It was the morning of Ralph's birthday and there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Bob asked.

"Telegram!" was the reply.

Enthusiastically, Ralph opened the door and asked the messenger boy,
"Is it a singing telegram?"

"No Sir. We don't do singing telegrams," the messenger replied.

"Oh, but I've always wanted to receive a singing telegram!" Ralph
said. "Couldn't you just bend the rules a little and make an old man
happy?"

"I'm sorry, sir, it wouldn't be appropriate," replied the messenger.

"Please," Ralph pleaded, "After all, today is my birthday."

"OK, if you insist," the messenger said. He unfolded the telegram and
began singing, "Dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah, your sister Rose is dead..."