brief) reply. Just writing letters of commendation in the
hope that you will receive a courteous acknowledgment,
will produce too meager material for your Memory Bank.
Always write for a reply which will give you information
or an opinion. Then you'll have, not only an interesting
Memory Bank deposit, but useful conversational material.
Important people are accustomed to, and staffed for, an-
swering mail, so you'll almost certainly get an answer to a
properly written question. Here's a simple outline to fol-
low:
Start with a sincere and deserved compliment.
Ask an intelligent, thought-provoking question on a subject
upon which the person you write is a known (or presumed)
authority. Be sure your question can be answered briefly
and does not require time-consuming research. Have a
good reason for needing the answer and state your reason
briefly. Express gratitude in advance. Do not give the im-
pression that you intend this to be the beginning of a con-
tinuing, extended exchange of correspondence. Busy people
do not want to become involved with perennial letter-
writers.
Memory Banks are much too personal and
private for public exposure, except to provide interesting
bits of conversation on occasion. By their very nature they
contain too much ego-involvement and I shall not bore
you by turning this chapter into an autobiography under
the pretext of furnishing an example.
In return for such considerations, I beg you to
do one thing-not for me-but for yourself. Start your own
Memory Bank now. Keep a written record of your pleasant