It was just before the impact that broke his nose that Jake realized that Christmas was more of a hassle than a holiday. For Jake, it was planned a simple get in-wait in an incredibly long and winding line-get out maneuver that everyone experiences when shopping at the last minute. Jake had not counted on fisticuffs with an apparently desperate housefrau and her bowling ball bag.
“Gahwah!” was the only thing Jake could say at impact.
This year’s popular craze was these life-like dolls called Wannabes. It was the absolute rage. These dolls were highly detailed (in every respect) and came in small batches and even family groups. Also, every doll wears a piece a jewelry with the same red-green crystal. The great upscale collectible maker, Lennox, was stumped as to how something so meticulously made be so affordable for the holiday.
Jake was only home from University for a few weeks and this is how had he ended up only a few short hours of coming home. Jake looked down at himself. Blood had started to dribble from his swollen nose.
“Here, my dear boy, I think you are in need of this,” said a man.
He was holding out a white handkerchief to him. There was something in the man’s kindly expression that made Jake accept the offering.
“I saw the whole thing,” the man continued as Jake worked to staunch the bleeding, “I say, you look like a hacked up Marty McFly, what a tragedy.”
Jake felt a little dizzy. The man helped steady him.
“Hold on, let’s get you looked at,” said the man.
The man drove Jake to the emergency room at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Not much in the way of conversation in the man’s car unless on counted the man repeating orders of “Keep your head tilted!” “Keep the pressure on!” and “Don’t worry about bleeding on my car seat!”
The man continued his silence while waiting at the hospital. He had a brooding expression on his face. The man looked up when the nurse called Jake’s name. The man walked ahead of Jake and had a few words. The two conspired like old friends; the nurse looked over a Jake and chuckled.
“Oh my, that injury won’t be hidden by any amount of make-up,” said the nurse, looking at Jake’s swollen proboscis. “This way, sir. Everything has been taken care of by your gentleman friend.”
Jake turned as the mysterious gentleman was making his way out of the hospital.
“Who are you,” asked Jake.
“Oh, dig deep enough and you’ll find out,” said the man. “A demain”
The man left twirling his walking stick. Jake reach into his pocket for his cell phone and felt an object that wasn’t there earlier. It was a business card that read:
Roxborough-Manayunk Herald Tribune, Sebastian Collins, editor and business address a few blocks from the hospital.
Jake walked out into the early evening. Since it was after business hours, there was no use going to the office listed on the card and Jake was not ready to go home he did the only thing a college senior could do: he went to the bar.
With Turkey Day just a speed bump until Chrismahanakwanzakah, thought I'd share some Holiday spirit. It is turning out to a crackerjack of an adventure.
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