I am enthralled, as only a fan can be, of sometimes being included in his annual Christmas Card, and my wish for him is simply his life span be extended, by divine intervetion, for another century.

THE CARD FOR 2002

Listen, friends, if you would hear

At the end of a rather dismal year

A song with which I put aside

The market's deadly downward slide

And turn my eyes from prospects blue

Toward festivals of a rosier hue

And ask of Santa that he go

To extraordinary lengths to show

The generosity for which he's famed

To deserving persons I will have named

Before I end this Christmas plea,

That peace be with us, you and me,

With every gent, each fancy madam,

George W. Bush and that guy Saddam;

Back home, let's greet with embrace jolly

The last grammarian, Withrow, Dolly;

Hail Robert C. Byrd, the Prince of Pork,

Randy Clifford and April York;

God save John Schiefer, Leona Brown,

Good Alan Sturm of Shepherdstown;

For Forbeses Mary Jane and Bill

Turkeys roast and glasses fill;

May the season's delights fall unalloyed

To Fayetteville's Fred Jesser the Thoid;

May gift-laden elves at quickstep troop

To the domicile of Sheila Stroup;

Hark to the harp of the angels, herald,

O Bob Weaver and Titus, Gerald,

And heed ye, too, the joyful tune,

Marty Bolyard of County Boone!

Toast Larry LeRose and Huffman, John,

Chuck Anziulewicz and Deutsch, Don;

I sing of their virtues because I wanna --

Chambers Williams and Bilyeu, Donna;

Count me at your call and beck,

Ye true blue friends at Old Man Heck;

Sing ye carols outside the house

Of William Harris and Ann, his spouse;

Salute John McGee and his wife Ruth --

Citizens of the Year, forsooth!

Race on, Comet, Cupid, and Blitzen

For D. Edward Bird and Leichner, Fritzen!

On Prancer, on Dancer, on Sleepy and Doc

And fill Ed Merrifield's Christmas sock,

And also distribute holiday booty

To Luther Wickline and Wilburn, Judy;

On your rounds, Santa, do not tarry

En route to the homes of Thomas, Mary,

Jim Hill, Jim Wood, Kay Smith, Neale Clark,

Eric Wagner, Jim Dobbs, and Ferrell, Mark,

Nor forget as through the sky you fly

George Hanna, Jim Houchins, Randy B. Fry

Dick Kirtley, Jan Mitchell, and Stanley, John,

Ellie Burka, Clint Hurt, and Ellis, Dawn;

March triumphantly, to show your joy,

Behind Tom, the little Drummond boy,

Toward the winter's brightest star

With Sandy Hamm and Frazer, D.R.;

A vin d'honneur to Taylor, Brad,

A similar toast to good Mark Sadd;

And fling on the fire a new Yule log

For John Himelrick and Bob the Clog;

May your skies be bright and never sullen:

Claude Skiles, Harvey Peyton, Joe Mullen;

Let turkeys sizzle on the rack

For Michael E. Salmons and Platter, Jack;

Then dance and otherwise make merry

For David W. Moody and Bradley, Terry;

You may be sure I'll go to bat

For these two Jacksons, Joe and Matt;

And I also let good wishes go

To Catlette, Bill, and Badgley, Joe;

Please order a joyful Christmas Eve

For Kissinger, Neil, and Plantz, Steve,

Then rush out and purchase stores of

Wreaths to hand upon the doors of

Miami coaches, the Marshall fan,

Each November also-ran,

Hobart Fisher, Bolling, Tim,

H. Ray Evans and Houchins, Jim;

Produce a hearty ho ho ho

For winner Shelley Capito;

Be kind, I say, to geezer and youth

(Not excluding Pork Chop Booth)

Then with garlands deck the halls

Of all who dwell where white stuff falls;

Betty Hallanan, peace be thine

Precisely at this point in time;

Say you love them --- everyone do it --

To Rich Rodriguez and Bobby Pruett;

Start the music and let's all revel in

A Christmas romp with Harris, Evelyn;

Bang with zest the glockenspiel,

And tootle the flute with equal zeal

For Larry Harless and Pfister, Phil,

Julia Robinson, Wooton, Bill;

Listen! Hear the tiny hoofs of

Santa's reindeer on the roofs of

Martha Wehrle, Beasley, Jerry,

Jay Rockefeller, Mann, Perry,

Harriet Nottingham, Marquetta Meeks,

George Gannon, Yankee Peeks,

B. Leftwich, the football whiz, Hank Marockie, wherever he is;

But now the sun sinks in the west,

So hasten I to wish the best

To you, and you, and you, and you

And say goodbye Two Oh Oh Two

While you silently slip away,

But first I ask you, let me say Have a happy Christmas Day!

And now hear this -- it's my decree --

Greet with joy Two Oh Oh Three!

-- L.T. Anderson 2002