anonymity in no way diminishes my sincere appreciation of their contributions, and I hope each will understand that I fully recognize their support.

       Social legalities now performed, allow me to thank those who should be publically thanked.
       Despite our obvious differences (in almost every possible facet), I must confess that my mother is my mother and my father is my father. Furthermore, I am morally obliged to thank each for bringing me into this world. Au fait, papa, tu as fini par trouver cette bouteille Chivas Regal? Et maman, que puis-je dire?
       Special thanks to Latisha and Hefner. Of the two, I must admit Latisha is definitely the better kisser while mon beagle Hefner, tout comme l’humain Hugh Hefner, est constamment à la recherche de lapins; mais pour des raisons totalement différentes.
       I also feel compelled to thank Barbara Striker for our wonderful years at Princeton way back when. For obvious reasons I will never forget our Smucker’s Black Raspberry–Blackberry days in the condo on Bleecker St. I’m curious: What ever happened to that sportscaster you came to know so well? Oh, I now remember …
       As long as I live I will never forget Sylvia Tinklewart and her kind and dedicated personality as my immediate boss. If I had any serious influence, I would award this brilliant and caring woman―Inhale smoke. Exhale smoke. Cough-cough. Inhale smoke. Exhale smoke. Cough-cough―the Arrêtez de fumer avec votre fou s'il vous plait Prize.
       I must thank Peter M. C. Cockfield, then-CEO of Jacob & Callaghan Publishing, for quickly printing Scarce’s brilliant first book Kid Patagonian as well as the subsequent Awakenings. Absolutely brilliant marketing skills, I say. Do his liquid black eyes still register $ figures? I still wonder.
       I applaud Elazar Dunkelberger for his public relations work on this project, along with Nava Guggenheim, Rudni Alfar, Judith Yort-DiVenanzo, Justin Yort-DiVenanzo, Margaret & Frank Yort R.I.P., Matthew Brownfield, Bruce (grossier) Raymond R.I.P., Aunt Madelaine R.I.P., Hugh (frère de sang mais pas) Whitney, Frank (scusa ho preso in prestito la tua maglietta) Pio, Ihor (saint of them all) Pelech, Dr. Peter Robinson, Katie Knickerbocker, Bruce Angle, Heidi Putzer-Mori (best soul of them all), Mike Lavelle POS & R.I.P., Thapa, LeAnne ‘The General’ Lavelle POS, Mary & John Whitney R.I.P., Richard Gagnon, Vivian (the first girl I romantically kissed) Gagnon, Charlotte Lily Olivia Hawthorne R.I.P., Harrie Vredenburg, Zelda Shrimpton, Peter Smith, Father Swinkles, Jo(h)n (CHAЯLY) M. E. Schaefit POS.,  Litte Miss Gahan, Little Pinky Mowat (le fils de Farley Mowat) POS., Anne Hanley POS, Linda Kuchnir, Mrs. Ross POS & R.I.P., Angus Scott (morceau dédié de merde qui travaille à un journal de merde) POS & R.I.P., Craig Wilson (one of the few good kids), Gregg-Michael Tory, Larry Kaminski, Barbara (elle aimait me faire un câlin) Croft, Richard Holloway, Lenny, Laurie Douglas, Dr. Finklemyer, Rob Hicks, Lisbeth Shrimpton, Professor Adamouski, Randolph Hugabee Witherspoon R.I.P., Neil Sherman, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Robin Ross R.I.P., and Walter Seymond—truly exceptional work from all of you.

