Yeah, where is everyone? Where are the Alicandrians, Vapelandians, and the others? Where have you gone, oh, AiVians?
Oh, wherefore are thou, Morri, Riversong, DD, Ghost, Giant, YardBird, Rev, milltertime, froghat, and you all others? (sorry if I left you out, but I'm getting ready for a three day weekend).
This forum be vacant and empty, a void fills me like an oxymoron.
The sudden rushing sound of wind through the top of trees is heard and the treetops, surrounding the Tea Table setting, in the center of Vapeland are indeed moving...but there is no wind! Mounting whooshing, an swooshing grows, and grows, and when you think the sapplings will bend over double a strong gust, of actual wind, brings YardByrd sailing in from the horizon. His ever faithful perch rises from the dwemonered Vapeland soil and he lights upon it gracefully. The platinum YB symbol around his neck is glowing a faint yellow, that grows, to a beigish orange, and then glows a bright golden color. You can hear a deep, smooth, male, Latin voice hanging upon the vacant air:
"Hail, lauds, and greetings Vapelandians...er...Monkey! Though my visits have been a bit sparse, of late, I am never far away from this precious jewel of a Realm! If, indeed, the throng is lessened, or absent, then there is more of this rarefied air and gleaming sunshine for those of us who are here! Fear not, Sir Monkey! Many, like myself, have the calls of other Realms that demand their top priority. The seasonal change, has occurred, for many of us leading to greater activities indoors and out.
Be relieved, my dear, Simian Knight! Vapeland lives on, always, in the hearts and minds of those who love her. I too have missed many a compatriot whose absence grew more pronounced than their presence. My sincere apologies if anyone believes I too am among this group. I shall, therefore, endeavor to do more quick "flybys" and limit lengthy posts so that James, and myself, may visit, provide input, and share more.
Remember, my noble warrior, that these we miss are not among those that we can only remember....fare thee well, knight at arms! Take heart! Know that no matter what distant Realm I may traverse I am never really very far away. Bolster the battlements and...keep your eye on the skies....! caw...Caw...CAW!"
Upon the prounouncement of the final "CAW!" the whooshing sound returns but this time it really is the wind! YardByrd opens his wings wide and begins to rise like a kite; the avian kind...and the paper kind! Wind strewn leaves are blowing across the magicked soil and their green, brown, orange, beige, and burnt sienna husks form writing as YardByrd on high suddenly just vanishes. The leaves form a message:
"WITH rue my heart is laden
For golden friends I had,
For many a rose-lipt maiden
And many a lightfoot lad.
By brooks too broad for leaping
The lightfoot boys are laid;
The rose-lipt girls are sleeping
In fields where roses fade. "
-A.E. Housman
Then, from far away, the sound of a tabernacle choir singing it's harmonies intones, "Viva Vapeland! Viva La Vapeland! Viva La Vita Vapeland!"