Joseph
Stephens sat in his car as snow gently fell to the ground. The car was running
and Christmas music was playing on the radio. Joseph was waiting in a parking
lot alone, just him and a bag of fast food. Joseph peeled back the paper on a
large burger and took a bite. The taste
sensation that filled his mouth was extraordinary, the savory flavor of meat
and cheese mixed with the sweet flavors of ketchup and pickle. After one bite
Joseph knew he was a changed man. He took another bite, then another, each bite
as wonderful as the last. Joseph looked through his frosted driver side window
and saw Jaye Williams walking toward the car. Joseph was waiting for Jaye and
wanted to get out of the car and greet his friend but the burger called to him.
Joseph took another bite. It was impossible to resist. The burger was so good
that Joseph felt compelled to eat it, the same way someone wouldn’t be able to
stop kissing someone they loved. The two lovebirds knew they would have to
depart but every kiss felt like fireworks and ‘just one more kiss’ was never
enough.
Jaye
knocked on Joseph’s window and Joseph turned to see his friend and then waved.
Joseph unlocked the passenger door and Jaye climbed into the car. Joseph had
ketchup on his face, empty burger wrappers in his car and a feeling of shame in
his soul. “So what is up my homie?” Jaye said, making sure to enunciate each
word. Joseph started the car. “Not much man, just waiting for you” Joseph said
hoping that Jaye wouldn’t ask him about his burger experience. “Sorry it took
so long, you’d be surprised how many weird looks I got when I asked for
Christmas clothes for my hamster. At least I was able to find the decoration we
needed” Jaye replied. Joseph and Jaye almost never spent the holidays together
but due to a strange stroke of luck they had been able to spend both
thanksgiving and now Christmas together. “Sweet Turduckin Christmas this is
gonna be the best Christmas ever!” Joseph said as he backed out of his parking
spot and drove off.
Jaye was
staying with Joseph for the holidays and they both decided to go all out and
decorate like madmen with a mission. As soon as they arrived at Joseph’s house
they set to work hanging Christmas lights and making eggnog, which is the
second best nogg just behind Pumpkin nogg. While Joseph was trying to balance
on the later Jaye did his best to steady the ladder, that was until Jaye got
bored and they began banging the ladder with a hammer because it sounded funny.
“H-hey, how about some eggnog. You should go make some” Joseph called down.
“You sure you don’t need help out here?” Jaye said sincerely. “yeah, I am fine.
You go on and start the nogg a’brewin’ “ Joseph replied as he did his best not
to fall off ladder.
Jaye went
inside to make Eggnogg. As Joseph was working on string up lights a hard wind
blew and shook the ladder. Joseph clung to the roof as the ladder shook under
the force of the wind and was eventually swept away. Joseph fell but grabbed
onto the rain gutters just in time. The rain gutters cracked and Joseph lost
his grip and fell two floors to the ground. Just before impact a winter wind
grabbed Joseph and gently set him down. Before Joseph could say “what was that”
a well-groomed blue and white skinned gentleman appeared out of nowhere. He
wore a large coat, had a white beard, blue and white skin, black eyes, dark
blue winter boots and a stylish winter hat. “Old man winter?” Joseph said
sounding skeptical. “That’s right my boy! Winter is here for another wonderful
season!” Winter cheered then put his arm up in the air to emphasize excitement.
“What happened to you? Usually you are cranky and have anger problems also you
drink in excess and chase off Autumn. Autumn actually left town a little early
just so he wouldn’t have to fight with you like that one time you and he fought
so hard half of the city almost was destroyed” Joseph told Winter. Winter let
out an old man chuckle as he remembered the good times. “Oh ho ho, yes indeed I
remember that. I am pleased to say I have given up booze and have been working
on my temper. I am a new winter” Winter said with a smile.
As Joseph
was talking to Winter Jaye came rushing out of the house. “Old man winter! I am
tired of your shenanigans!! Feel my wrath!” Jaye shouted and then swung a
sledgehammer down and smashed Winter over the head with it. At that very moment
Jaye remembered that Winter was immortal and probably wouldn’t be knocked out
even by a sledgehammer, the searing pain made Winter instantly enraged and
Joseph wondered how Jaye was able to get into the tool shed and find his
sledgehammer.
Winter
screamed in pain and then took a deep breath in and blew out as hard as he
could. The full force of winter winds was aimed at Jaye and Jaye was thrown
backward. He sailed through the air half frozen and immediately regretting his
decision. Joseph jumped in front of Winter “Its ok Winter, remember your
progress? Ok? Also remember you weren’t always the nicest guy and Jaye didn’t
know you were working on being a better person” Joseph said. Winter started to
calm down but was still angry “Yes, you are right. I will leave though, I can’t
risk being set off again by your friend” Winter said as he barely contained his
rage. A cold wind blew over the area and Old man Winter was gone. After he
disappeared snow began to fall from the sky, but only over Joseph’s house.
Joseph
looked over at Jaye who was upside down, half frozen and stuck in a tree. Jaye
smiled and gave a thumps up. Joseph nodded and then sighed. Joseph helped Jaye
out of the tree and into the house. The two friends then made some hot
chocolate and sat in front of the fireplace to get warm. The fire crackled and
the two friends sat in silence.
Jaye
finally spoke up. “Ever think…” Jaye was about to say but then Joseph
interrupted. “…How hard it is to balance life, work and relationships? How
after a while you see time, emotional energy and physical energy as commodities
or currency like money, something to save up, spend and budget? How, no matter
how much you yearn for the past you can never recapture it? Yeah I feel like
that too” Joseph said all in one breath. He replied in day dreaming voice as if
he was just airing out his thoughts and not actually talking to Jaye.
“Uhh..What?” Jaye said finally. “what?’ Joseph said as he snapped back into
reality. They both stared at each other with quizzical expressions. “What was
that thing you just said?” Asked Jaye. “Oh, sorry, I was thinking about a
hamburger I had today” Joseph replied.
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