[BLACKJACK]

GOOD GAWD, RICK - - - - - -

THAT SHOULD HAVE SET OFF THE NEIGHBORS SMOKE DETECTORS.

I CAN'T QUITE COUNT THE NUMBER OF CANDLES THERE BUT MINE WILL HAVE 70 ON IT THE END OF DECEMBER. LAST YEAR THERE WERE SO MANY THAT THE KIDS HAD TO LIGHT THEM WITH A PROPANE TORCH.

DISCUSSIONS OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE ARE A FORM OF MENTAL MASTURBATION. REAL AGE HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH A CALENDAR. IT INVOLVES DREAMS AND GOALS - - - AND STILL HAVING THEM. WE ARE WHAT WE CHOOSE TO BE - AND THAT INCLUDES AGE. I WAS JUST SHOPPING, LAST EVENING, WITH MY 32 YEAR OLD FIANCE - FOR HER WEDDING GOWN. MARCH 20 IS GOING TO BE THE BIG DAY. HELL, I FELT LIKE I WAS 35 BEFORE I MET HER AND SHE'S TAKEN AT LEAST ANOTHER 10 YEARS OFF OF MY AGE. (SHE ACTUALLY SWEARS THAT I'M "YOUNGER" THAN SHE IS).

SIMON - - - -

IF YOU PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD I MIGHT BE ABLE TO REMEMBER 100 OR SO WORDS IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE. MY SONS ACCUSE ME OF SPEAKING "BAR ROOM" SPANISH AND GERMAN. (JUST ENOUGH TO GET ME INTO SERIOUS TROUBLE). I AM RATHER PROFICIENT IN RUSSIAN - A LANGUAGE VERY SIMILAR TO FRENCH IN A LOT OF WAYS, AND I AM STUDYING CROATION WITH MY FIANCE (THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING ON OUR HONEYMOON). I CAN ALMOST GET BY IN ENGLISH - ON A GOOD DAY.

BON SOIRE - - AND - - Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK