Leap Year

I was born on a leap year, which doesn't mean much unless you're born on February 29. I was born on the 27th. I often wondered if there were many people who were born on the 29th. I found one in Lancaster County, PA over 30 years ago who was a fellow USDA poultry inspector who worked across from me. Sorry, I don't remember his name. He told me he celebrated his birthday on March 1 in the off years.

Then I met another one at the Center the other day. John is on dialysis like I am and when February 29th rolled around we found out about it. He told us he celebrated his birthday every four years. He is 15 leap years old.

When I was 25 my brother Dave and a couple sisters and their spouses took me to a dinner theater in Philadelphia, PA for my birthday where a delightful comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan, was playing. Frederic was an apprentice, born on February 29th and apprenticed to a life of piracy and then he was asked to change his career. But because he was technically only 5 leap years old he was told he had to wait out the apprenticeship until age 21 which would be 84 regular years.

There is an Honor Society of Leap Year Babies on the internet.

And don't forget Anthony, Texas, "the Leap Capital of the World."