Clinton, South Carolina, Friday, July 3, 2020, 11:19 a.m.

This morning brought a bit of a break from the desolation of the Self-Quarantine Age. I had breakfast at the cafe on the square, and it didn’t seem like I was risking life and limb. I try to keep my trusty bandana handy, along with a supply of masks. In a world of relentless sameness, I take comfort in certain aspects of reliability.

For instance, my breakfast of choice is $10.88, and I generally add a tip of $3.12 because I value the reliable service and it makes balancing my online checking account easier. I usually eat breakfast at home, but a week without going to Steamers at least once is like a day without sunshine.

This morning a colleague walked in, and we carried on a conversation from across the room, which was safe and not too obtrusive because Steamers was sparsely populated after the morning rush, which isn’t quite as much a rush in this desperate time. The good folks are getting by, just like the rest of us.

I feel like I’m somewhere between the Snappy Cafe of The Andy Griffith Show and the coffee shop of Seinfeld. Steamers is the Snappy with internet access. I love it.

John Clayton works at The Laurens County Advertiser, and he is an important part of our sparse county media. We used to bump into each other quite often before the world became sequestered. This was the second time since the world shut three quarters down. There’s a new member of the civilian information corps. He broke the story that he’d seen her once.

Thus was there news, not any to print (or, in my case, post), but it was something to discuss other than other things “they say.”

The Fourth is tomorrow. I expect it’s going to be a lot like every other weekend, which is barely a weekend at all, only with late-night fireworks. I expect the barrage will commence tonight, just to soften up the dwindling defenses. Crossing the railroad tracks seems like a trip to the beach.

 

Take a look at my new website, Laurens County Sports. It’s undoubtedly going to be better when Laurens County has actual sports again.

If you enjoy my insights about racing and other subjects, make a small pledge of support. Rewards are in place for pledges of $5 or more. If 1/10 of my followers and Facebook friends pledge $1 a month, I’ll be set. Read all about it here.

If you yearn for my writing in larger doses, I’ve written quite a few books. Most are available here.

Lightning in a Bottle, the first of my two motorsports novels, is now available in audio (Audible, Amazon, iTunes) with the extraordinary narration of Jay Harper.

My eighth novel, a political crime thriller, is called Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. It’s right up to date with the current political landscape in the country.

My writing on other topics that strike my fancy is posted here.