I got a swell letter from the MWA the other day. Congratulations! it said. At the March 9, 2011 meeting of the National Board of the Mystery Writers of America, your membership status was approved and changed to Active.
Included was the 2010-11 Directory of members, my official membership card and the list of programs, discounts and benefits reserved for Active members. I was already in possession of the official lapel pin, and I trust my official secret decoder ring will be arriving any day now.
On this auspicious occasion, I am reminded of many of the other illustrious groups I have been privileged to join over the years. The list below is by no means complete. These are the outfits I either remember, or still have a tattered old membership card for, in more or less the order I joined up. My humblest apologies to the MWA if my association with any of these groups tarnishes the reputation of their fine organization.
Cub Scouts of America
Supermen of America
Tri-City Numismatic Society
The Three Stooges All American Fan Club
Merry Marvel Marching Society
Herb Smiles Army
Boy Scouts of America
KJR Go-Go Club
The Strychnine Five
International Order of DeMolay
People Wildly Indignant Towards Cap’n Cy
The Company Soul
Kappa Sigma Fraternity
Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks
Phi Kappa Phi
Capitol Record Club
American Automobile Association
Sinister Cinema Fan Club
The Brotherhood of Bronze
The Shadow’s Secret Society
Communications Workers of America
Science Fiction Book Club
Paperback Collectors Guild
DAPA-EM
Cascade Blues Association
Toastmasters International
The Alamo Society
Willamette Writers
Zorro’s Fighting Legion
Yolawriters
OWLHOOT
