So I go to work at 10:00 AM, with the world fairly warm and considerably sunny. I take both breaks and my lunch inside the building, for no particular reason, and I keep busy in the middle of the store with laptop bags. Eight hours pass - eight hours of mild drudgery and not a whole lot to get worked up over. The time rolls to 6:00 PM. I hang around for a few minutes until my coworker gets off of his lunch, I clock out, grab my cell phone, glasses, and keys. There aren't too many people working tonight, and although all of them are my buddies no one seems to be particularly happy on this particular night. I think I got a few waves and a 'take it easy' as I went out the door.
The sliding doors whoosh back, and I step out into blackness - where a day or two ago there was light.
This gives me pause.
Well well, I think to myself,
nothing like daylight savings time, right? There is a nippiness to the air and my sight seems clearer than usual as I walk - alone, always alone - across the still parking lot. My car beeps pathetically in response to my remote and I pull open a door. A few seconds later I have my MP3 player booting and the engine warming up.
Can't believe I'm having to do this. It was warm this morning. I haul the door shut and regard my songs for a second; on a whim I pull up the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and put it on random.
Nothing much happens for a few minutes. I cruise down the main drag, roll down the windows, feel the rush of air on my hand, and smile as "Christmas Eve Live - Sarajevo" starts playing.
It always plays first. And then I get to the second stoplight, and over the roar of guitars and power chords I hear...bells?
Surprised, I glance around to see a Salvation Army bell ringer in the parking lot of a Walgreens across the intersection.
Wow. Is it that time already? I cut through the residential districts as usual, leaves whirling around my tires and flying up into the windshield. A lot of leaves. More leaves than when I left for work that morning. A second or two later, still preoccupied with chasing a leaf around my windshield with the wipers, I pop across an intersection and it hits me - the smell of a wood-burning fire. That's all it took for me to realize that 1) Christmas is here 2) it's early 3) I couldn't be happier.
It's been a mundane year in many ways, with a lot of downs and not too many ups, but riding on the heels of glorious November is Christmas. Finally, it's in sight. Has it ever felt
this long in coming?
Comments (2)
Wow, Nick! This is the writing that I love to read. I'm sorry this year's not been the best for you...but you perfectly captured the essence of home in this post. I could drive along the familiar streets with you - it felt like I was there. Excellent...
Nick, I love you.