[LMB] Birthday

[Jim Parish]

[The curtain rises. After a moment, the stout fellow in academic robes 
enters, stage left. Incongruously, he is wearing a straw hat. Reaching 
center stage, he turns to face the audience.]

My dear friends, today we celebrate the birthday of longtime listie Tom 
Vinson. Tom, who turns sixty-two today, has been quite active on the 
list lately, not only in the TSK discussions but also offering aid in 
various tech discussions. For both of these, the list's gratitude.

It is my understanding that Tom is from Oklahoma; therefore, my little 
friends and I have arranged a little musical tribute.

[Offstage left, there is much commotion, thumping sounds interspersed 
with electrical ZAPs. As the stout fellow glances over in consternation, 
a long gray proboscis emerges and waves about, to the 
accompaniment of angry trumpeting.]

NO! NO! Get that out of here; that's the wrong song! [Muttering] And it's 
a metaphor anyway.

[The proboscis withdraws, and after a few minutes the noise subsides. 
Half a dozen of the flying humanoids, each with its own little straw hat, 
flit onto the stage and hover above the stout fellow. At his signal, they 
begin buzzing in what is just barely recognizable as "Oh, What a 
Beautiful Morning".]

Happy birthday, Tom, and may this song be true for you today, and as 
true as possible in the year to come. Gentlefolk: Tom Vinson!