It is once again time to say goodnight from all here in Calhoun County. The sidewalks have been hosed down by Mike Miller, the official sidewalk hoser- downer who takes his job seriously and makes sure not a bit of trash or dirt is on any of the sidewalks in Calhoun County before he goes to bed early in the morning.

Mike has one of those big tank trucks like they use in road construction. Every night he goes down to the fire hydrant outside the Handy Mart, puts a hose on it and turns on the hydrant and goes in to visit Jim until the truck is full. Jim and Mike have had a lot of talks trying to figure out what the "dark thoughts" Jim was thinking were. Poor Jim, it has been 6 months now and he is still worried about those "dark thought's" and tries every night not to have any more of them.

After the truck is full, Mike takes his super-size coffee and gets in the cab and goes to the south end of town and starts hosing everything off the sidewalks. The only time Mike has come close to removing something he should not have was when he tried to wash Elmer Polphat (the town drunk) off the sidewalk in front of the Bank. It really wasn't a big deal because Elmer needed a bath anyway.

After he has made sure all of the sidewalks in Calhoun County are sparkling clean, he goes home to Mary Sue, who has a fresh cup of coffee waiting for him when he gets there. Mike once asked Mary Sue how she knew when he was getting home all the time and she replied, "we’ve been married nigh on 10 years; there is not much I don't know about you," and gave him a kiss. She would never tell him that she has Jim call her when Mike comes by the Handy
Mart on the way home. It gives Mary Sue just enough time to get out of bed and make Mike a fresh cup of coffee.

After Bill drinks a cup of coffee with Mary Sue they turn off the lights and go to bed. As they drift off to sleep after they have kissed each other good night, Mike mumbles I love you to Mary Sue and she replies that she loves him too. Then, in each other’s arms, they fall asleep. It might not be much of a life for a lot of people, but Mike and Mary Sue are happy with it.

So, once again, darkness covers Calhoun County with it's sidewalks sparkling, and all are safe in bed till morning.
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