The blood at Casa Day joins yours in boiling, Peter.

My wife and I were very upset last night when we thought we had
learned of Bob Avery's death. Indeed, we spent close to half an hour
agonizing over whether or not to call Bob's parents to tell them how
sorrowed we were. Since my wife was in tears and since I was angry
at the hospital physicians and emotional as well, I'm just thankful we
decided to put off calling Bob's parents for a day or two.

Boy, what a mess it would have been had we made that call... both
for us and probably even worse for Bob's parents to hear from two
strangers who thought their son had died. I thank God we put off
making that call. And we were so close to doing it.

I'm also glad that I was so upset about the news that I
didn't start calling people in my extended network (which I _almost_
did) to tell them what I thought was some of the most horrible news
I'd heard in a long time. I'm just thankful I happened to check the
list tonight (something I don't usually do on a Tuesday night)
because I was about to call an individual who would have had the fake
news of Avery's death all over the country in a matter of days. And
then when the truth came out, boy, that would have made a lot of
people look really stupid... not to mention, even more importantly,
the sorrow folks would have felt for what turns out to be a
thoughtless prank.

At this point, after just telling my wife that Bob wasn't dead
after all, both of us have spent a second evening wasting energy,
time, and emotions on this.

And the fact that Bob turned around and didn't put a stop to it
immediately sure doesn't make me feel any better either.

So self-indulgent and thoughtless on the parts of people whose
sensitivities I had some respect for... sigh...

Chet
Enjoy brain-engaging and assumption-busting natural health
articles:  http://members.GNN.COM>/chetday/open.htm