As I drove up the winding road to another winding road only known to those from my support group, I idly mused upon the inner workings of Plato's Republic as I contemplated the past week of rain. When I arrived at the parking lot, it was filled with friends eager for a night's observing. I counted at least 13 telescopes set up.
I started my night's observing with one of my favorite objects, M 60. It was a dead ringer for dandruff on black satin pajamas. With that checked off my list, I tried for NGC 3397. It shimmered, as if it were that graph in An Unpleasant Truth. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I looked for and suspected B 203 in Lepus. It looked uncannily like nothing I'd ever seen before. Then, I accidentally located NGC 6165. It was not quite as bright as Gollum. Then, for a real challenge, I hunted M 97. It took me back to the first time I saw all the other smudges I've ever looked at. Next, I checked out Abell 54 in Ophiuchus. It appeared in the eyepiece like desert sand. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I tracked down IC 368. It looked exactly like dancing elephants. After that, I nudged my telescope to Abell 96 in Lynx. It looked a bit like a dodo bird, extinct but for this celestial likeness. Next, I tracked down IC 1364 in Septans. It was better than desert sand. Next, I accidentally located IC 1097. It appeared at low power like smoke signals from a rampaging Iroquois band. Next, I went for Abell 69 in the western sky. It seemed fainter than R2-D2. Next, I nudged my telescope to Abell 77. It looked uncannily like a spitting cobra. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I checked off M 24. It gave the appearance of cotton candy. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I studied M 5. It was easy, just like a cantilever bra. After that, I stumbled upon Abell 28. It looked uncannily like Santa Claus. After I'd spent a few minutes looking at that, I added to my logbook B 60. It reminded me of cotton candy. With that checked off my list, I jumped to B 234. It shimmered, as if it were a whale spouting. Next, attacking my personal nemesis, I found B 223 in Draco. It was a blurry likeness of nothing I'd ever seen before. With that checked off my list, I tried for B 614. It was easy, just like Dubya.
Finally, it was time to pack up and leave. As I drove home, I contemplated the events of the night, and realized that any night out under the sky with good friends is better than a kick in the pants with a copper toed boot.