Christmas Memories......

One call led to another and there ended up being nine of us for dinner -- nine friends of various ages, nine friends from all over the country..and world, nine friends who had lost touch with each other, nine friends who had met while teaching, nine friends..none of whom was still teaching (well....there's THAT one with her high-falutin' university teaching position ;). Only three of us are still living in Baton Rouge presently, but the others had somehow made their way back to this place that had helped form them in their college and early professional years. Made their way back because they had to. They had to come back to look, feel, remember, and cry.

We did all that, and then we got on with business..important business..and we took care of business admirably. We showed this crazy place that we had learned our lessons well by eating grandly, and drinking happily. The restaurant manager treated us to dessert(s). We put them all in the middle of the table and had at it. Glorious!

We ended the evening sitting around a cozy fireplace sipping glasses of plum wine we bought from the little Vietnamese store where the odor of fish could literally knock you off your feet. And coffee. Pots of coffee. Strong, black Community Coffee. Louisiana coffee -- with a sprinkle of cinnamon. And conversation, conversation as good and strong as the coffee.

That where the Christmas memories come in. I think it went something like this, "Quick! What's the first memory that comes to mind about Christmas?" Maybe it was all the booze the joy of the season or of being together, but....I think many of the memories surprised even those of us who were having them....

Here's mine. It involves toilet tissue.

My husband, J, was woking a job 'somewhere in the boonies'....I think it was Edna, Kansas. Anywho....he was working nights, we (J,son #3 and I)were living in the 5th wheel. It was freezing. We couldn't leave for home (where our other kids were waiting) until J got off work around midnight.

I had somehow (once again) managed to Christmas shop by internet, phone, and in teeny-tiny towns I had never heard of before I found myself living in them. So, I pack up, J picks us up, and we set out for home. It's dark, it's the wee hours, it's freezing, we have a l-o-n-g way to go. After a while we're starving. We're still in the boonies, but....after a while we see the lights of a fast food joint. Oh, happy day!

We pull in thinking we'll grab some food, pee, and get back on the road. But, wait. What's that? It's a Greyhound bus full of people who are (I guess) trying to make their way home for the holidays pulling in RIGHT NEXT TO US! WTF! How long will this take now?

J gets in line to order, son #3 refuses to get out of the truck, and I...I head to the restroom, where my Christmas miracle takes place.

I'm in the restroom, in line behind upteen women from the bus. Why the fuck can't a country that can send a man to the moon come up with a better design for women's restrooms?!? So I'm in line, tired, hungry, needing to pee in the worst way. I probably should mention here that most of the ladies I'm in line with are not your run of the mill society types....

So, I'm waiting and waiting, and waiting, and waiting and thinking.... there's not going to be any GD toilet tissue left, I just know it. Jeeze! Did I say that out loud? I must have because this not-to-friendly looking woman behind me gives me a look I don't understand. She reaches into her pocket. Oh, my, God! I am going to be tomorrow's headline! But....she pulls out some neatly folded toilet tissue, and hands it to me, wordlessly.

Now, normally, an action such as her's would result in me thanking her profusely -- maybe even asking her where she was from..where she was going.... But, she must have seen that very intent in my eyes, because, as I opened my mouth to begin thanking her, I caught a look in her eyes that said, "Don't go there." So..I didn't. I just said 'thanks' and let it go. She seemed relieved. I wonder what she would think if she knew I was writing about her now? Most likely she'd be giving me that 'don't go there' look.

So, there it is. My Christmas memory -- toilet tissue and all.

....I must admit it sounded better that night, in front of the fire. I think there were even some tears shed as I told it.

Must have been the wine, 'cause it just doesn't sound the same now....