"He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time."

-- Oscar Wilde

TOASTS

CONGRATULATIONS to Barry Bradford, formerly of Chattanooga, who won the 2009 Southern Playwright Competition with his play "Conquistadors."

Mr. Bradford is director of the Tangipahoa Parish Library in Amite, La. He has been writing plays for 19 years, and this award is not his first. He has written full-length plays including "Was," which won the 2005 Southern Playwrights Competition; "Dead Towns of Alabama," scenes of which were read at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2003; and "Hit and Miss," a comedy set in New Orleans, which won the Tennessee Stage Company's playwriting contest in 2000.

The competition is sponsored annually by Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala., and receives between 70 and 80 entries from 13 Southern states each year, according to a news release. Mr. Bradford received $1,000, and the play will be produced next year by the university's drama department.

The play, set in Jackson, Ala., in 2007, deals with power, the lack of power and the abuse of power in relationships, Mr. Bradford said.

"At the heart of the play is the issue of control," he said. "Those who can't control themselves feel they must control those around them. Just as the conquistadors sought to dominate and control native peoples, some people today seek to dominate or control others because of inner powerlessness and fear. This is particularly true in cases of the abuse of women and children."

HEARD ON THE TOWN

A BELATED HAPPY birthday to one of the Chattanooga Zoo's most popular residents -- Hank. The beloved chimpanzee celebrated his 41st birthday last weekend with a celebration at the zoo.

Zoo staff and visitors celebrated with games, crafts and a birthday cake.

"Hank's Day is one of the favorite zoo events among families, children and our staff," said Executive Director Darde Long, in a news release. "It's a fun-filled day for everyone who attends and it's also very exciting for our chimp of honor."

E-mail Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com. Submitted photographs will not be returned.