Single Comment

''If there are Headless Rhinos, why are there no Rhino heads
   in the Box?' I suggested that they had been reduced to Crumbs, but
   this explanation was rejected on the grounds that the rest of the
   Rhino would also be Crumbs.'

The first question most people ask is whether my mother was Morticia,
because who else would have Bats in their box of animal crackers?

However, asking about Rhino Heads is certainly valid. The true answer is
that the game could include many more types of animal crackers and many
more types of things to be found in Pajamas; but I stopped when I thought
that I had just enough things in the game.

I am sure that it would also be a good game if you could find a Zebra in
your Box and a Flashlight in the pocket of your Pajama (one must always
have a Flashlight in order to be able to stay awake and read in bed when
one is supposed to be sound asleep).

However, my artistic decision was that I had enough elements in my game.

Where are the Schnorrers? They are in somebody else's game, perhaps
somebody else's variant of Capt. Spalding Chess; for I have seen Good and
Lawson play Spalding by email and I know that it is good as it is but also
that there could be as many 'Captain Spalding Variants' as there are Chess
Variants.

I have said enough and now I must be going. I may stay for a line, I may
stay for a paragraph, but I must be going.

Ah, but I hear you say 'Yes, but you don't go!' and so I will tell a little
story before I go.

June 2 I went to see Carmen at the Amato Opera, and who was there but Tony
Randall, the superannuated star, with his subannuated daughter of a mere
half dozen years or fewer. We peasants noticed (who could fail to notice?)
and there was a rumbling and grumbling of talk among us; and many and many
a stakeless wager was placed on who would draw the tickets for the raffle.
But we are all NewYorkers and so nobody bothered the famous person.

Sure enough, it was the offspring of the star who drew the winning ticket
from the accustomed tin. Pity, pity, do you not feel it, for the Chelsea of
the Hillary?

I have daughters too, I have daughters two, and they do not follow the path
of the great chess variant genius (which is good because there ain't a
penny to be made from it!) but instead follow paths I can only envy.

A small daughter who asks about Rhino Heads? Be proud, and beware. This is
no ordinary person. The youthful asker of such questions may grow to be a
mature -- who can guess? There are no rules for the promotion of Human
Children when they reach the Rank of Maturity. Unless, of course, one
considers it a rule that they will never turn out to be quite what you
expect.

In case you have not understood my answer, let me make it clear: if you
want a game with Rhino Heads, nothing stops you from making it yourself!