He made the perfect cup of coffee.  *Perfect.*  He was an incredible cook. This might not have anything to do with Heinlein scholarship but I tell you three times: a Patterson-prepared meal was a treat.

He used to smoke. He stopped in late 1975.

He was in the hospital with pneumonia from his smoking. I went to visit him one day in that fall of 1975 with a copy of a “newszine” of the time; an SF fan magazine devoted to reporting the news of what was happening throughout science fiction fandom. It was a newzine named “Karass”published by Linda Bushayger. At that time we in Phoenix were bidding to be allowed to hold the 1978 “Westercon,” a convention help once a year somewhere in the West. Linda had gotten it wrong and written that we were bidding for the WorldCon for 1978; this is the annual World Science Fiction Convention. This year’s, number 75, is being held in London. The 1978 WorldCon would be the 36th. I showed Bill the zine, pointing out the error, and both of us laughed at how Linda had gotten it wrong and how silly that was.

There was a beat of time.

We both looked at each other and said, ah, what the hell, let’s do it.

And we did. And we won the bid, in 1976, at MidAmeriCon, where Heinlein was the Guest of Honor. And we organized and held the 36thAnnual World Science Fiction Convention, IguanaCon II, in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1978. And it was a success.

Bill had the excuse of nicotine withdrawal to explain things. Me?  I’ve no excuse whatsoever.

The Heinlein Centennial was his way of getting even with me.

Ghod how I miss him.