This column should be about Daylight Saving Time, but ...

Fruitcake

Daylight Saving Time

Marauding deer

Missy Kitty

Roundabouts

Downtown golf

Free tomatoes

Goofy politics

That's enough. There are other topics that could go on the list, but this is a good enough sample.

And we haven't even made a dent in important issues like ashtrays (see buggy whips), Bermuda shorts (sensible summer wear for men) or a monorail aerial tram to lighten the traffic load on Kingshighway.

Since I officially retired as editor of the Southeast Missourian eight years ago, I have faithfully and dutifully contributed a column each week that was published, as is this column, on the Opinion page of the Friday edition.

Some of you will recall that, several years ago I tried writing a Sunday column. As it turned out, I am not a Sunday columnist, Sunday being the day when everything published in the newspaper is somehow enhanced by simply being a different day of the week.

So my column moved back to Friday, which, as it turns out, was a dandy place to be.

I say "was" because this is, for all intents and purposes, my last Friday column. But, perhaps, not my last column. From time to time, I may submit a column because a topic tickles my fancy so much it requires a good scratching. It will be up to the newspaper's powers that be to determine if such submissions are worthy of publication.

I have been writing a column in Cape Girardeau for nearly 25 years, come next Fourth of July. And I wrote columns, sometimes three a week, for more than 25 years before that. That's a bunch of columns. And on top of that I wrote one or two daily editorials for the Opinion page -- sort of like writing a column, only using the collective thoughts of a group.

What has been the best part of being a regular columnist? That's easy:

You.

From time to time readers have greeted me in restaurants, written letters and telephoned -- and even commented online -- when something I wrote moved them, one way or another.

Thank you for that.

Something else you should know: The "powers that be" at the Southeast Missouri are the Rust family -- all dedicated to the highest standards of integrity in every endeavor. It has been my privilege to write about anything I wanted to without interference from anyone named Rust. That is a luxury any columnist craves. Thank you, all of the Rust family, for that.

I think most every writer in the world would agree that readership -- and hearing from readers -- is what makes it all worthwhile. Not being second-guessed is also part of the joy of being a columnist for the Southeast Missourian.

Thank you, kind readers, for hanging in there all these years.

Joe Sullivan is the retired -- really retired -- editor of the Southeast Missourian.