       Sheer good luck brought my way: Tom McKenzie, Dr. A. (neurologue totalement incompétent) Birnbaum, Liam Donovan, Dixie Zacob, James John Smith, Robert Michael Johnson, Justin Kase, Sebastián Hernandez, Doug Coupland, Archie Derby, Crystal Shanda Leer, Little Miss Olive & Philip, Freddie Thompson, Walter Oster POS & R.I.P., Steve Wilson, Gordon Lish, Cheryl Postit (Best Actress Oscar Winner for Someone Kicked Sammy the Dog Real Hard), Emeritus Prof. Gregor Trowbridge & companion, Al Knopf, Robert Hawker, Elinor Brownfield, Janice Wiser, Ms. V. C. & her adopted son Wobbly-Pops, Vivien Anderson, Gilda Crawley, Barrie (petit homme pontifiant) Zwicker, Dr. B. Beebe, Uncle Neil & Aunt Benny R.I.P., Larry Cooper, Sol Mednick, Greg Lillico (I owe this fellow a serious apology), Bruce 'No Cool' Dowbiggin POS & R.I.P, Paul Mori and Natasha Beam (both very lucky not to do serious time in Maplehurst), Martha & Adrianna (my happy little munchkins), Hunchbum (sorry for creating your nickname), Mark(Espion dédié de SAGE.) Brown, Amanda Oosterveer (someone who actually listens) and Richard FrancisTory POS & R.I.P.
       Along with Raymundo Pidzaweasel  (Comment ce narcissique & incrédibilité stupide a été embauché dans une école privée prestigieuse tout en étant travailleur social inscrit aux TNO et au Nunavut, m’est un mystère total.) POS & (avec joie) R.I.P., Randolph Hugabee Witherspoon POS & R.I.P., Dr. John Tuzo Wilson R.I.P., Jack Fitzgibbons POS & R.I.P., Peter Rowe POS, Professor Amelia Sharply, 羅德尼有一條看不見的尾巴, Professor JoAnna Dutka, Donna R. (a swell babe), Marco Ubriaco, Nurse Jackie Kneoff, Bill Teatero POS, René Lévesque R.I.P., Bill Van Blarcom, Sammy the Toe Squeezer, John Challice POS, Christopher Webster, Kenny Yort & his darling wife POS, Gordon Redgrave, Elva Jane, Alvin Axworthy & wife,  Olga Ponomarenko, and Drs. Paul Mueller, Santiago Del Castillo, Richard ("Vous êtes viré et fermez mon dossier médical.") Porter R.I.P., John Treihard, Sylvia Hidvegi, Judith Tokar and Kenneth Taylor—who spent an extraordinary amount of time completing this major book project.
       To my good and loyal friend Zippy B. Tuckerman, I can only thank him for his much-needed legal skills.
       Thanks much to both Jeffery Dubinsky and Dee Dee Namkoong for their financial guidance and dedication to keeping our budget in proper order.
       Of course Monica Lewinsky who is the finest literary agent who has ever existed.
       Now let’s pierce into the soul of the story.
       Nikifor (whose first name I anglicized to Nick shortly after meeting him) Dzhamgerchinov was undoubtedly a dedicated thief. That aside, and as I tried to demonstrate in my book, if Nick did not exist, it’s almost certain Scarce’s brilliant thoughts would never have been known. Scarce and Nick were total opposites (much like Hermann Hesse’s Narziß und Goldmund), yet together they became a magnificent intellectual force.
       It is without question that I dedicate this book to Zoë, Miss America Miss America (legal double name) and Scarce’s most treasured birth child. Several months ago I attended the graduation ceremonies at Cambridge’s MIT, and I cannot convey how overwhelmed I was watching 15-year-old Zoë accept her doctorate degree. Afterwards, Zoë told me she’d been offered a full professorship at Oxford University. When I asked her for what, she winked and said, “Obviously in physics. Little in way of teaching and primarily in number research. Intriguingly enough, our research project is titled ‘The Beginning of the End and the End of the Beginning’.”
       Zoë explained no further.
       What can I say? Zoë is the genetic duplicate of her father—both geniuses without question.

Timothy McManus, Greenwich Village, NYC

______________

ALL IMAGES FROM GOOGLE IMAGES, LINKS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, UNSPLASH, FLICKR COMMONS,

ATLANTIC MAGAZINE, THE NEW YORKER,THE NEW YORK TIMES, PRINT PERFECT CLIP ART DELUXE (PPCAD - RF),

US NATIONAL ARCHIVE, THE MEDIUM (MEDIUM II), UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA ARCHIVE, TENOR, PUBLIC DOMAIN, GIPHY, INTERNET ARCHIVE, ECSU (ERINDALE COLLEGE STUDENT UNION), WORDPRESS, BLUEHOST, GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES, OLD BOOK ILLUSTRATION, AMERICAN MILITARY ARCHIVE, FREE STOCK PHOTOS, CANADIAN LEGION MAGAZINE, SMITHSONIAN, LEGAL AGREEMENTS,  PERSONAL OWNERSHIP, ONE.COM & TROY FAMILY FOUNDATION

______________

All Rights Reserved - See Legal Note