Old Year to New Year

Reflections fill

A year of life

Heartache and joy

Big grins, great strife

The time has come

And we part ways

May the new give

Happier days

No longer I

Will fill your heart

Another comes

And so you start

The road is open

Your way brand new

Can you see it?

What will you do?

Forget the bad

Treasure what’s neat

I hope you smile

Thinking of me

© December 2018

Duane Windell Phillips

Silent Night, Hubbub Night

Every year around the Christmas holiday it is the same.  We see quiet, respectful scenes of a baby lying in a manger.  Many of the trappings of modern society have gotten the story wrong. Even for those who have the story right, there is much we don’t consider.  Therefore, we miss what we can receive from that baby in the manger.  

Joseph and Mary owned mistakes and sins that weren’t theirs.  No one believed Mary was carrying God’s child?  I know I wouldn’t.  For the rest of their lives, Joseph and Mary paid the price for believing and obeying God. 

Even though she was about to deliver the baby, Joseph takes Mary on a trip to a town of his ancestors to be counted in a census. I’m inclined to think he had family in Bethlehem.  Why didn’t Joseph and Mary stay with them?  If I have family coming to the area where I live, I expect them to stay with me. Unfortunately, Joseph’s family thought he slept with his bride to be.  They didn’t want that sin in their house.  Knowing this, Joseph looked for lodging.  Maybe all the inns were full.  Maybe some innkeepers knew them and just said they were full.  

Can you imagine how Joseph felt?  Men want to provide for their family.  How devastating it must have been for Joseph not to secure a place suitable for Mary to deliver the baby.  They must have prayed about it.  They must have believed God would provide.  Did God seem silent?  

What was in Mary’s mind as she realized the baby would be born in a stable?  Did she feel forgotten by God?  This was His son.  What was God thinking to allow this to happen?  Regardless, I’m sure she preferred to be somewhere else to deliver her baby.

This baby, the Son of God, called Himself the Son of Man because He chose to identify with man.  He gave up His rightful place in heaven and came to earth to live like His creation.  He didn’t choose the easy life.  He was rejected and scorned but loved anyway.  He could have come to earth at a time when capital punishment was easy. Instead, He lived when the cruelest type of death was given to the worst criminals.  That is how Jesus died.  God didn’t take the easy way for His Son in birth or death.  

When Jesus was born, it was chaos.  I am sure of that.  The birth of every child of mine was wonderful, I say this as the father and not the mother, but it was also frantic.  How much more was it for Joseph and Mary as they hurriedly traveled, tried unsuccessfully to secure lodging, and were forced to settle for delivering a baby with smelly animals around.  All the while, they knew and believed Mary carried the Son of God.  

In this Christmas season, look deeper into the story of a child born in Bethlehem.  If you are someone who knows what it means to be scorned, despised, overlooked, judged, or disowned, you can find, in the baby Jesus, someone who understands.  Not only that, He came to do something about it. 

Shorties: Number 64

Chewing her salad, Brenda swallowed and replied, “Well, I don’t think he would care one way or the other.  I mean, Randy never worries about being on time.” 

“Oh great!  He will never know what hit ‘em.” 

Laughing, Brenda replied, “Not a clue.  He’ll walk…Hey, where did you get your watch?”

Looking at the watch, Karen said, “I got this the other day at Macy’s.  Can you believe the deal I got?  Full price, I would’ve paid over $300.00 but I only paid 25.” 

“What?  Wow!  That’s great!”  Brenda looked at it more closely and Karen undid the latch and handed it to her.  Karen continued, “You know me.  If it isn’t a deal I ain’t buyin’ it.” 

There was silence for a moment as Brenda scrutinized the face and band.  Then she handed it to Karen and returned to the previous conversation.  “My only concern is what to get him.  I mean, it is impossible to buy presents for him.  All he wants is tools but he already has all of them.  He doesn’t like gifty things or clothes.  I just don’t know what to buy for him.”

Karen looked at Brenda with a devilish smile.  Brenda saw the look in Karen’s eyes and asked, “What?  What are you thinkin’?”

“What do men think about all the time?”

“I’m sure you mean besides tools and football.”

Brenda’s face never changed as she smiled and nodded.

“No!”

“Yes.”

“Brenda, no!”

Finally, Karen stopped smiling and with a serious face said, “You know, sleeping with your husband isn’t a sin.  It is allowed.” 

Her mind raced and face flushed.  Finally, Brenda said, “But it isn’t a gift.  I mean sex isn’t a present.”

                                                   

“It is to men.” Karen said with a laugh.

