Can’t Lose for Winning

CITY OF CHAMPIONS – Here’s a holiday story to warm your hearts like a glass of eggnog (with extra rum).   For awhile when I was living in Brookline, I took the bus to work.  Yeah, I know.  There were always crazy characters on that thing.  Luckily, it was a pretty quick trip to Mission Hill where I worked.  (Yeah.  I know.)  One day in particular always stands out in my head.  It was near the holidays, snow outside, and the bus was packed.  This old lady shuffled on to the bus, in full Christmas regalia.  You know, the Christmas sweater, jingle bell necklace, and ornament earrings.  There were no empty seats, so this lady, (I’ll call her Mrs. Claus) stands in front of this young ruffian who was sitting down.  This guy looked like a typical skater punk, and was listening to headphones so loud you could hear it.  Mrs. Claus stared down Tony Hawk Jr., expecting, I guess, this guy to give up his seat to her.  He pretended not to notice, nodding along with his music.  You could tell he could feel her staring at him though.  Her eyes got narrower and narrower as she glared at him, and you could feel her Christmas rage, as her jingle bell necklace rang angrily with each jerk and stop of the bus. Finally, the bus stopped and Jr. stood up to exit, brushing by Mrs. Claus.  She continued to glare at him as she gave him this tiding of joy: “Merry Christmas, @sshole!”