December 2000 and January 2001 felt like the worst time but what made it seem like the worst time was that the door had been opened for this, the real worst time, to eventually arrive
I knew, and I cried. My grandma saw me and asked what was wrong. I told her that this was the worst possible outcome and she smilingly shook her head: "Oh, S, it's not so bad. Politicians are just figureheads, nothing bad will happen."
Well, grandma, are you sure about that?
Even now, I think a lot of people are sleepwalking their way to the real worst time that might be happening in less than a year - like waiting on a biopsy that looks bad vaguely in denial.