Merry Christmas

24 December 1014

Finally, with one more trip into town and two trips to the supermarket, the Christmas preparations were complete. Presents were wrapped, some cooking and cleaning done. One thing we didn’t do this year was put up decorations. Somehow, it didn’t seem right when our heads were full of the big gap left by Commando Senior. This year it will be a quiet celebration, just us, some presents and some food. There may be some walking. In fact there has to be some walking if I’m going to make those hundred December miles.

My last day at work was a short one. On Christmas Eve we all started work at seven and finished at two. Ok, so I’d rather have been in bed but beggars can’t be choosers and I did get a little pre dawn walk to work in. The dragging myself out of bed is tough but I like walking at that time of day even though it’s dark. The streets are quiet then. When I crossed the boardwalk I could just make out the shapes of sleeping swans on the water in the dim light.

It wasn’t the busiest day and most of the calls were people asking when buses were running over the Christmas period. One man was incensed that there would only be a Saturday service in his area on Boxing Day.
“But it’s a Friday,” he said, “how can you run a Saturday service? Some of us have to go to work.”
“There are still buses,” I told him. “In fact, on your route, the Saturday service only starts quarter of an hour later.”
“That’s no good,” he shouted. “What is wrong with you people? You’re all useless. I’m writing to my MP about this. You haven’t even put any notices up.”
“We have all the details on our social media pages and there are signs at the bus stations and stops.”
“That’s no good to me. I don’t have a computer and the signs you put up are too small, I can’t read them. Anyway, it’s dark when I get to the bus stop, how am I supposed to read a sign in the dark?”
There’s just no pleasing some people.

When two o’clock came round I think we were all glad to shut down our computers and log out of our phones. The drizzle that had accompanied me on my way in had stopped and it was a beautiful crisp, blue sky day for the walk home. The swans on the boardwalk were awake and gathering on the corner by the big rocks as I passed by. Black clouds were gathering by the time I’d crossed the Big Bridge but, by then, I was fairly confident I’d get home before the rain started. As luck would have it, I did.

Now, anything that hasn’t been done will remain undone and I’m going to sit myself down in front of the fire with a nice cup of cocoa and relax. All that’s left is to wish everyone a merry Christmas.