"What Is This Dingus Anyway?"

"The Ultimate Caper: The Purloined Letter."

By Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008; Wikipedia HERE; the SFE HERE; the ISFDB HERE; Project Gutenberg HERE; and the IMDB HERE, 47 credits).

First appearance: The New York Times Magazine, May 11, 1975.

Reprinted in Tomorrow's Crimes (1990) (today's text).

Reprints page (ISFDB HERE).

Short short short story (4 pages).

Online at Archive.org (HERE; go to text page 22).

(Note: Text very faded.)

   "Illuminated manuscripts developed sudden unexplained fly specks and pen smears."

WE like to think that some things are indispensable, such as love, friendship, and rechargeable batteries, but could a missing letter actually trigger an international 

treasure hunt?

Comment: If upon reading this story you happen to be reminded of another tale, 

this one involving a missing artifact, then the author wouldn't be at all surprised.

Main characters:

~ The fat man, Staid, Hart, Wilmer, Obloquy, and Laurinda.

References:

(Note: All links are to Wikipedia.)

- "a splash of Fresca" (HERE).

- "Illuminated manuscripts" (HERE).

- "one shield" (HERE).

- "a retired harpsichord tuner" (HERE).

- "Veterans of Foreign Wars" (HERE).

- "Jugoslav General" (HERE).

- "Asian flu" (HERE).

- "squirting Redi-Whip [sic]" (HERE).

- "Propa PH" (HERE).

- "over Loch Ness" (HERE).

- "Dortmunder" (HERE).

- "Frisbee" (HERE).

- "π" (HERE).

Resource:

- Although Donald E. Westlake is best known as a crime fiction author, he first drew this weblog's notice with a couple of science fiction stories (SFF): "The Risk Profession" and "The Spy in the Elevator" (both HERE).

The bottom line:

High-speed rail

Unless otherwise noted, all bibliographical data are derived from The FictionMags Index created by William G. Contento & edited by Phil Stephensen-Payne.

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