Night, February 28, Wednesday. The Golden Rail Tavern. Dolores and I walked in latish. A “main table” had been set up and Leigh was entertaining himself with the crowd. (Valma was resting back at their Luxury Hotel room.) We occupied a small stall and found ourselves involved in a panel co-ordination session (one of my ideas) for my contribution to the “Close Encounters of the Strangest kind” panel. This was being chaired by Sally Underwood. Our fellow operators were Tony Peacy, Bevan Casey, and Mark Hennesy. We established the theme of this panel definitively at this stage as it had been a point of some confusion previously. Its original theme was Alien Encounters in Science Fiction but most of us had got the impression it was to be about how we came in contact with S.F. and Fandom. We agreed to change it to this. Once all was sorted out and our roles established we returned to socializing. I was left talking to Bob and Tony. With a drink to whet our whims we spent a pleasant evening discussing themes other than the Con and tossing up whether or not we should go to the ‘Good Company’ afterwards. Our plans for early nights lost the toss and our pleasant evening extended itself in the direction of the Coffee House. On the way out we said Goodnight to Leigh who was definitely going to bed.
Thursday, the first day of March, was devoted to finally completing my notes for the two panels I was in; drawing up some “cue cards” and a prop for the humour panels; writing out labels and making layout for the Fanzine display; and getting film stock for my “special project”.
Having involved myself with the workings of the Convention, and established a position of trust, I felt secure that my plans to record the event on sound tape and moving the pricture film would be successful. Thus I would have evidence of the size of the W.A. operation to show the Eastern States bosses. (bom,bom, bom-bom-bom-bommm!)
End of page 3. End of part 1.