A crisis of nerves...

[carolynwhite2]

The beginning of Elkins' historic defence of Avery
[34811] ..priceless. 


<Elkins whips out her shiny new S.Y.C.O.P.H.A.N.T.S badge and pins it 
to her chest with an ill-concealed grimace of self-loathing. Having 
thus assumed her role as the founder of the Society for Yes-men, 
Cowards, Ostriches, Passive-Aggressives, Hysterics, Abject Neurotics 
and Toadying SYCOPHANTS, she prepares to pontificate.>

Now, I do realize that to many people all Grovelling Coward types 
look exactly alike, but I assure you that we members of 
S.Y.C.O.P.H.A.N.T.S recognize a great range of diversity within our 
ranks, and while such distinctions may seem insignificant to others, 
they matter a great deal to *us.* So.

Avery is *not* a toady. *Nott* is a "Toady." What Avery is is 
a "Nerveless Hysteric."

When you obsequiously declare yourself to be prostrating yourself at 
someone's feet -- while all the while remaining in a steadfastly 
upright position -- *that* is being a Toady.

When you *literally* prostrate yourself at someone's feet, while 
simultaneously shrieking for forgiveness at the top of your lungs and 
shaking so violently that even a tightly-bound fourteen-year-old boy 
with some rather serious problems of his own to contend with can 
still detect the motion from all the way across a darkened graveyard, 
on the other hand...

Well, that's not "toadying," precisely. That's...er...

<winces delicately>

That's what we here in S.Y.C.O.P.H.A.N.T.S. prefer to refer to as 
a "crisis of nerves."