Monkeys, Dragons, And The Rooster Cat

This year, I think Christmas will be different, already I see sales starting, I don’t think retail reports on the shopping season, will be cheery. Not to worry, these are the times, when families draw together. Already I’ve seen the Better Than Black Friday Sales advertised around my town, personally for me, its hard to believe, it all started before Halloween. As a child, I remember my Mother and Father, gathering my four Sisters, and me to talk about Christmas. Katie just came in, waking up this morning, she was right next to me, on the bed. She is calmed down a little, I think she really wants a man, I guess all the Tom’s in my neighborhood are either clipped or gay. Last night, on the corner of the bed, at the head of my bed, I placed Katies new quilt, my Sisters’ already busy making gifts, sending them out, Katie seems to really love hers. It was so hard on Mom and Dad, telling us, there would be no Christmas, us kids, had all been fighting, over the Sears Catalog, researching our Christmas Wish List. These were hard times, it was so hard, them telling us, there was nothing. Well they lied, of all my Christmases, this one, was the best, we were all together, we even had a tree. Dad had lost his business, was working as a janitor, up at the church and school. Whatever work there was, he took, he drove the school bus, when the pipes froze, then split in the hot water heating system at the school, I remember him and a buddy, going in, repairing the system. Coming downstairs, Christmas morning there was a tree, we had been told there wouldn’t be, but after midnight mass, Father Cavanaugh gave my Father the tree from the Alter for his family. You know, in life, its those seemingly little things, that mean so much, we had all made gifts by hand for each other. Something about a hand made gift that is special, its like your giving a part of you. When this year started, I sensed it would be a good year. Reflecting, its clear that it has, so far so good, so far, I’ve made it through. I’ll be heading East, back home for Christmas VIA Amtrak. As a family we have been lucky, as in all families, we’ve had some tragedy, we’re grateful just the same, we all know that we are blessed. I am looking forward to, starting this week, spending time in the darkroom, making prints. The easy way out, would be giving prints, I have already made, much more festive, if i think about each person on my gift list, then find the image, I believe would be meaningful to them. Family and friends, that is what Christmas is about, I have an old friend in Philly, actually more than one. This friend, Kenny, I wasn’t able to connect with, last time I was back. We had met on a bus, heading up, out of South Philly, on 11th street, into Center City, my last trip back, she was in China seeing her folks. I remember thinking, as she got off that bus, after our brief conversation, that I should get off with her, that I sensed a connection. About a week later I saw her again, it turned out we were neighbors, separated by about a block. It took a bit of time, maybe it was because of Spring, the ice had melted, the plants and trees had all started to bloom, we started going out. We were walking back, down to South Philly, after having some Sushi, up around Rittenhouse Square, we were just taking our time, heading home, getting to know each other, you know, just walking and talking, early evening, in the Spring. So, one way or another, the conversation turns to Chinese Astrology. She tells me, she is a Monkey, she is curious, asks me if I know what I am. Not a problem, any old, worn down, cleaned up hippie, knows this stuff, I tell her I’m a Dragon. I watched her light up, she says her Father is a Dragon, asked what year I was born. When I tell her, 1952, the light goes out, she says her Father was born in 1952.