Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader was enjoying his Easter Lamb dinner yesterday with his immediate family and his wonderful in-laws. After the main meal was completed, and the children dismissed from the table, we all started to talk about “grown-up” stuff. Conversation meandered to the Schiavo situation, living wills, advanced medical directives, and medical powers of attorney.

Then the conversation stalled. It wasn’t one of those awkward pauses in conversaton such as one might have at a dinner party or a date. Just a pause in which no one at the table had anything to add. Since it was all family, this pause was used by most of us to take a drink or dab at some congealing gravy with a leftover forkfull of lamb.

At this point your Maximum Leader’s sainted father-in-law said, “Well, I suppose the Pope and Prince Ranier are both racing for the finish line. Any guesses on who will make it first?” Well that just cracked up your Maximum Leader. “Racing towards the finish line.” Very droll.

In case any of you are wondering, the consensus was that Prince Ranier would cross the finish line before the Holy Father. We thought this was a good thing too. You wouldn’t want to have to convince Saint Peter that you were just as deserving as the Pope, assuming that the Pope went through the pearly gates first.

But Prince Ranier did not beat Paul Hester across the finish line.

Your Maximum Leader supposes that Paul Hester doesn’t really count. Since he seems to have decided for himself when to cross the line.

Carry on.