ENOUGH, ALREADY — Walking through one of our fine downtown restaurants in the first week of November I saw it. Decorated and lights on. A Christmas tree. A CHRISTMAS tree, for heaven’s sake. And we weren’t even that close to Thanksgiving.

Shoot. Why not some Valentine’s Day decorations too? Maybe even a bit of green for St. Patrick’s Day. Have mercy.

BEYOND REASON — Regular season, playoffs, All-Star events, club teams. Overkill? Then add “travel teams” and out-of-season practices and competition.

The sports madness that has evolved in so much of youth athletics is ridiculous. Beyond reason. Are they trying to groom kids for professional sports?

Religion was once referred to as “the opiate of the masses.” When you honestly assess the place sports has in our society — youth, college, professional — it’s no great leap to now say sports “is the opiate of the masses.”

HOMELESS — During an early morning walk along the waterfront I saw something, not sure what, under one of the benches in the gazebo on the new pier.

As I came closer I could see it was a backpack. Naturally, a bit curious, I started to walk out onto the pier. It was then I saw someone. Asleep on the bench.

I recognized him as the fellow I had seen, over the years, walking through and around town, carrying his possessions. You may have seen him also. Sad.

A GOOD 100 — Harley Alligood died in September, in his 100th year. He was an integral part of the family that owned and operated Alligood’s Garage, forever, it seems.

He was a very good man, a pillar of the First United Methodist Church here, and most important to me, my friend.

I shall always treasure that friendship.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF — Did you know that a President of the United States once visited Washington? It was in 1819. Can you guess who it was?

Let me tell you, then. It was James Monroe, and he was accompanied by Secretary of War John C. Calhoun.

They were “met a few miles from town by a cavalcade of 100 citizens. Cannon boomed out the presidential salute. A dance was held that evening … Mr. Monroe taking part in the festivities and making himself most agreeable.” (Source — “Washington and the Pamlico” — authored by Ursula Loy and Pauline Worthy, 1976, as part of the Bicentennial celebration.)

I’ll see you next Tuesday.