The Talk of the Town Melnikoffs by Mark Singer. Talk story about Melnikoffs, a general-type store at 84th St. and York Ave. that caters to summer campers with names like Jared, Jamie, Courtney, and Stacy. The store sells clothing and camping equipment. Writer lists many possible activities offered at summer camps. Talks to a young customer about his...

A Reporter at Large A SPORTY GAME I-BETTING THE COMPANY by John Newhouse. REPORTER AT LARGE about the commercial airplane industry, which is unique among businesses in the size of its costs and risks. A Western European consortium, Airbus Industrie, which is now no. 2 in international sales, is challenging American dominance of the industry, and even threatens to drive McDonnell Douglas from...

Comment by James Stevenson. Comment about a man in Connecticut who decided to drive to a town he noticed on a map because it had the same name as his. He had noticed "Smith" before but had never felt much curiosity about it. On this misty Saturday morning, however, Smith seemed an appropriate destination...

Books The Squeeze Is On by John Updike.

Musical Events Genius of a Kind by Andrew Porter.

Fiction Desire by Ann Beattie. Bryce, a young boy, is visiting his father in Pennsylvania while on spring vacation. He lives with his mother and step-sister, Maddy, in Vermont. He resents the restrictions placed on him by his father, B.B. Bryce seems to be in a slump and B.B. complains that he had to...

The Talk of the Town Reception by Wallace White. Talk story about the National Fisheries Institute's 37th annual convention in the New York Hilton's Grand Ballroom. 1900 members of the institute and guests gathered for cocktails. Writer names many of the fish dishes served. Writer talks to Lee J. Weddig, Executive Vice-President, N.F.I., who explains the institute's functions...

The Theatre A WALK ON THE WAN SIDE by Brendan Gill.

Jazz Good Tidings by Whitney Balliett.

Fiction No. II Martello Tower by Michael Campbell. Michael Campbell recalls how he was once almost pushed off the Martello Tower by the Irish author, Brendan Behan, over Dublin Bay in Ireland, as Buck Mulligan almost was in James Joyce's "Ulysses." He had first seen the tower as a Trinity College student. Mrs. Dolly Robinson worked in the...

The Current Cinema THE PURE AND THE IMPURE by Pauline Kael.

The Talk of the Town The Joyce by Jane Boutwell. Talk story about the Joyce, a 474-seat dance theatre which opened last week with a program of short works by several companies that will use it. The medium-sized dance facility occupies the brick shell of the old Elgin Theatre at 8th Ave. and 19th St. It will be...

Poetry Musical Chairs by Nicholas Christopher. You start with the dancing girls...

Poetry From a Clinic Waiting Room by Amy Clampitt. I write from the denser enclave of the stricken...