Dear Pearl,

Mrs Highbottom has just insisted I take the rest of the season of her Met tickets.  She has been suffering with symptoms of avian flu since her Christmas goose and dares not leave the house for more than 10 minutes or so.  Which is how Melba and I happened to be in attendance for an especially riveting performance of Turandot on Saturday.  Melba coughed through some of my favorite arias - I hope she is not in the early stages of avian flu herself - but I hardly noticed.  I was in a state of rapture throughout.  Opera!  Say, didn't you used to room with that lovely mezzo soprano who always wore her pajamas under her costume when she performed?  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue