TAFF - pg 36 Ted had planned to go on home and left. A few minutes later I was down in the lobby when he called me over to where he and Dave Kyle were talking to a Miss Bellamy, a newspaper woman from New Hampshire somewhere. She was hipped on flying saucers & had noted the s-f con on the lobby bulletin board. It just so happened that she was on an European tour and was staying at the Kingsley. She related some of the sightings she'd written about in her newspaper work. The movie, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" was now being shown in the con hall and after her taking a few notes for a possible column in her hometown newspaper, she adjourned to the con hall & Ted got his chance to dart out the door and head for home, now con- siderably later than he'd anticipated on leaving. I watched the end of the movie and then circulated around a bit. A number of fans were leaving the con, now. Next stop was Ethel Lindsay's room where an OMPA gathering was in progress. Following that, Ron Bennett, Sandy Sanderson, Eric Bentcliffe & myself ad- journed to my room for a brief TAFF discussion. Mak Ashworth had left. We discussed whether there should be any changes in the TAFF setup for the immediate future and after some discussion decided that only minor changes were necessary; that TAFF had worked in the past and should be able to do so in the future. Next fans started drifting in & before long only standing room was available. Bob Parkinson auctioned off ½ his beard for TAFF & raised well over a pound I believe. I was chosen as the one to do the job and started hacking away with my razor, saying: "This re- minds me of my old job...I used to be an orderly in a maternity ward." The hotel rang a couple of times asking to keep it quiet and fin- ally the Bell Captain came up about 3 AM and asked me to break it up. It was late and since it was primarily a sedate hotel, I didn't feel they were unreasonable about it. They were nice about it & I was getting a bit weary anyhow. So, with a flash of inspiration I turned to the crowd and in a confidential hoarse whisper said, "Quick every- body! Grab the booze and head for Dave Kyle's room. ..room 524!" There was that fatal split second of indecision. I opened my room door and gave the nearest person a strong shove and propelled him out the door. Same to the next person and then like sheep following a judas goat they all ran pell meel up to Dave's room. I'd nearly completed the operation "scram" and was talking in muted tones to 3 or 4 fans still left when the phone rang. I didn't answer it. Later a knock at the door. I didn't answer that either. Finally a wrathful voice outside the door said, "MISTER FORD! This is the night manager. Please open your door immediately! I opened and saw this cat in a silken robe, with a hair net on, rising up on his tippy toes looking indignant. I said, "I thought you were some- one wanting to get in & I've nearly gotten them all out now." He spluttered a bit, but when the others left, cooled off a bit. I then waited for him to tip toe back and slyly Knock, himself, later on when the coast was clear, but I guess he figured I wasn't his type.