Shorties: Number 63

As a courteously, Philip tipped his hat and instinctively stood to the side to let the young lady exit through the door he used to enter the bank.  He was about to acknowledge her when Philip noted the different hair color.  Also, her face reflected no hint of recognition as she moved passed him.  It couldn’t have been Jane.  Surely, she would have at least said hello. 

The line for a bank teller held two people.  Philip spotted Jane at her position and marveled at the likeness of the young woman he saw.  As luck would have it, Jane became available when Philip reached the front of the queue.  As he always did, Philip greeted Jane with a warm, “Good morning young lady.”

“Good morning young man.”

Jane was younger than Philip’s youngest child, who was 35, and he treated her as if she was one of his children.  The banter between the two of them always energized Philip for the whole day.  Philips pushed an envelope of cash and a deposit slip to Jane and said, “Do you have a twin sister?”

Seeing the deposit amount and opening the envelope, Jane replied, “Yes, I do.  She was just here.”

“Then I did see her as I came in.  She looks just like you.”

“She’d say I look just like her.”  They both laughed.

“She came down from Minneapolis a few days ago.”

“Minneapolis?  I used to live in Blaine until I retired and moved here.”

“Wow!  Small world.”

“Yes, it is.  What does she do?”

“She does logistics for Target.”

“That’ll keep her busy.”

Laughing, Jane said, “Yes, it does.”

Since no other customers waited for assistance, they continued their conversation.  Philip learned Jane and her sister were born in South Africa.  The family moved to New York when she and her sister were toddlers and then to Minnesota when they were 5 years old. 

Jane watched Philip come alive as they talked.  With a twinkle in his eyes, he observed every Jane’s every mannerism.  He wondered how similar they were to her sister.  Philip then heard the bell that signaled the door opened.  He turned to see three people enter the bank.  He turned with a frown and said, “Guess I need to let you get back to work.”

Philip picked up his hat and smiled.  “Thank you for your assistance young lady.”

“My pleasure, young man.  Have a good day.”

Smiling, Philip replied, “You too.”

Step by step Philip approached the door.  After stepping outside, his eyes were cast to the sidewalk.  He exhaled loudly.  He would get a coffee but then he would have to go back to his empty home. 

Shorties: Number 62

Dark thoughts preoccupied Ricky’s young mind.  He desperately wanted to jinx it this time.  He didn’t want Timmy’s sister to die.  That’s why Ricky spoke up after the omens appeared to him again and again.  Every other time he had a premonition he stayed quiet and it came true.  He hoped by speaking up this time the dark visions wouldn’t come true.  Nevertheless, they did.  Little Jessica slipped and fell on the ice and her head solidly thudded on the icy pavement.  After two days in the hospital, she was gone. 

His heart accused him.  Guilt consumed him.  You caused it, Ricky.  You uttered the words and sealed her fate.  Ricky replayed it all and felt he had no choice.  Those ominous pictures that played across his mind’s eye always became reality.  Ricky hoped bringing it to light would break the chain of events.  Keeping them secret never made a difference.

What was this power he had?  Was it a power or curse?  If the visions were ever happy occasions he would gladly accept them.  Instead, they always spoke of some fearsome and dark future incident.  How he wished he could control the apparitions.

Ricky saw the faces around him.  They knew of his prophecy.  Their accusing eyes haunted him.  The crushing blow was Timmy.  With bloodshot eyes Timmy screamed, “Why’d you have to say it?”

Overwhelming guilt consumed him but but no words would form in Ricky’s mouth. 

Timmy continued, “That was such a horrible thing to say about Jessica.  Why would you say that?”

Finally, Ricky mumbled, “I wanted it all to stop.”

Timmy glared at Ricky.  “What kind of answer that?”

Silence.

Despair and anger growing, Timmy screamed, “Answer me.”

Ricky knew it was no use.  Who would believe he sometimes knew the future?  It was random things he saw but they always came true.  Sadly, it was only bad things that came to pass.  Tears streaming down the faces of the boys standing on the precipice of their friendship, Ricky finally said the only thing that made sense, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry?  That’s it?”  A volcanic rage erupted in Timmy and he rushed at Ricky and tackled him into the snowbank.  His only thought was to pummel the one who pronounced the deadly accident of his sister.  Consumed with guilt, Ricky let it happen.  It was his way to atone for this sin.  He knew he deserved it. 

Timmy swung two times and recognized no hint of resistance.  He slugged away five, six and seven times more when the futility of it all overwhelmed him.  His sister wouldn’t return.  Timmy fell over to the side of his friend.  Both boys sobbed releasing torrents of pain that racked them.

