Page 2 - An Evening with Maxwell's Daemons

Call to order

Fred Feghootsky rapped smartly on his water glass with a fork.
“Let’s get started, people. Maxwell’s Daemons are now in
session. We have a new member to induct tonight, so I will have to
recite the rules of our organization for his benefit.”
He ignored audible groans from members eager to get on with
dinner and the business at hand.
“Secretary Razeberry: is there any old business? No? Then let me
review the key points holding us together. First, this is a voluntary
mutual assistance league for writers of fantasy and science fiction.
Once inducted, members leave via one of three outcomes: resigning
or missing two consecutive meetings; successfully publishing, either
a novel or a story in one of the major magazines—Multiverse
Monthly, Beyond Within, Mindwarp and Freakish Fantasies—or by being
blackballed. Meetings are mechanically recorded by the secretary in
order to ascertain the conditions leading to such terminations. No
other note-taking or recording by members is allowed: if you learn
anything of use during our discussions, you will have to remember
it in general terms.”
“I am the chairperson, and act as referee in case of disputes or
other displays of ill-feeling during our discussions following the
meal. Each member is given an opportunity to get the others’ frank
opinions and suggestions regarding the viability, development or
resolution of their work-in-progress. The sequence of those
presentations continues until we have run out of ideas or Maxwell’s
Delicatessen closes for the night. Failure to present any serious
ideas for two consecutive meetings constitutes non-attendance and
will result in termination for that person; re-entry is possible only by
convincing such a lapsed individual’s original sponsor, if still in the
group, to supply adequate justification before the entire
membership. Chairpersonship is assigned by seniority, never in
doubt because only one new member per meeting can be
introduced. Any member may propose an inductee, subject to
majority approval by the group at the meeting immediately prior to
that new person’s arrival. The secretary is the second-most senior
person, responsible for tracking information relevant to the
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