This Is Sad

I began my playing career in small little bars on the Iron Range in northern Minnesota. They were on every street, on every corner, on every dirt road of every town. It was the boom time for steel workers employed at the numerous mines. When the mining industry began its slow death collapse, these bars began to experience mysterious fires in the very early morning hours. They're nearly all gone now, but I remember each one, and they remain pleasant memories.

Speaking as a licensed insurance adjuster not that long ago, such 'mysterious fires' are common this time of year, especially in a weak economy. In retail stores they usually occur between Christmas and New Years before inventory declarations (and taxes) are due. In service establishments, restaurants, bars, etc. they seem to occur when a neighborhood and business has declined to the break even or unprofitability level but after a peak business cycle. The business sometimes does not re-emerge or will re-emerge in a new, better location.

I can think of two or three favorite haunts over the years that have gone away through such circumstances, and the timing always raises questions, but it should not be assumed that all such fires are not accidental either.

Regardless, I empathise with Bear's melancholy nostalgia when we lose something that did hold pleasant memories for us.

yes we did although we worked from Thunder Bay West rather than East towards Toronto.... great times. I almost moved to Winnipeg instead of N Carolina because of a beautiful and I mean beautiful girl named Suzanne Christink.

But I didn't and instead ended up with the beautiful squinney.

does it still burn when you pee?

Me? No. I was a specialist in burglary/theft, general liability, and work comp and not the primary adjuster on fires though I did go out on some. Hubby however was quite well trained in arson stuff and worked a lot of fires and so I picked up a lot of stuff by osmosis.