Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

Last night I did not make it to 3LF rehearsal, nor to anyplace else. Feeling halfway decent yesterday morning and afternoon did not last through evening. A couple of friends went to watch for the Poe Toaster after 3LF -- I'd been invited to join them, but didn't get out. (I'd already made plans to go to Virginia after rehearsal if I had felt well enough to go anywhere anyhow ... but Poe is buried pretty close to my neighbourhood, so if I'd been just a smidgen more awake, I probably should've joined them at the church.) Fred sent this report and said I could repost it here if I liked:

Last night, I went to Westminster Church in Baltimore to see the Poe Toaster ( http://www.labyrinth13.com/Poe_Toaster.htm ) perform his annual ritual.

He came and left. I didn't see him. About twelve people were gathered on the street corner, while one guy across Fayette Street from the church stood watch with binoculars. The binoculars seemed a bit melodramatic, but it turned out that binocular-guy knew what he was doing.

The Poe Toaster slipped through, noticed by only two people on the street. He was dressed in modern clothing, and started by mingling with a crowd of spectators, then slipped in the east gate on Fayette, then a couple minutes later bolted out the south gate on Greene and ran south on Greene. The majority of people -- me included -- were talking among themselves and didn't notice.

Binocular guy was the only to see him enter the churchyard, and he and one other person saw him leave the south gate.

Speaking with binocular-guy afterwards, I learned that this was the fourth year he's watched the Toaster come through. He chose the best vantage point, from where he could see all four gates simultaneously, and being by himself he wasn't distracted by conversation.

Binocular-guy insists that this was NOT the same guy as last year.

Happy birthday Edgar Allan Poe, wherever you are.