The patio was empty, the tables were gone.  Even the signs and lettering on the exterior were gone, stripped from the façade and leaving the ghostly impressions of letters.  All that was left was a lonely sign on the front door.

During the economic crisis caused by state government shutdowns of state and local economies, my wife and I have been doing what we can to support our favorite restaurants and small businesses.

We’ve ordered take out at least once a week and purchased a couple of house...