It would seem the two have no relation with the third but I assure you they do.

When I first moved into this area, there were few restaurants of any kind, even fewer drive throughs. We had no McDonald’s nor Burger King. If we were going to eat out, we mostly had to drive up into Memphis. In a way, that was a good thing. Back then I had debts, a family and not much of of an income. Today, a $230 mortgage payment does not seem a lot. Well, in 1977, it was enormous for someone who just left the Marines and settled in a town far away from my native California.

We eked by over the years, paid off our bills, the kids are now out on their own and now, one of our major expenses are two old dogs. I do mean old, both over 12. So we spend a lot on dog food and vet bills. However, we have a very wide selection of places to eat, from large nice places to small nice places. I might add we also have a few places that are not so nice.

With the two of us getting older, I’ve decided to spoil the wife as much as I can; so we eat out more than we eat in. That saves washing dishes, if nothing else. Mostly, when we eat in, we put the microwave to use. I’ve even considered buying a second one but I’m not so sure the old aluminum wiring in the house could handle it. Therefore, from time to time, we use the stove, though we try to keep oven use to the winter.

Then the China virus hit. That was a big disruption to our life style. To the best of my knowledge, neither of us has had it, though we do know a few who have. Instantly, however, we went to using drive throughs.

Did I mention that I really hate drive throughs. However, I had no choice. Suddenly, everyone closed their dinning room. Worse, I had to wear a mask in the local grocer. They took my temp as I entered and if I got too close to that century mark, we would have had to go hungry, as well as the poor dogs. The wife and I can stand a day or two without food but the dogs have sort-of become used to a regular meal.

Besides, the wife and I could go to a drive through. Most of them do not sell dog food. I would have tried to explain but they simply would not have understood, though their vocabulary is pretty good. Being a little overweight, it would do them good to miss a meal. My best guess is that they still would not have liked it.

So, during the beginning of the pandemic, whenever we went to a restaurant for food, we went through a drive through and brought it home. Sometimes we took it to a park, when the weather permitted. It beat staring at the same walls I’ve been looking at for over thirty years.

Now, after all this time, a little less than half the restaurants have opened their dining rooms. Fortunately, 2 days before our anniversary, Outback opened their dining room. I thanked them for that and again I thank them publicly. We both had a nice steak and baked potato in really nice surroundings. In addition, neither of us washed one dish.

Now that some things are somewhat back to normal, I think back over it all. Moreover, I wonder if the next wave of the virus will drive us indoors again, and back to the drive throughs.

Then today, I thought of those who want to “save energy” and decrease “CO2.” I went back all through my memory over the time since Fauci began his rampage and I cannot find one instance of anyone wanting to do away with drive throughs.

I find the concept of using acres to generate electricity wasteful, though maybe a tad successful. I find windmills pretty useless on a calm day. Moreover, I am sure the two methods require a lot of maintenance.

Then I shake my head at the whole mess. The amount of energy produced by solar cells is likely countered by the energy wasted waiting in line for Whoppers. The carbon dioxide saved by windmills is likely greatly countered by the fumes coming from cars waiting on their driver’s Big Macs. Yet, no one has said a thing about it.

I figured out why. It really makes since. The green earth folks consider the convenience of a drive through more important than the energy used. The importance of staying in their air-conditioned autos more important carbon the spewed while they sit there and wait… their engines doing nothing while the car’s occupants remain comfortable.

Am I wrong? Maybe. Still, why do I not hear any of them complain about drive throughs.

And so it is, we are stuck here with windmills, solar cells and drive throughs forever. It’s not that we can’t do anything about it. It just seems few, if any, want to.

Besides, it makes it so much simpler for the FOCs to control us.