If the folks at Webster's Dictionary need a picture to go with their definition of "menace," they'd do well to consider ARCHIBALD "HARRY" TUTTLE. Tuttle, a criminal-type of the highest degree, who slinks through the night and invades innocent people's homes. His goal? Heating and air conditioning repair. Some might say this sort of behavior is harmless. But they said Hitler was harmless, too, until he invaded Poland. Indeed Tuttle's cheery demeanor hides an evil heart. He is suspected of terrorism, and the effort to apprehend him for immediate Information Retrieval resulted in one of the worst Ministry debacles in our era.

An arrest warrant was sent out for Mr. Tuttle, but along the way the name on the sheet "somehow" changed to Buttle. This was obviously no accident, and through this means Tuttle was able to escape. Another man, Buttle, B58/732, a shoe repair operative, was wrongfully scheduled for Information Retrieval with officer 412/L, but thankfully the error was cleared up just in time and a full apology given to his widow.

Tuttle remained at large and continued with his "work." But he did not work alone. It is believed that he had only a few weeks earlier made contact with SAMUEL LOWRY, a minor clerk at the Dept. of Records. Lowry, in exchange for free heating and air conditioning repair, apparently buried several of Tuttle's records and orchestrated the Buttle fiasco. This he did with the aid of GILLIAN LAYTON, a city truck driver and local miscreant. With his escape thus planned, in essence, from the inside, Tuttle was able to disappear from the public eye. Lowry and Layton would not be so lucky. Jill Layton died at least twice while resisting arrest, and Sam Lowry was immediately called in for an Information Retrieval session with officer 412/L, who had previously helped patch up the Buttle confusion. It is through Lowry's testimony that we have an account of Tuttle's supposed final days, though much of it is hard to understand as Lowry was in a state of extreme catatonic shock during the entire session.

Lowry's testimony, at once lucid, fervent, and completely incomprehensible, suggests that Tuttle had promised to free Lowry from his scheduled interrogation, giving a full description of their escape. Lowry described the band of terrorist types Tuttle enlisted for the project, and we have two possible nicknames: "Pluto" and "Father Christmas." Sam, under the cover of severe delusion, described everything in present tense, as if it were actually happening. He described the terrorist destruction of the local Ministry of Information building, and even worked out an elaborate amorous escape with Jill Layton, who even as he spoke was already at least twice dead. But his notes on Tuttle are the most interesting. In metaphorical terms he describes how Tuttle was destroyed by his own fear of paperwork - Disguising himself as an everyday worker, Tuttle, according to Lowry, saw a clear path of escape ahead. But the paperwork began to pile up, and Tuttle was "buried" beneath it. Sadly Lowry slipped into a completely nonverbal state before he could reveal any more.

It is believed, though not proven, that Tuttle tried and failed to join the honest workplace. Accustomed as he was to his "rebel" ways he could not cope with the actual labor when it came. To this day we do not know the whereabouts, or final resting place as it may be, of Archibald "Harry" Tuttle. His name may yet be buried in one of the employment records at the Ministry of Information. More likely, he may have simply self-destructed, a stern warning to all who would dare oppose our great governmental system.

Typist's note, deleted: They made me say that. Between you and me I hope he's still around, and feeling terrific.