Dear Pearl,

Well, I can see how you made the association, Pearl. The Pied Piper and our intruder, I mean. But as he regains his strength, our visitor is vehemently denying any connection with the Hamelin musician. His odd clothing, he says, is the Tonio costume he wore in the Pagliacci featuring Linguini in the title role. Linguini did not recognize his old cast mate at first. But once he saw him bathed and shaved and given more appropriate clothing, Linguini happily endorsed Franco's claims. They even harmonized Put on the Motley for our Christmas Eve party.

Oh what a dreadful world we live in, Pearl, when a baritone in leggings is forced to live the life of a common vagrant from time to time. Thank goodness for you and me and our willingness to hire all manner of individuals - great and small - into household service.  As a Christmas present to myself, I have taken on Franco as my own dear chauffeur. I shall not be bothered with mechanical things - levers, clutches, dials, wheels - at all in the coming year. That is my New Year's resolution. Oh. And world peace.

I Remain, As Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue