I think Thin has a dog named Jackie O. Doesn't that fit in here somewhere? Or, am I thinking of that famous drag club downtown? I just had a birthday so forgive my mind lapse. ((&))

This is getting very cloak-and-daggerish! :(|)

It was a travel cooperative. This gave him the cover he needed for his movement around Europe for the CIA.

"I have never been to Borneo."

Anyone know the origination of that line?

True dln, but I prefer cape-and-daggerish!

"If only I could find the right island in the South Pacific..."

The fun is in the searching.....

Message: "When Eugene Fodor died a few years ago an article about him seemed to indicate he was a CIA cooperative in Europe. Any truth to this - I don't care, just curious!"

My father was affiliated with the CIA when we lived in the Netherlands, a hotbed of espionage activity. One of his cohorts was indeed Eugene Fodor, that most dismally UNcooperative of all CIA cooperatives.

As you know, the Company employs convoluted means of communication, the better to stymie the enemy, and code names.

There was a particular mechanism in place by which to summon Mr. Fodor to clandestine meetings. It involved a cumbersome box strapped at all times to my father's left shin.

Opening the box required the use of seven coded keys and, evidently, the fervent recitation of elaborate Bulgarian curses.

From the box, my father would carefully extract a golden vessel engraved with arcane inscriptions.

"Now", he would solemnly intone, "I shall summon Eugene."

But no matter how vigorously he rubbed the golden vessel, no matter how often he whispered, "Come out, Genie, come out!", Mr. Fodor remained stubbornly secluded within.

Needless to say, the man's CIA career was short-lived. Thereafter, Eugene AKA Genie Fodor, social pariah, had no choice but to align himself with other ridiculed outcasts of the same pestiferous class: tourists.

Any designated drivers out there?

LOL, CM

Croque Madame, you nearly had me there.

Brilliant!! C Madame :)

I think the password had something to do with his small but effective

NYCFS ((^)) How many candles ? :)
just kidding, Happy Birthday !

"Croque Madame, you nearly had me there."

dln: But, it's all true! I swear it on a stack of CIA files!

Whoops, where'd they go? They were just here a minute ago...

I heard that Fodor didn't really die, he just went underground!

Thank you, Scarlett. Of course, I'll never tell. No one in NYC knows the truth and why should they? Looking good and having health is all that matters. Why spoil that with someone's preconception of the meaning behind numbers.

I heard NYCFoodSnob needed a lawn blower to put out all those candles.

Sorry, it was just too hard to resist, just kidding.

Happy birthday and best of luck to our infamous "Venice Expert" in the future.

Thank you for this thread. Now I remember why I left Fodor's the last time. Stupid me thought the point of this site was to exchange information. Who needs AIM and Yahoo when there's Fodors?

Come on Zeus, don't be so harsh. I've learned a lot of useful info from this thread. Hollywood Squares, here we come.

Actually, the Black &amp; Decker got a little too close as I gave my best <i>blow</i> =-O and I ended up with a new haircut. Thank God the wispy look is in. Now, if someone can tell me what to do with the bald patch. (No comments from Holly, please.)

I agree wholeheartedly NYCFS and I am just happy to have another birthday, these days ((F))

Zeus, do you think you were missed?