Last summer the eminently credible Walter Cronkite was correct as usual when he predicted, "I'm expecting him to be right up on that platform as he's been all these years, so I'm not going to waste any tears."

Art Buchwald, succumbing to the request of Possible Dreams cochairmen Kerry Scott and Amy Eisenlohr, has rescinded the decision he made in August to step down as auctioneer of the high stakes fundraiser for Martha's Vineyard Community Services.

A heavy and chilly bank of fog rolled in over last night's Possible Dreams auction in Edgartown, but it did nothing to cool down the bidders who went wild for items featuring Carly Simon, David McCullough and Walter Cronkite.

By the time the marathon event wrapped up some three hours later, Martha's Vineyard Community Services had raised $403,600 from 48 dreams, topping last year's $325,000 mark by a margin of nearly 25 per cent.