In Salina Kansas given that it was New Year’s Eve all restaurants closed at 8 p.m. Sadly, Chris and I had been celebrating our own quiet New Years after the day’s drive with a Kahlua and milk. In fact, Chris was celebrating so much after the first drink she failed to notice the next one had no milk! As a result, I could not get a hot meal and had to subsist on the cold food from the Truck stop. Apparently this was a result of being New Years Eve.

I met a trucker there who was also looking for a hot meal. He found a hot dog that looked like it had been on a rotisserie for about half the day and was sufficiently appetizing to him. I bought a candy bar and pop. The two of us looked glumly at each other and shared condolences. The trucker then old me “nothing seems to work anymore.”  “Yup” I nodded.

That about sums up the US these days. And Canada too. Often it seems decline is setting in. Not the greatest New Year’s Eve celebration.