Ways to Show Your Love

For The Tactical Notebook

‘Smedley, what’s all this mail doing here?’

‘Well, John, they look like Valentines.’

‘Not for me. And certainly not for you. Could they all be for Clio?’

‘Yes, Sir. Every last liberty-loving one of them.’

‘So, are you saying that I need to go down to supply and ask them to issue me a better face?’

‘Not at all. After all, there are far better ways for readers to show their love for our little publication.’

‘Like what?’

‘Well, they can re-stack posts, and take out paid subscriptions, and send interesting articles to their friends. Any of those will do our little outfit more good than sending pink pieces of paper to a gal who doesn’t even exist.’

‘Careful, Smedley. We’re on thin ice there.’

‘Well, at least we used to exist. Clio’s always been a figment of someone’s imagination.’

‘And yet she’s the one who gets all the mail.’

‘Well, John, you know what I always say …’

‘What’s that, Smedley?’

‘Valentine’s Day is a racket.’