Larry,

Since your lovely and, I hope and pray, healthy baby will have been born by the time you read this (and if I get my voice cards in any later that I have been lately, perhaps your child will be in the first grade by the time you read this) I don't think I'm being in bad taste or a jinx by relating other baby tales that have been close to me lately.

First, my neighbor, who has a beautiful healthy daughter, just had her second miscarriage. It was a rather messy affair and she had to be in the hospital for a number of days and recuperate for three weeks afterward. Second, My wife's best friend from childhood had a premature baby (6 1/2 months) who died three days after its birth. Third, my wife's best friend from graduate school just had her second miscarriage.

Yes, indeed, Larry, what is it in the air?