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Ode to Mary-Lou (Not-the-Milton-Keynes-Gather)

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#1: Ode to Mary-Lou (Not-the-Milton-Keynes-Gather) Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 6:22 pm
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Those of you who can't help kibbitzing on the Gather threads will know that those organizing the Milton Keynes Big Gather put out a particularly sadistic drabble challenge this time around. Each drabble was to include one of each of the following:
Major character- Joey Bettany/Maynard, Mary-Lou Trelawney, Hilda Annersley, Madge Bettany/Russell, Anna Pfiffen
Minor character- Crown Prince/King Carol of Belsornia, Daphne Bettany, Vater Johann (from Exile), Gaudenz, Rev Ernest Howells
Place- Cadbury World/Bourneville world, The hut of an ugly shepherd, A mountain slope, School Kitchen, Headmistress Study
Item of Food- A big pile of porridge, picnic basket, milky coffee, Karen's vegetable sausage, tin of golden syrup
Phrase- Fit as an Irishman's flea! ; Reasoning from cause to effect.; Still, grey and to all appearances dead!; And Saints can't do more!; Show a leg!
Here's my offering, more or less to the tune of "Oh, do you remember sweet Betsy from Pike." Too bad I'm not there to sing it. Twisted Evil

Ode to Mary-Lou:

Oh, do you remember our dear Mary-Lou?
She went off to Oxford with much ballyhoo
In no time at all she took every degree
First B.A., then M.A. and then Ph.D.

In things archaeological she was the best
Through jungles and deserts she followed her quest
She scaled Andean peaks and on one mountain slope
Unearthed Inca treasure of fabulous scope

She sifted through ruins from Egypt to Crete
Drew knowledge from potsherds or kernels of wheat
Even found that an ancient trade route had begun
On ex-Crown Prince Carol's out-back cattle run.

Then, in her retirement, a plea of the Queen's
Sent ML to dig near downtown Milton Keynes
No trace of explosives was found at the site
But a Guiding lodge had disappeared overnight.

She scoured the foundation with exquisite care
But few artifacts could be uncovered there
A big pile of porridge, yarn once gentian blue,
And a scrap of charred paper that said "Mary-Lou"

A strange circular pattern where once was a floor
Suggested a pattern she'd seen once before
Was it possible that this could be the result
Of an obscure Canadian moose-dancing cult?

But no, there were also indigenous signs
Of chocolate slice, milky coffee and wines
Perhaps someone had willfully planned to confuse
With this jumble of cunningly randomized clues.

And then Mary-Lou spied a nebulous door
Scary, but something she had to explore
What was behind it? And what was in store?
She'd just have to chance it. "And Saints can't do more!"

#2: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 7:48 pm
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Laughing

Brilliant, Kathy - but what was behind the door? I know the drabbles are meant to be sadistic but you can't leave it there!!

#3: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:32 pm
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Fab! Thanks, Kathy S!

#4: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 9:21 pm
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Love it! Laughing

#5: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 9:50 pm
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Almost consoles us for not being there! Very Happy

And behind the door???

#6: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:25 pm
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Shocked

I can't imagine how you managed that. Brilliant.

? and behind the door?

#7: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:45 pm
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Um, err...

I assume she's in the hands of the disappearing CBBers. No idea how they -- or she -- reacted! Perhaps we'll hear if/when they get back?

(Or perhaps I should make it a NTMKG drabble challenge....)

#8: Author: Elder in Ontario, Location: Ontario, Canada

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:06 am
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Missed this earlier, Kathy - thanks for brightening my evening with it - it's a riot from beginning to end!!!

As for what's behind that door - is anyone else on here old enough to remember the '50s pop song 'Green Door", with its refrain of
'Green Door, what's that secret you're keeping?'

Can't remember who sang it, but I know we never *did* find out what was behind that Green Door!!

#9: Green Door Author: janetbrown23, Location: Colchester

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:05 am
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It was "an old piano that was playing hot behind the green door" but not sure how to work that in with OOAOML can't somehow see her listening to "hot" music.

Jan

#10: Author: MaryR, Location: Cheshire

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:34 pm
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Laughing

Fabulous, Kathy.

#11: Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:52 pm
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Brilliant, Kathy - thank you!
Laughing

#12: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:15 pm
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Laughing

Thanks Kathy.

#13: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:16 pm
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Love that! But if Mary Lou appeared at the Gather I didn't see her! Laughing

#14: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:32 pm
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Lesley wrote:

Love that! But if Mary Lou appeared at the Gather I didn't see her! Laughing

Didn't you Lesley? Must be a side effect from whatever you'd been er.... taking! Twisted Evil

#15: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:40 pm
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Pat wrote:

Lesley wrote:

Love that! But if Mary Lou appeared at the Gather I didn't see her! Laughing

Didn't you Lesley? Must be a side effect from whatever you'd been er.... taking! Twisted Evil

Oh good grief! Rolling Eyes

#16: Author: Kat, Location: Kingston-upon-Thames/Swansea

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:50 pm
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Laughing

You really should be more careful what you eat, Lesley! Laughing

#17: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 10:08 pm
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Elder in Ontario wrote:

is anyone else on here old enough to remember the '50s pop song 'Green Door", with its refrain of
'Green Door, what's that secret you're keeping?'

Can't remember who sang it, but I know we never *did* find out what was behind that Green Door!!

Yep! Shakin' Stevens 1981.

Midnight, one more night without sleepin'
Watchin' till the mornin' comes creepin'
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin'

There's an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door
Don't know what they're doin'
But they laugh a lot behind the green door
Wish they'd let me in
So I could find out what's behind the green door

Can't remember the rest.

Brilliant Kathy!

(sorry, my brain collects random facts - alas, not including to buy milk before we run out Confused

)

#18: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:03 pm
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*giggles*

Brilliant - thanks Kathy Very Happy

"All I want to do is join the happy crew behind the Green door" was another line.

My friend and I learnt it at guitar lessons and got so fed up of singing it every week, we produced an inverted version called (if I remember rightly) Blue window.

#19: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:22 pm
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LOLOLOL

Brilliant Kathy!

#20: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:11 pm
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Laughing

Kathy that is fantastic!

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