It’s not nice to be smug. I’m not sure why.  And neither, apparently, are the many online writers who, nevertheless, consider it a failing right up there with jealousy, cowardice, avarice, sloth and a whole host of other undesirable traits.  So… today when I felt smug several times in a row, I cut myself a little slack.

At issue was the internet which apparently was “down” here at the north end of the Peninsula — at least to CenturyLink customers.  I first became aware of the situation when I ran across my neighbor at the Post Office this morning.  “Internet service?” she asked.  “Yes.  Or at least I have had most ot the morning. No problems with Star Link.”  And I felt a slight tingle of smugness begin.  (Ironically, she was the one who turned Nyel and me onto StarLink a year or more ago, but it seems that she hooked up her business, but not her home.)

Cash Register

Later, when I was at Jack’s in Ocean Park, credit and debit cards were being handled sort of semi-automatically.  “The internet is down,” they said, “so we are having to do a work around.”

“Until 5:30,” another clerk chimed in.

“Yeah.  It’s CenturyLink again,” added someone else.  “It’s the whole north end.”

“But I live just across from Okie’s,” said another voice.  “And we’ve had interet all morning.  “But here we have CenturyLink…” said someone else.  “What the heck?”

Smugger and smugger, I tell you.  I do hope it’s not a sin…