Thingummie Major arrived home tonight bearing a bottle of cognac to toast the birthday of our dear friend, Edgar Allan Poe.
The Poe Toaster failed to show at Edgar's grave:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/poe/bal-poe0119,0,2922653.story
And we who are fond of dear Edgar's writing are sorry. Maybe his ghost will visit here. We've got plenty of ravens, all very vocal.
Anyway, happy birthday, Edgar. 
That seems sad that he/she didn't appear. Makes you wonder at the story behind that doesn't it.
If he has been doing this for 50 years he is probably dead so it is rather unfair to blame him for not sending an excuse note.
It's obvious isn't it? Thingummie Major is the toaster but has decided not to make the journey to Baltimore this year, and to keep his bottle of brandy for himself. 
Thingummie Major would be more likely to visit Poe's mother's grave, that site being in Richmond, and therefore on the civilized side of the Potomac 
.
If you read the article at the Baltimore Sun, you may have noticed the marginalia concerning the squabble over unearthing Poe's body. Folks in Boston and Philadelphia want to dig up Edgar and take him home as a tourist attraction.
London [England], Charlottesville, Richmond VA and West Point, all with similar claims but seemingly with more sense, have declined to profer shovels in the dispute.
I wonder if multiple Poe Toasters will show up in Baltimore next year. Likely they'll have to form a committee, like the Ground Hog's day lot in Punxsutawney.
@Furby, are you taking an interest in this? (She has a lot of trouble with toasters). 