Nipped out for a quick trip to Home Depot. Standing there in the hardware

aisle, doing some mental arithmetic on screw sizes. Cell phone rang. It

was a friend with an issue, needed me to be at my computer. When would I be

home? “Oh,” I said into cell phone,” I’ll be home by one o’clock. Gotta

see that Kerry concession speech.”

Standing next to me in the aisle was an older gent of a vaguely ex-military

appearance: white hair close-cropped, back ramrod-straight, work clothes

crisply ironed & creased. Overhearing me, he said softly, to nobody in

particular: “Oh yeah, GOT to see that. Ain’t gonna miss that. Wooo hooo!”

Big Orange Republicans: the few, the brave.