Impromptus today has a little — just a little — hell-in-a-handbasket talk. Just a wee amount, I swear. Anyway, I thought the below letter, from a reader, was interesting:
You wrote in your latest Impromptus, “I’m not sure Americans have great reason to feel cocky at the moment.” I agree. I’ve been trying to analyze my feelings these past few weeks. Angry? No, not really. Resigned? Yes. Depressed? To an extent, though that could be caused by many other things. Scared for the country? Definitely.
However, I was watching an episode of Carson’s Comedy Classics this morning. (Johnny Carson always made me laugh.) He was interviewing a guest who talked about never knowing which day she could buy gasoline. That remark brought back the feelings I had during the Carter administration, and the realization that everything got turned around when Reagan was elected.
All of a sudden, I felt better. Things are bad. However, America is a resilient place with resilient people. This too shall pass.
I liked that letter a lot. Under ordinary circumstances, I would get mail saying, “Conservatives, and other thinking people, should not have ‘feelings,’” and, “You can’t begin a sentence with ‘However.’” Maybe I could preempt such mail by saying, “Please don’t bother”? Thank you! (And sorry for the smidgeon of snottiness.)