A Christmas Story.

I will share a professional peeve of mine with you. You are welcome. ‘Tis the season.

As someone who works in public, I sit for hours. You are out for lunch, I am in my office.

I always find the catbird seat in a room and settle in. I tend to sit at the bar, since I live off constant refills of club soda. The catbird seat at the bar is the one that allows the most expansive view of what is going on around whoever sits there. That’s my seat.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I was sitting at a totally empty bar. People were sitting at tables but the bar was empty. If you came then, you could take your pick of seats, anywhere you like. Where would you sit?

I will tell you.

If you are like 20% of people, you will sit far away from me. Sit at the other end of the bar. You will have elbow room. You can keep company in the pleasure of your own thoughts. The bartender will still serve you, don’t worry. She will be more than happy to take care of you on the other end of the bar. Look at all those inviting seats.

If you are like 80% of people, there is no seat more tempting than the one next to me. I have no idea why. This occurrence bemuses me several times a day. It happens so often that it provokes no more than an eye roll accompanied by my sigh. Bartenders chuckle because they know how I feel about it.

I prefer people sit far away if they can.

Christmas Eve is tomorrow.

On Christmas Day, Mrs. King and I going to see this new movie. It is called Nosferatu. Chinese food and vampires. Christ our Savior is born.

So, here I am, sitting here, minding my own business. It is another beautiful New Orleans day. I am in particularly good spirits. Python Lady says that I am so happy because I have spent time with angels today. I did get to visit with my favorite nuns.

Somebody sits next to me.

Earlier today, apropos of nothing, Mrs. King sat next to me, silently and unannounced, a happy surprise. Happiness loves company. I was not the only person happy to see Mrs. King. Even if the whole bar is empty, I will never complain when Mrs. King sits next to me. Mrs. King is the better half of this operation.

This person sitting next to me right now is not Mrs. King. Au contraire.

Life is full of predictable petty disappointments.

We are all God’s children.

So, this is Christmas. For both weak and for strong, for rich and for poor ones, the world is so wrong. It is playing on the radio as I type this.

This is the Christmastime. This is the record of the Christmastime.

Advent will be over soon. Then it will be the 12 days of Christmas and more Revilliôn and then, and then…..and then….IT WILL BE CARNIVAL!!!!