November Storms and resulting power outages are normal for this time of year here on the Pacific Northwest Coast. Not like we’re back in the stone age. Still, it’s unsettling when all the lights go out and the house becomes very quiet. No fridge, no heaters, no fans. Also, no TV, no Wifi. We have a wood fire, candles a bbq and each other. Actually, it’s almost a welcome pause from the incessant noise all around us. But it’s not the November winds that make me shiver, it’s the cold wind blowing up from the south., all the way from Florida and Washington D.C.

When I walked into our pub Camp was already at our usual table, intent on his silly phone, nursing a pint.

‘What’s the latest Camp?’ Did I really want to know?

‘I feel like I’m in this alternate reality, in this mirror world which is the exact opposite of what I thought was real. Like I drank that cool aid or swallowed a tab of yellow sunshine.’

‘You mean LSD? Like back in sixties? You’re a bit old for that kind of thing but I hear you, the present reality feels like a parallel universe.’ 

‘Like old Tim Leary said: Turn around, tune out, drop off.’

‘I think he said: Turn on, tune in, drop out.’

‘Whatever. All you have to do is look at Trump’s cabinet picks. Should we be surprised?’ 

‘And we haven’t seen nothing yet. Just wait until these right-wing firebrands and conspirators take office. Then we will see some changes. I suspect there will be civil unrest and a big witch hunt targeting the left leaning media like MSNBC. As Steve Bannon said: Trump is going to hit DOJ with a blow torch and Gaetz is that torch.’

From Matt Gaetz, who is under investigation for sex trafficking of a minor, to Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democrat who is now is a fervent Trump acolyte we will see some epic transformations of the body politic. To top it all off he puts Robert F. Kennedy jr. in charge of Health and Human Services. Even his own family has distanced themselves from his weird and conspiratorial views.’

‘Let’s just hope there is no pandemic in the next four years.’

‘Nothing seems to surprise me anymore. I guess that makes me a cynic but it’s hard to be optimistic and upbeat when the world all around us is going through this catharsis of global warming, political extremism and social upheaval.’

I had to agree with Camp for once, nothing seems to make sense any longer. All our ideals o:  Love not War, Peace for the World, forward not backward, joy not anger, are being trampled in the mud of revenge and hatred. ‘

‘I suppose this officially spells the end of the Age of Aquarius.’ 

‘Time to turn off, tune out and drop out. A variation of the theme.’

Our server Vicky was right on time with our refills.

‘We’re very lucky to have you,’ I said.

‘Thank you, we’re all lucky to live here,’ she smiled.