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.