it would have been easier if you had just quoted the script than to make me download the thing.
I didn't know I could do that. In any case, your instructions were very helpful. Others might want to note that it's not obvious how to export a tsv file from Thunderbird. In the Address Book | Export feature, you can select "tab delineated" as a file type, but they don't show any .tsv file extensions as an option. So you need to select tab delineated, and then it will output a .txt file. Then you rename it so it has a .tsv extension, and then after that the script works fine.
Now I have all my contacts in Evolution. I'll see if I can sync them with my Palm, and if so, I may become an Evolution convert.
Thanks for the helpful suggestions and clear instructions.
Dave