ATTN JMS: Happy Birthday, Joe! - 1996

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: ATTN JMS: Happy Birthday, Joe! - 1996
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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+  1: Jul 16, 1996: "John T. Carr III" <jtc11 at columbia.edu>
*  2: Jul 18, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: "John T. Carr III" <jtc11 at columbia.edu>
Lines: 95

"Look, we can't pull it off this year!"
"Are you nuts? More than any year, we have to do it *this* year! People
need the uplift!"
"And *I* don't need the headache!"

John chased after his conductor. There were times when he dearly wanted to
dropkick the man through an airlock, but he was one of the few humans able
to blend humans and aliens into a workable chorus. And for him to be dead
set against trying the birthday sing just did not make sense!

"Look" John said, managing to pin him down in the Zocalo. "Give me one
good reason *why* we can't 'pull it off'!"

"'One good reason'? Just *one*? I'll give you several! First off we lost
half our Narn basses in the attack from Earth --"

"Tragic, I'll admit, but --"

"A full two-thirds of our humans were Nightwatch, *including* our soprano
and tenor soloists!"

"And misguided patriotism is a crime too, I suppose?"

The conductor rolled his eyes. "Don't get me started!" John winced,
knowing full well the man's views on art and politics. "And no-one's
*seen* Ambassador Kosh for weeks! Where am I going to find a synthesizer
that cam match his ship?"

"Calm down, will you? Look, this has been a rough year on everyone, and
that's why we need this celebration -- to remember that even in the
darkest pits of Hell there is the light of Hope!"

"How very Minbari of you" the conductor said dryly. " The fact remains,
however that we don't have enough vocalists or musicians to do this
celebration of yours right! We barely have enough to eke out a birthday
dirge..."

"Uh, 'Birthday dirge?'" To which the conductor started singing, to the
tune of the Russian Funearl March:

"It's Your Birth-day (thud)
 Hap-py Birth-day (thud)
 People dying everywhere
 People living in despair
 On your birth-day (thud)
 Hap-py Birth-day (thud)"

"NOW CUT THAT OUT!  Look, if we need more singers then we'll get more
singers, somehow..."

"Just like that, eh?" the conductor said drily.

"Yes, just like that."

The two men turned to see Chief of security Garibaldi grinning at them. "I
couldn't help overhearing your conversation, and I think I have a surprise
for you two. MInd following me to the auditorium?"

The din in the auditorium settled to a dull roar as the three men
enetered. There stood the remains of last years chorus - but there were
more.  Every empty space was filled either by one of Brother Theo's monks,
by an Army of Light staffer, or by a Minbari religious caste member.

The soprano section was bursting with Gaims.

Even the Pak'ra'ma altos were being talked to!

A hearty "Huzzah!" signaled the presence of the B5 mixed chorus and
Gamblers Society, forced underground during the NIghtwatch crisis, but
back in full force (and voice). "By the Great Maker, what has been
*keeping* you two?" The unmistakable accent of Londo Mollari came from
behind them. "I thought that there was going to be a rehersal for a
celebration of things to come! It has been a long time since this station
has seen true joy and debauchery, and I will see that it has a musical
component! Now, REHEARSE!"

The conductor stared, amazed, at Mr. Garibaldi. "It's a miracle..."
Garibaldi shrugged. "Hey, what can I tell you? Faith manages."

And as the rehersal went underway, a shadowy figure in the wings seemed to
converse with an imaginary listener: "No, let them have their fun. What's
coming next will just about *kill* them..."

****************John T. Carr III**<jtc11 at columbia.edu>*********************
+  o__       @__     + "I am the wind to fill your sail
|  _.>/)_    _.>/)_  |  I am the cross to take your nail
+ (_) \(_)  (_) \(_) +  A singer of these ageless times
|        <*>         |  With kitchen prose and gutter rhymes." - J. Tull
*************************Power--Courage--Faith*****************************







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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 8

                                          ...humbug....



 jms



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