith the most valuable word in the English language is that short, ugly, Anglo - Saxon monosyllable: No!!! It is one of the peculiarities in the attitude of the public toward the writing profession that a person who would never expect a free ride from a taxi driver, or free groceries from a market, or free gilkwoks from a gilkwok dealer, will without the slightest embarrassment ask a professional writer for free gifts of his stock in trade.

This chutzpah is endemic in science fiction fans, acute in organized SF fans, and at its virulent worst in organized fans - who - publish - fan - magazines.

The following story came into existence shortly after I sold my first story - and resulted from my having not yet learned to say No!

"Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat."

- L. Long