As always, these Characaters belong to 20th Century Fox. No profits made or sought. Just a very short New Year's Story.
December 31, 1975, proved to be a typically cold and snowy Maine New Year's Eve. A light blanket of snow already encased Gull Cottage, covering the trees in a glistening white. The twinkling lights of the Christmas tree that stood in the parlor were reflected on the snow that covered the porch and yard of the old house, making the snow sparkle like crystal.
Things were fairly quiet for the last night of the year. Candy Muir and her brother Jonathan were at the dance-a-thon and lock-in at the Schooner Bay High School. The annual event was sponsored by the school's Key Club chapter and raised money for the children's wing of the Keystone Hospital. Most of the kids in town attended, planning to stay up and dance all night (or as long as they could), after having spent weeks getting friends and neighbors to sponsor them. Candy and Jonathan had managed to cajole Claymore Gregg into not only sponsoring both of them in the dance-a-thon, but to act as a chaperone, too. Of course, Claymore looked forward to it as he had no other plans for the holiday.
Martha Grant and her "gentleman friend" (she objected to the term "boyfriend," finding it more suitable for the younger set), Ed Peavey were safely ensconced at the American Legion New Year's Eve Dinner Dance. Most of the old guard of Schooner Bay had been attending the event since it first started about twenty years ago, and Ed Peavey was on the planning committee this year. Martha had managed to persuade Ed and the others that prime rib would make a nice change from lobster this year and the tickets had sold out in record time once word of the menu change had gotten around town.
Left home alone, the Ghost and Mrs. Muir planned a quiet evening. Carolyn Muir was comfortable knowing her two children were safely burning off youthful energy dancing the night away at the school, Martha was out enjoying a night she had often missed as a younger woman, and Carolyn herself was able to spend the evening alone with her true love, Captain Daniel Gregg. She smiled thinking about how wonderful her life had been since she and the children moved to Gull Cottage seven years ago. So enveloped in her own thoughts was she that she stared blankly at the televised images of dancers at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel swaying back and forth to the music of Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians.
Carolyn was brought out of her reverie by the dulcet tones of Captain Gregg . . . "My Dear, I thought perhaps a wee treat to help ring in the new year," he said as he presented his Love with a glass of champagne and a tray of small cookies.
"Why, Daniel, what's this?"
"I was remembering one New Year I spent in Scotland. We were put into the Port of Glasgow and should have been under sail before the end of the year, but one of the crew, Angus McKay, you may remember that I have spoken of him, was from Glasgow and he persuaded me that Hogmany, or the New Year celebrations in Glasgow were not to be missed, so we stayed in port a few extra days. The lady at our rooming house, Mrs. Urquhart, made these little shortbreads for the day . .. I have always had a fondness for them." He placed the tray on the coffee table.
Carolyn tasted one of Daniel's creations, "Oh, they're lovely! Thank you, Daniel."
"It's my pleasure. And, now, as I see the clock is about to strike twelve, a toast, my Love. To us, may this year bring only good things."
The New Year was heralded by the clink of glasses, a quick sip of champagne, and a lingering kiss shared between Carolyn and her sea captain.
Happy New Year!