Hell froze over the week before the ice storm. That’s when a friend, and brother-from-another mother, called to say Governor Stitt turned him into a Democrat.

When the guy announced his four-tier regional hospital plan due to an “uptick” in rural COVID-19 patients in metro hospitals it hit the fan for my friend, who I’ll call John.

John has been fed up with the guy ever since he refused to decree a statewide mask mandate, and apparently his hospital plan was the last straw.

“We’re already ranked ninth highest in COVID cases,” John ranted and raved, “and now we’ll have to drive to Stillwater if we need surgery.... They didn’t even tell the hospitals in advance.”

Before he blew a fuse I told him he was preaching to the choir. I reminded him I’m also a card-carrying Republican, but said I’d voted for some Democrats in my lifetime.