Well, right back atcha, pal! But then to really confuse matters, we received this message on our voice mail very early the next morning:

OUR MACHINE: Hi, please leave a brief message at the beep!

[beep]

THE MAYOR: Hi, it's me, Jerry. I can't tell you where I'm calling from, for reasons of national security....

[loud whirring sound begins in the background]

THE MAYOR: Hey Cheney, I'm on the horn, here -- dude, don't bogart that blender, now!

MALE VOICE: Try to stop me, Tofu Boi!

THE MAYOR: Dick, please!

[whirring stops]

MALE VOICE: Party pooper!

THE MAYOR: You'd think with his ticker, he'd take it easy with the margaritas... anyway, I'm calling to say I'm sorry about the postcard. I was pretty hot under the collar when I wrote....

[really loud music starts blaring -- it's Creed]

THE MAYOR: Jesus -- I'll have to make this quick -- I can't hear myself think.... anyway, with Jacques as the Shadow Mayor I'm sure everything's going on as usual back there.

MALE VOICE: Mr. Brown, sir?

THE MAYOR: Yes?

MALE VOICE: The baccarat table will have a seat for you in a few minutes....

THE MAYOR: Really?

MALE VOICE: And if that doesn't interest you, there'll be a high-stakes game of "Old Maid" starting in the grotto shortly....

THE MAYOR: Let me finish this phone call, and I have this paperback I want to finish....

MALE VOICE: Very good, sir.

THE MAYOR: Anyway, I guess we have some sort of symbiotic relationship. Like clown fish and sea anemones... or me and Jacques... I guess what I'm trying to say in my clumsy fashion is... CUT IT OUT!

FEMALE VOICES: Tee hee!

[sounds of splashing]

THE MAYOR: Girls, I'm trying to finish re-reading "Being and Nothingness" over here, and you're getting it all wet....

FEMALE VOICES: Ooooooo! Tee hee! Tee hee!

THE MAYOR: OK -- one last game of Marco Polo and then it's off to bed!

FEMALE VOICES: Tee hee! Tee hee! Tee hee!

[more splashing]

THE MAYOR: Look, I gotta go. You know these teenagers....

[click]