Groundhog Day originated with the sighting of real groundhogs. Someplace, sometime, a number of rural residents regularly saw groundhogs emerge from their winter slumber on February 2. The furry fellows almost immediately disappeared and were not seen again until six weeks later.

The emergence of Punxsutawney Phil on February 2nd is not voluntary and does not mean anything.

In the course of my lifetime, I have yet to meet one person who ever saw a…