A Little Christmas Surprise

We received a Christmas surprise, a gift if you will from our son. A picture.

Christmas Eve, we packed our gifts to Little Bit and her little brother and with the cover of darkness quietly pulled into our son's driveway and I jumped out and placed the gift bags on his front porch.

For those of you in the know, you'll understand. We were in and out within seconds.

We then spent a lonely Christmas day together. Sweet Wife spent most of the day in tears.

Then, this:

Her picture arrived via text message. You must understand, we haven't seen her for seven  months. We were shocked at how much weight she has lost. She's so very thin. Little Bit has always been tiny but  now, excuse my language, but damn. Still, we're thrilled.

In the photo she holds a doll from her Nana. The son only sent the one picture.

But, there she is, my Little Bit, my heart.

Later.

Stephen

Clear and Cold

We have, this morning, a beautiful clear and cold day. Thirty odd degrees when I walked out this morning, and guess what, my truck fired without a problem; aren't new batteries great. Frigging things sure are expensive.

*****

Quiet this morning, so I'll write a bit longer....let's see, oh, one headline in the morning paper caught my attention...it reported we shall have a new Bass ProShops. Well, well, well...isn't that wonderful. Can't wait.

I bet Gander Mountain and the metro-sexual Dick's Sporting Goods and Academy Sports are just jumping with joy.

*****

As I've said, it's cold outside. With the wind chill, numbingly so. I'd barely jerked my first cup of coffee when I heard a light knock on my front door. I thought, 'democrat,' as they can't read and there are instructions posted, simple instructions, on how to gain entry.

Anyhow, I opened the door to find a lady dressed lightly in sweater and jeans, and her feet bare other than a pair of flip-flops. She looked absolutely miserable.

I did not invite her inside. 'Nuff said.

She asked for money and was more than willing to provide a service in return. Now, here's the thing. My first inclination was to just close the door. But, when I took a careful look into her eyes (and trust me, I've had this same situation happen to me many times over the years) her eyes reflected such pain and agony, and she appeared so neglected and hopeless I just could not turn her away empty handed.

I know, I'm easy, a sucker if you will but there it is...

I gently refused her offer and placed a twenty in her hand. I asked if she'd like a cup of coffee to go (I have throw away chipped mugs galore) which she gently refused.

She broke into tears and said, "Thank you." 

Ninety percent of the time I refuse to support their habits. I'm not even sure this young woman (she couldn't have been more than thirty) has a habit and don't really care, but something about her softened my otherwise hard heart.

Blame it on Christmas.

Stephen