102 welcome to "hell"

Crossing 17th Street yesterday morning, I had to wait for traffic. Not one car here and there, and not the previous line of cars backed up the whole way down the street, but, still, traffic.

Passing this dog park, everyone but one person had a mask.

Then the dogs got pretty excited when they saw...

Coyote! Being wily as heck. 

We spent most of the day (and the day before), in "hell."

We were helping a friend stage his house for sale. (He's moving from "hell" to San Leandro, which I can only guess is a "shithole.")

Here's a "before" picture.

And the after (well, we have to come back for some more mulch, and to plant around a new driveway being installed).

Returning from "hell" into the city, there was the usual fog, and also...

A blurry, rejuvenated street scene, of outdoor drinking. It was weirdly intoxicating just to see a relatively few people out and enjoying themselves.

Unfortunately, it might not last.

Meanwhile, a former boss and dedicated reader, whom I'll call The Pickled Pistol, due to his owning a deli and some other stuff, sent this video. A Florida sheriff talking about controlling the things he can control.

"We like guns. I encourage them to have guns."

So I looked up Lakeland, Florida. It's in the middle of nowhere. But close enough to Tampa that they probably have the same TV stations.

But he's right, many Americans have guns.

Also, might be worth asking that sheriff this question.

And then there was news.

On all sides. "They're getting sick in bars! What should we do, boss?" "Close the beaches!" "Wearing masks helps, boss." "Helps the libs make me look dumb!"

Why? Because they found it was safe? Because of demand? 

No, because the lawyers inserted a CYA clause into your ticket.

Keyword: extension of waivers

And finally, behind the scenes of our reading Tuesday night. My audience was enraptured. I'm not sure they understood the plot, though.


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