Chacham's Journal: Verbiage: Martin Gardner and the LCSNA 2007 Spring Meeting.

The latest edition of the Knight Letter from the Lewis Carroll Society of North America (LCSNA) told of a forthcoming auspicious occasion on page twenty-five:

For our Spring 2007 meeting, we will celebrate the great Martin Gardner in Norman, Oklahoma. President emeritus Alan has scored a remarkable coup: he has persuaded the 92-year-old Mr. Gardner to attend the meeting in person, accompanied by his son. As you may know, Mr. Gardner does not usually attend events, even those specifically in his honor, so we are all indebted to Mr. Gardner, to his son, and to Alan for making this commitment to the LCSNA. The tentative date is April 28th, and more details will follow. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime oppurtunity to celebrate this great Carrollinian in person. I urge you to start clearing your calender and saving for your air-fare now. You won't want to miss it! GOAL THE FIFTH: seeing more of you at our meetings, enjoying our fellowship in person.

The Great Martin Gardner is coming? O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

Well, our "excitement" was short-lived. I received the letter in the mail changing the venue of the meeting. The first paragraph reads:

We want to alert you to a date and location change for our upcoming Spring Meeting. Martin Gardner has asked that we do not hold our meeting in Norman, Oklahoma as he does not feel he can attend. While of course we are all dissapointed, we must coimply with the 92-year-old author's wishes.

The Great Martin Gardner indeed.