If Kathleen Willey is really afraid of losing the manuscript of her anti-Clinton book and isn’t just saying it to generate publicity from the usual right-wing sources, I’d like to tell her how she can have ironclad security for about $25.

Ms. Willey, head to the nearest electronics store and buy a data storage card reader and the same kind of compact flash card that goes into your digital camera. In fact, a lot of drugstores sell cards and card readers these days. Connect the reader to your computer, put the empty card into the reader, and copy the manuscript onto the card. You’ll have plenty of room left over for snapshots.

If you’re afraid that the burglars will take your camera and flash card, then buy some extras and keep multiple copies all over the place. One in your purse. One in the glove box of your car. One under the flowerpot in the garden. One taped behind the picture of Ronald Reagan in the living room. In a special Clorox bottle rigged with a false bottom.

If, by chance, you typed the whole manuscript directly onto paper rather than producing it on a computer, then for a little more money you can go to the nearest copy shop and have them scan the contents onto either a compact disc or a flash card. The file can then be copied to as many more discs or cards as you want.

I am happy to have been of service in this matter. Ms. Willey, if you’d like to know how to keep the aliens who abducted you last month from returning to do it again, may I suggest a large tinfoil hat? Reynolds Wrap is good for this purpose. It’s available at fine grocery stores everywhere.

Charles Wilson
Seattle, Wash.