Ken, you got class. Thank you. However, it just goes to show that great minds think alike. The awesomenessedness of this thread started by YOU has led to a literary phrase that will live in Mudcat history--and hopefully in Mr Google history. However, I don't doubt that poets who scour the web for ideas will stumble across Ebbie's "the flush of a distant toilet" and wonder exactly what she's saying. As an astute poster noted, Poe would have given van Gogh's ear for the phrase; The Bard would have given his best bed to claim ownership. Some people just have greatness thrust upon them.

When she wrote that here (tfoadt), the thing would not leave me alone. It is at once noble and yet--what? Thomas Crapper would have been proud to claim that phrase for his plumbing business. NASA--well, who knows? "One small step for man and . . . what's that? It's the flush of a distant toilet!" Egads.

To the clones: would it be possible to enshrine this phrase in a thread--one frozen in time? Perhaps Ebbie could start a thread so entitled and In the thread there would be but ONE post: that post would read, "The flush of a distant toilet". Then the thread could be closed for time immemorial. What do ya say? Huh? PLEASE, with sugar on it? I won't swear for a whole week, promise.

Bruce M