Day 2 of Alex's 25 Days of Christmas
Today's Episode: Chilly Morning
I awaken to a frozen bed sheet and frostbitten fingers.
I jump out of bed and stumble over to the hook where my conveniently placed sweater is hanging, and I realize I'm wearing shorts.
I put on my sweater and some jeans and socks, and then I walk over to the kitchen, where my grandmother is making my breakfast.
It was delicious.
My first stop of the day is church, and then I head over to the church kitchen where I volunteer every Thursday. Juan and Javi usually volunteer also, but Javi has mysteriously not shown up. Our boss in the kitchen is an overweight Vietnam veteran, and he is a tough guy. He doesn't mind bossing people around, and we don't mind being bossed around… by our boss, anyway.
I actually don't know our boss' name, so from here on I'll call him Boss.
Boss pulls out five huge packets of cheese and throws them down on the big aluminum table in the middle of the kitchen. Our job today is to split up the cheese into Ziploc bags, and we get to work. Another volunteer enters the kitchen while we're working and squeezes by Boss' big stomach.
"You're fat" she mutters.
Boss replies without blinking, "Look who's talking. Fat ass."
Juan and I try not to laugh as Boss continues with his work, and the woman disappears to work on the pantry. The Christmas spirit has arrived.
After two hours of back breaking work, Juan and I are discussing things on the church patio, eating potato chips. We talk about Saturday night, and the night of fun we're going to have. I ask him which movie I should bring: Million Dollar Baby, or Paradise Now. (Both from the library)
His dad arrives to pick him up and my mom also drives up. We go to the Costco to buy my older sister Christmas presents and then we go out looking for lunch.
We pick Chick-Fil-A, and I enter to see cows dressed up like reindeer. An awesome marketing strategy.
While we're eating, my mom tells me that Javi's mom called earlier, and that he was sick today. Disappointed, eat my sandwich in sorrow, next to the giant photo of a reindeer/cow.
When we finally get home, I begin my schoolwork only to be interrupted by Javi calling. Our conversation went like this:
Me: Hello?
Javi: Hey.
Me: Hey, where were you this morning?
Javi: My mom wanted me to clean up the house.
Silence.
Me: What? I thought you were sick!
Javi: What the hell are you talking about I'm not sick!
Me: …but your mom said you were!
Javi: My mom made me stay home and clean the stupid house. Anyways, how was volunteering this morning?
Me: Uh, it was hard. You missed out.
Javi: I know. My mom made me-
Me: I know what your mom did! Ugh… Anyways, are you gonna come over tomorrow?
Javi: Of course.
Me: Are you going to bring A Link to the Past?
Javi: Of course.
Me: …okay then. Seeya tomorrow.
Javi: seeya.
After our interesting conversation, I sit back and already see the effects of Christmas on everyone. It truly does my heart good to see people already wishing others Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanza… and of course the Happy Holidays.
Tomorrow is Day 3 of the month long celebration. I can hardly wait.