With Groundhog Day looming, we have received a delightful letter from Mr. Ben Hughes of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Mr. Hughes is one of the official handlers for America’s top-dog groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil.
Here is what Mr. Hughes had to say:
“A correction on your Punxsutawney Phil information.
You state that there are many groundhogs who have played Phil. In fact, there is only one Punxsutawney Phil. Each September he drinks the ‘elixer of life’ at the annual groundhog picnic. This drink gives him 7 more years of life. This year he will be celebrating his 121st year with the group.
Please make the correction accordingly.”
We certainly do want to stay on Phil’s good side — we’ve seen his teeth. (Quoting the official site of the Groundhog Club: “Their jaws are exceptionally strong.”)
Thus, although we can’t bring ourselves to state as fact that Phil is 121 years old, we hereby officially note Mr. Hughes’s objection. (Mr. Hughes, incidentally, has further clarified that his suggestion was made strictly in the spirit of fun.)
However old he is, Phil remains part of one of our very favorite Who2 categories: Prognosticator.
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