So my 38th B-day began with some fun adventure....

So my 38th B-day began with some fun adventure, but some history first. I share my B-day with Grant and Poe. I lend towards Poe more, because of the artistry and the dark since of humor. For 50 some years a fan has been leaving three roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac, until last year.

I have known about this since I was 16, I always wanted to spend the night not to expose the person, but for my own interest. I wanted to spend the night in the offices’ of the Baltimore Producers of King Gimp. Since it sits kitty corner to the church and Poe’s grave, which never came about.

I think 3 or 4 years ago Dena and I met some friends at a bar and each couple drew an hour time slot to watch the grave the following year. I think most people forgot about it and when we started the car, our check engine light went on. So we decided not to go.


This year we started talking about going again, but what if nobody goes since no Poe toaster came last year. Dena post on my Facebook to meet on the 19th at Westminster Hall for a shot of cognac towards Poe and me. Dena comes home early on Tuesday to go watch the grave with a bottle in hand. Pointing out the days mix up busted her bubble. So after saying we should still go, even if none of our friends, nor none of the Poe faithful may not show up we still went.

We got there around 9:30 set up our table and chair, candles and took a shot. While we were sitting there we saw a white stretch limo hummer go around the block. Dena said someone must have been having a bachelorette party. By midnight there was around 30 people hanging out talking, trading toaster stories. I found out that there are two Poe Graves. They moved his body to the one with his wife that is on the front corner. The only real Baltimoree there was a photographer. We are from Owings Mills, another guy from Bowie and the rest were from out of state, or country.

At midnight the New York Gals says happy B-day Dan. Dena starts singing: happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to my husband that puts up with my shit, happy birthday to you… As Dena is saying you, we see a man in a hat walking by and goes around back to the old grave for a while. We see him walk back out and up the block. Few minutes later we see the limo again and the guy is in it, so needless to say it was not the real Poe Toaster. About 40 minutes later we see another figure come and leave, this one look more like a woman. I am sorry to say the Poe Toaster was a no show again this year.

It started to rain and Dena and I started to cough our heads off. We left around 1:15 and missed the last 2 figures that visit the grave, even if the Poe Toaster has ended. I think people should still gather each year; it was so much fun meeting the people that Poe attracts with his writing and is a great tribute to the Man.