Wait, a column on a Monday? Well, after hearing from three heartbroken readers that the Marie Callender’s in Claremont had closed after 45 years, I stopped by the restaurant Friday morning, thinking that if they’d lost their lease, and that was the last day of the month, that might be the last day I could find someone on the premises.

The owner happened to be there, answered all my questions and posed for a photo. I already had a Sunday column mostly done, which couldn’t wait, and have a column planned for Wednesday. What to do?

So, after filing Sunday’s column Friday and breaking for lunch, I returned to the office and cranked out a Callender’s column, with photo gallery, in a breakneck 90 minutes. Bonus! I wish they were all this easy.