It isn’t often nowadays that we inhabit the ranks of the skilfully employed nor commence our daily enterprise early in the morning.  Today was an exception.  We were underway sharply at seven o’clock this morning, preparing to be at the golf club for breakfast at nine o’clock with our friends B&G from Smiths Falls.  Last evening we had telephoned them to arrange the impromptu foregathering.  Fortuitously they were both available on short notice. The weather today was ideal, a summery day of balmy air and sparkling sunshine.

As luck would have it, the moment we drove off the lot from the apartment building to the golf club, Derand Motor Sports from Ottawa called to advise that in 20 minutes the driver would pop around to collect my injured tricycle for repair. Naturally we were obliged to decline the unanticipated proposal.  Indeed as recently as last evening Derand had advised it wouldn’t be until a week hence that they would have a chance to pick up the trike. The clerk stated they were very busy.

Nonetheless we corporately agreed during our hurried back-and-forth telephonic communication this morning to modify plans by delaying the unscheduled assembly for another 90 minutes. The driver had a number of people to see in the area; he would see us last.

As it turned out – what with the predictable minor changes of detail along the way – we had sufficient time to meet with our friends at the golf club and then return home to deliver the relic. Besides our friends acknowledged they had a further agenda that they were anxious to fulfill this morning. So we parted agreeably. And the trike was subsequently recovered from the subterranean cage and dutifully fastened by the driver to storage braces in the back of the hauling vehicle.

Our friends B&G harbour a wish to travel in the United States of America.  They too however are reluctant to do so during the present administration.  Following a capitulation of the usual theses regarding the Trump government, we collectively lapsed into agreement that, whatever the character of the current government, it is undeniable that it reflects the rude commonality of Americans – at least sufficiently to maintain the current status.

The politicians can – to a degree – be absolved of their present choice of conduct merely by recognizing their not uncommon application to seek to preserve themselves and their employment by doing whatever it takes to maintain the votes. But underneath that broad pragmatism is the further sinew that characterizes the overall state of affairs in America – metaphorically captured in gated communities, Hollywood stylized plantations south of the Mason/Dixon line, reversal of “radical left “ accusations, toleration of authoritarian rule and disturbance of the Constitution for the benefit of those in control.