 

Ricky looked at his friend while wiping blood from his nose.  Timmy recognized utter brokenness in Ricky’s eyes.  Suddenly he knew it was fruitless to unleash rage the way he did.  He wanted to feel better but he only felt worse.  Timmy got up and extended his hand to Ricky.  Ricky got up with the help of his friend.  The two walked home.  Both were still broken but they were still friends. 

Those Darn Kids

Last night my oldest daughter invited us to join her and her husband for dinner.  In my family, as with many others in the world, sharing a meal is important and a wonderful form of intimacy.  We always talk and tell stories around the table.  Last night was no exception.  I’ll share a few from my family and one from my son in law.  Oh, I normally don’t share the names of my family but there is too much here to keep everyone straight.  Here is the scoresheet: 

Oldest son               Daniel

Oldest daughter        Brittany

Youngest son           Wes

Youngest daughter    Lauren

Son in law               Joe

When my children were young, the boys each had their own room and the girls shared one large room.  Most of the stories take place in the girls’ room. 

Normally, I would either read a bedtime story or would make up one on the spot.  We found it to be fun when I used the kids as characters in the stories.  Once stories were done, it was time to sleep.  The boys went to their rooms and so did I.  They boys were quiet if they didn’t actually sleep but the girls…… Brittany loved to cause problems. 

I would hear a commotion coming from their end of the hallway and I loudly state they need to be quiet and go to sleep.  The quiet only lasted a few minutes and noise, again, built gradually from the girls’ room.  Now, you can probably imagine this was a regular thing.  You are right.  What I’m about to describe also happened a lot.  So much so it was hard for me to keep from laughing each time it happened. 

In frustration I would walk up the hall and flipped the switch to turn on the light in their room.  Brittany would be on the floor with a look of mock horror at being caught.  Lauren was in the bed stifling her laughter.  I would demand, with as much authority I could muster while suppressing my own chuckles, that she get her butt in bed and keep it there! AND BE QUIET!

Another common occurrence in that room was the torturing of someone’s favorite stuffed animal.  I once wondered why the ceiling fan in the girls’ room was suddenly wobbly.  I found out the day Wesley came to me upset and crying.  He said Danny took Rainbow, his toy chameleon, and hung it from the ceiling fan.  I go in the room and the plush, rainbow colored lizard was flying circles around the room.  Dan tied a string around the reptile’s neck and the other end was tied to a fan blade.  Wesley couldn’t reach his treasured friend and Dan wouldn’t let him near the switch on the wall to shut off the fan.  Of course, when Wesley left to get me, Dan disappeared. 

Having seen this act by their older brother, the two middle children decided to torture their baby sister.  Lauren had several small plush toys.  Instead of hanging them from the fan, Brittany and Wesley thought it fun to throw the toys into the fan and watch them fly to various parts of the room after hitting a fan blade.  Lauren says she is still scarred by these barbaric actions.  Brittan and Wes still agree it was much fun. 

Joe is the oldest of three boys.  One time Joe decided to beat up on the brother closest to him in age.  Somehow, a mobile phone was turned on and it called his father’s boss’s phone.  If I remember correctly, Joe’s dad and boss were in a meeting.  All they could hear was the sound of once child crying and a kids rampaging around the house.  Of course, Joe’s dad was NOT happy when he got home. 

Moving forward to modern times, not too long ago, Brittany, Joe, Wes, and Lauren all slept in the girls' room one night.  The boys slept on an inflatable mattress and the girls on the other bed.  We had a terrible thunderstorm that night and it woke Brittany with a start.  It scared her and she sat up in bed fearfully announcing, "It's starting!"

Joe, walking down the long corridor of his mind from sleep to consciousness, asked, "What?"

"The end of the world."

Joe was still trying to comprehend what she was talking about when Lauren said with her typical morning grumpiness, "No its not.  Go back to sleep.  Then she rolled over and pulled the covers up closer.  Wesley slept through it all.  

The conversation of snoring came up but I’ll save this topic for another day. 

Shorties: Number 60.5

Due to requests, I am adding a conclusion to Shorties: Number 60

Brakes straining, the car stopped beyond where Frank wanted. He felt embarrassed by that.  The kid stepped cautiously toward the car.  Frank rolled down the window.  Looking this way and that and then at the lad, he asked, “You got any snow?”

“Sure, I got snow.  How much you want?  An 8 Ball?” 

Frank’s mind swirled.  There’s a slang word for everything in the drug world.  What the hell is an 8 Ball?”  The voice in his earpiece immediately said, “Yes, take it.  You got enough money.”

“Yeah, an 8 Ball.  How much?”

“For you, 150.”

“His earpiece said, “What the f***!  Is he nuts?”

Frank blurted, “Are you nuts?”

