That’s the way for neighbors to do Christmas.

The other day I got an extremely rare personal visit to the Secret Lair. My longtime neighbors and friends S&L came putting up in their ATV, having texted ahead first so as to give me time to a)be home, and b)have home, dog and self presentable. I wasn’t the only one: They made the round of the Gulch, bringing a bit of cheer to all the loonies and loners who hadn’t previously expressed a desire not to be included on any such list.

They didn’t come empty-handed:


There was a whole little tub of hand-baked goodies, and a bottle of better-than-dollar-store wine. News from their other stops in the circuit. In general, I guess you could call it glad tidings.

Being the closest thing to normal people of anyone I know in the Gulch, S&L have extended family elsewhere and they set off yesterday to spend the holiday with them. But first they took the time to kindly touch base with those of their neighbors who, through choice or circumstance, don’t have any such place to be.

I can’t speak for anybody else – Personally I just don’t do holidays and am not pining away for lack of personal or family contact on any given one. But I’m not everybody, and I thought that was a really nice thing to do, is all.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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6 Responses to That’s the way for neighbors to do Christmas.

  1. Mark Matis says:

    Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hannukah, and Merry Festivus to you and yours!

  2. Judy says:

    Merry Christmas, Joel! And Merry Christmas to all of my fellow readers.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Merry Christmas!

  4. Malatrope says:

    And from me, too … Merry Christmas!

    And, if you’ve seen “Die Hard” (being you are a recluse, I cannot know this for sure), this is funny. It seems that Garland, Texas is full of normal people:

    https://x.com/Mericamemed/status/1871759376543084750

  5. Jim Price says:

    Joel, I think you’re not as socially averse as you claim to be. Your “neighbors” clearly see you as an asset to the neighborhood. And it’s obvious you’re there when they need you. You’re a good man. I would love to have you as my neighbor.

  6. Tree Mike; eff bee eye code name, Foghorn Leghorn says:

    Ditto Jim P. As much as I’d like to zoom out to San Diego for a quick Festivus of Mexican food and saying Hi to my old friends, it just isn’t going to happen. But if it did, I’d stop by with unmailable stores, say HI!, have an adult beverage, and GTFO. With permission, of course, drop-ins are verboten. Merry Christmas and Happy Pagan Celebrations. Don’t know if you’ve mentioned your ancestry or not, but you seem Viking-esque. My apologies if my salutations are offensive.

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