Studs n Stripes XXYYX

Here we are, a newborn year. For those who have for whatever reason a big “burden” to carry, fear not. 2009 will be “Year of the Ox”. He’ll carry it all for you!
Maybe because I hope to reach my 80th “turn around the Leo Sun” this year, and become an octogenarian, I reflect on what I call the “Six W’s of our parting. “What will cause it? When? Where do I exit? What is the method of my disposal? When will that be? Where will that be?”
That goes for all of us.
Amazing how quickly people forget just a week ago they were singing all those hymns about Peace and Goodwill and other such heart-warming tunes. I’m not talking about the Middle East (that will be going on until cockroaches rule the Earth!) No, I refer to the ‘here and now’ for example in our quiet neighbourhood of James Bay.
I went back to my daily routine of grocery shopping (being the cook in our household). On the hunt for organic Pinto beans, I couldn’t reach a small tin way at the back of the bottom shelf.
So I asked a young woman who was nearby if she’d be so kind as to reach it for me.
She looked at me with a certain look and “smile” (she did not say a word) as if I was a drunken Santa (because of my beard, I guess?), which conveyed a message ‘Who do you think I am, Buddy?’
Whatever the reason, goodwill and peace notwithstanding, she ignored my request. So I asked a store clerk, and he kindly reached way back and handed me the tin.
“Much obliged, young man”, I said. He just smiled, the right smile. There was someone for whom the ‘hymn messages’ were still working.
With that item added to my small shopping cart I continued collecting the other groceries and went to the check-out counter. It was very busy. I found a spot and waited in line.
A woman ahead of me, without looking, stepped a few paces back, and landed on my foot! She turned around, and Yes! you guessed it, it was the same woman, with that certain “smile” again. But not “I am sorry”. Keeping the festive spirit alive, I didn’t turn my left cheek, but said, “I have two feet, would you like to step on the other one?” (I noticed amongst her groceries was some Instant Pudding, so maybe this was someone who practices Instant Love during Yuletide.)
You see I kept one of my resolutions, which is to be tolerant at all times. Well, almost all the time, at least in this kind of situation. So, one resolution kept, not bad, considering it is already January 3. A la prochaine! Henri