The voice added, “Offer him 100.”

Frank said, “I’ll give you 100.  That’s a fair price.”

The voice chimed, “Good Franky.  You’re a natural at this.”

The kid acted insulted and replied, “Hey look, I don’t gotta sell you nuthin’.”  He turned to leave when the voice said to Frank, “Tell him, you can do 120.”

“Wait-a-minute.  Look, how ‘bout 130.”

His earpiece whispered angrily, “That’s not what I said.”

The boy stopped and returned to the car.  With narrow eyes he defiantly stated, “140.”

“Lemme see what I got.”  He pulled the wallet from his back pocket.  It was full of 20 dollar bills given him an hour ago by one of the drug enforcement officers.  Frank knew he had $200.00.  He held the wallet close to the door and below the car window.  The boy tried to see how much money Frank had.  Frank noted this, gave the boy a dirty look, and lowered the wallet further out of sight. 

Finally Frank said, “Alright you little shit, here’s your 140.  I needed some of that for gas going home.”  Frank extended his arm offering the money.  His hand was trembling with nervous energy.  The boy saw the shaking hand as he snatched the bills from Frank.  He started to count the money.  Impatiently, Frank demanded, “Hey, c’mon.  Gimme my stuff.” 

The boy finished counting and reached into a pocket of his hoodie.  Then he tossed a small zip lock bag into Frank’s waiting hands.  Immediately, the youngster turned and ran up the street.

Frank eyed the contents of the bag as he rolled up the window. Then spoke to those back at the command center, “Alright, I got it.”  He heard applause in his ear and the voice added, “Good job, Franky.”

Completely happy to be leaving the neighborhood, Frank yelled, “Stop calling me Franky, asshole.” 

There was laughter in the background as the voice said, “Sorry ‘bout that.  You are a natural at this.  You really are.  You were able to ad lib a little bit.  We may call you again.”

Frank said nothing.  He was just happy it was done.  With more distance between himself and the drug exchange, Frank started to think maybe, just maybe, he wanted to do it again.

Shorties: Number 61

The press of the crowd blocked her view and progress but Linda caught sight of Paul as he reached the street corner.  What was he doing here?  Her last interaction with Paul shocked her.  With great rapacity, Paul pressured the realtor to make the sale of the property he wanted.  At the time, Paul stated it was the perfect location for the two of them to make a life together.  Like a man possessed, Paul began to badger the realtor and sellers of the apartment.   She’d never seen this side of him before.  It frightened Linda and she broke off the engagement.  That was two months ago and she hadn’t seen until now. 

With eyes locked on Paul, Linda waded through a sea of faces.  Cruise ships docked a few hours ago and they filled the street enroute to the cathedral and other touristic stops.  Freely walking now he was beyond the crowed, Paul suddenly stopped at the corner and retrieved a cell phone from his pocket.  Linda thought to herself it was probably his mother. 

Linda reached the tail end of the crowd when Paul turned toward Linda laughing.  His eyes displayed recognition of his former fiancé.  Linda suddenly remembered she didn’t want to be seen.  She simply wanted to follow him to see what she could learn about the man she nearly married.  Since the day she ended the relationship, many questions entered her mind and Linda simply had to learn how she was so quickly entranced by this man she now thoroughly hated.  How did she not see the warning signs?  B    linded by love wasn’t a sufficient answer. 

With trice movements, Paul turned away and began walking up the street to the left.  Linda questioned whether to pursue him anymore.  Acting casually, she decided to walk in the direction he went.  If she saw him, she would cordially speak with Paul, ask how he is, and wish him well.  Turning the corner left her dumbfounded.  She expected another mass of humanity.  Instead, a mostly desolate street met Linda’s eyes.  Where was Paul? 

Could he have ducked into one of the doors?  That was possible.  He must have run or had magical powers to disappear so quickly.  This vanishing act he just pulled was impressive.  Linda stood for a moment inspecting the few people on the street.  She was certain none were Paul.  It was so incongruent and Linda was stunned.  Slowly, with a mixture of regret and relief, Linda returned to the store. 

On the floor above, a voice behind Paul said, “Ok, I believe you but you have to be more careful.  You can’t be seen by her or the others.”

With contempt, Paul hissed, “Shut up!  I know what I’m doing.”

A Couple Things I’ve Learned

Events in life and history don’t happen in a vacuum. 

We tend to look at life and circumstances as being independent of each other.  Not so.  We are a product of everything that has happened to us and those around us. 

Sometimes people are hurt so deeply it alters their life. 

Once the affliction has healed, they will laugh and smile as before but such sparks of light quickly dim as echoes of the knife that once cut them slice anew.