By Donnie Johnston
Gasoline prices in Front Royal are about $2.80 a gallon.
I don't know why gas is 50 cents cheaper there than in other area towns and cities, and I really don't care. I just know that in Front Royal I can put 10 gallons of gas in my tank for under $30 and that's important to me.
No, I don't drive 35 miles to Front Royal just to save five dollars on a tankful of gas. But I belong to a golf club there, and I have business interests further north, so I pass through this Shenandoah River town at least twice a week. When I do, I fill my tank.
We seem to have survived another mini oil crisis. It was only last spring that the price of crude was at $130 a barrel and gas was headed toward $5 a gallon, in some places, like California, more.
Now oil is trading in the $75-a-barrel range, and gas prices have come down to a more palatable level. No, it is not the $1.75 a gallon that it was two years ago, but $2.80 and falling is better than $5 and rising.
Will we ever see $1.75 a gallon gas again? Probably. When the war in Ukraine ends and Russian oil flows freely again, it seems very likely that gasoline will once again dip below $2 at the pump.
While gas prices have fallen, diesel continues to remain above $5 a gallon in many areas. That's not good for consumers because truckers must charge more to haul goods in order to maintain their profits.
The high prices also affect food costs because farmers use diesel daily to grow crops and raise cattle. And farmers, unlike those in other industries, have little control over the prices paid for their products. They are at the mercy of the open market.
Natural gas prices remain high, too, but so far businesses and homeowners have been aided by warmer-than-average winter temperatures. Americans, it seems, will not bear the brunt of the natural gas sanctions against Russia as will those in Europe.
As we approach the end of 2022, things are looking better. Gas prices are down, and the stock market is up, at least for the time being.
America's eight-cylinder economy is clicking on nine. Despite a few minor problems, the American economy is hot.
In this first post-pandemic year, Americans are spending money like it is going out of style. Black Friday and Cyber Monday set new spending records, and this Christmas may be the most profitable on record for many businesses.
Travel is almost back to pre-pandemic levels. Airplanes are full and Americans who don't want to fly are taking to the roads in record numbers, no matter what the price of gas.
In all fairness, 2022 hasn't been such a bad year. The COVID pandemic ended and the economy rebounded. Yes, there have been some bumps in the road ― like $5 a gallon gas, but we managed to get through those tough times without too much difficulty.
These days, even the chronic complainers aren't doing much complaining. This Christmas season there are fewer Scrooges and Grinches around than there have been for many years.
And why not? As we approach the holiday season, our nation is for once in a relative state of calm. Given the events and politics of the two previous years, that's somewhat of a miracle.
We can realistically look forward to 2023 with optimism. In all phases of American life, things are looking up. Let's hope we continue down that path next year.
As with 2022, there will be some bad times and heartaches in 2023. Into every year, like every life, a little rain must fall.
But for right now, this country is looking good. We are healthy, wealthy and occasionally wise.
So, celebrate life and prosperity by driving to Front Royal to buy some $2.80-a-gallon gas. Even if you don't need it, you can brag to your friends about getting a bargain.
No, it isn't the 35-cents a gallon gas you bought in 1965, but then you aren't making $5,000 a year now like you were then.
Life and times are relevant and, all things considered, 2022 has been a pretty good year.
Donnie Johnston's columns appear on Thursday and Sundays. Reach him at djohn40330@aol.com. This article was published for the Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va. and distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
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