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Hey…
Remember that Christmas dinner at Andy’s last year? How when you arrived and Andy held the front door open for you, and he was grinning, and you brushed against the sleeve of his Sheriff’s shirt, and you worried for just a brief moment that you might’ve hit the meat of his arm just a little harder than you thought, and then begged his pardon? And he grinned wider and you thought you saw a slight blush in his clean-shaven face?
Remember how warm it was when you entered the front room and there was a bright fire in the fireplace although it wasn’t really chilly outside, yet it was comfortable and almost romantic inside? How you remember thinking that all the times you visited you’d never seen that fireplace used? Yet it glowed, and you felt warm, welcome and wanted, and you immediately thought that you never wanted to leave? And, how lovely their tree looked, when Barney had told you how he’d seen Andy, Aunt Bee, and Ope putting it up, and Andy carefully placing those cherry-colored globes with candles on it? Then, how you first saw it and it’s aura took your breath away?
When you saw the room full of familiar and friendly faces, remember how each of them walked up to you and greeted you in their unique way? Goober’s quick twisting-pinch, Thelma Lou’s gentle smile and soft touch upon your arm, the Darling boy’s un-blinking stare? Charlene’s slow wink? And, how you walked over to Floyd sitting in Andy’s favorite chair, bending down and grasping his hand and shaking it, him not letting go first, but shaking it furiously as a joke, and chuckling right along with the joke?
Remember how the couch had been moved and a second and maybe a third table had been shoved together, but you couldn’t tell because of the lovely tablecloth that Aunt Bee and Miss Edwards had tossed over them? All of the chairs that didn’t match, but you hoped for one with a cushion? And, somehow, when you sat down you found yourself squeezed in, with Briscoe Darling on your left and Miss Peggy on your right? Remember how she smelled and how happy the smell made you and what a pleasure it was just to breath next to her? And, how you thought the color of her skin reminded you of the lighter petals of a sulphur rose? And, Jim Lindsey was straight across from you, and you just realized he was back home? How he looked lean and hungry, and you thought maybe you saw some ragged threads on his set of threads? Remember looking at Mr.Darlings callous hands, and although you were sure they were washed, they looked dirty? How he noticed you starring at his hands, and you quickly thought of something to ask?
“What are you looking forward to the most, Mr. Darling?,” you asked nervously.
“Meat,” he said firmly, looking at you at first wondering if you were ‘one of ours.’
Remember the food? The ham with the pineapples and only one cherry? The string beans, cole slaw, mashed potatos, and that one plate of Lillian’s meatballs that folks kept passing around quickly? How you saw Emma Watson’s eyes roll as it was given to her and how Cora Mendlebright hid her silent laugh behind her hand? Remember Barney going for the one cherry, but that everyone agreed that Miss Bee should be rewarded with it for her outstanding efforts? And, how Goober made fun of Helen because she took the tiniest portions, but she got back at him and had the biggest laugh when she said the table was leaning on his side because of his plate, and Goob stooped down at eye level to check? And, when the warm laughter had died down and the only sound you could hear was people chewing?
Afterwards, as everyone joined in singing favorite Christmas Carols…banjos, guitars, and a jug too… remember going into the kitchen for something and seeing that small table off to the side where all the cakes and pies and fudge with walnuts was sitting? How you felt like stuffing your pockets with it? And Aunt Bee…she’s everyone’s Aunt Bee, remember…saw you and grinned and said to be sure to take home as much as you wanted? And how you bent down and kissed her cheek?
I do.
********** It was the night before Christmas
And the sound heard in the Courthouse
The jingling of keys hung by the cell door
Where piped-down Otis laid soused
Christmas cards were tacked
on the bulletin board with care
That one from the Hubacher Brothers
A reminder for Ange and Barn to visit them there
The glowing tree glistened with that sweet pine scent
It covered that horrible stench
Where a dead fish once went:
Top drawer, to the right,
behind the Justice Of The Peace’s bench
Suddenly! There was a sound on high!
Shuffling feet of reindeer with the Big Guy?
Otis rose and gazed about
Alas, it was Gomer..still up on the blockhouse lookout
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