What a NIGHTMARE!

Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my! What a NIGHTMARE I have had! I won't be able to recount all of it for you now as I have a very full day of REAL healing to undergo. (Not like the stupid "treatment" I got from the eggs!)

It all started last Tuesday night. There was a KNOCK on the GATE of the BASE. I was in the great hall eating bowl after bowl of wonderful BEETSO soup and sent a squad to investigate. Soon my team returned with armloads and armloads of flats of wonderful looking eggs! On and on they came until the flats of eggs filled the room, thousands of eggs were all around us.

From the hallway leading into the GREAT HALL came the sound of trumpets. An egg honor guard marched in with big brass horns blaring. Behind the horns came rank upon rank of liveried eggs in fantastical uniforms. Behind these ranks came small cars being driven by eggs, doing all kinds of intricate synchronized maneuvers. Finally, a hoard of eggs followed, bearing a paliquin on the peaks of their shells.

One of R.O.M.'s entourage zooming around my compound!

As the paliquin snaked its way through the assembled eggs the horn players began playing what I could tell was a regal fanfare. The continued as the paliquin was set on the floor before the dais upon which and my most trusted deputies sat for our soup. When the curtains were pulled back I beheld the most perfect egg I had ever seen. This egg, I knew immediately, was none other than REX OVUM MUNDI, king egg of the world.

Rex Ovum Mundi

He had come, he explained, to parley. "ANDY LAM," the little egg bellowed in his shill voice, "you have treasure - many treasures - of which there is one that belongs rightly to me!" The eggs all shouted as a rabble is wont to do. "You will return to me this treasure!"

Of course I had no idea what this was about. Yes, it is true that I have many treasures; but I have no treasures that I have not either a) earned through the sweat of my brow, b) discovered during one of my many treasure hunts (all of which have been sanctioned by the International Association of Treasure Seekers), c) won fair and square as compensation for a mighty feat or d) received in lieu of some other form of payment.

As I explained this I could see that the egg king was becoming angry with me. His anger grew and grew and I thought he would soon blow his top. This was not something I wanted to see!

Rex Ovum Mundi is getting angry!

I had a sudden brainstorm. "Dear King," I began soothingly, "It is getting late and you've travelled far to honor my compound with your regal presence. Let us put aside this conversation for the night and enjoy one another's company. We can speak again tomorrow about this treasure you see."

My honeyed words had the desired effect. Rex Ovum Mundy calmed down and was placed on the table at my right hand in a fancy egg cup. The two of us ate the soup and drank together like two old friends. Little did I know that his friendship would prove false and that this night would be the last taste of peace I would have for many days!

Ah, my attendant has arrived and tells me I must break off this account. I shall pick it up soon. Know, however, that I am back! And that I am, as always . . .

ANDY LAM!