The hardest thing abut Christmas is not being able to give a present to someone you love.
It was Christmas and I was depressed. For the first time I felt real deprivation and it frightened and embarrassed me.
I counted and re-calculated my finances and if I simply met the first of January expenses, I'd have exactly twenty dollars left over to get me through to the middle of the month.
It was my fault really—I had been overly-generous with Marcie and Dan, but didn't regret it. However, the well was now completely dry and there'd be no more free lunches...literally.
What really grieved me was not being able to buy even a small gift for Greer when she had been so helpful to me.
I had never had to face a bare-bones Christmas, but I was going to endure one now.
If I could afford it, I'd go somewhere until Christmas was over and then I wouldn't have to face Greer. But that wasn't an option.
Even the average person who thinks they're just scraping by, living pay check to pay check, isn't really as deprived as they suppose. They can still get some form of credit but those options aren't available when you go bankrupt. At that point, you're totally on your own.
And although I have allies, financially, I'm a mess.
There's a knock on my door and I can see Greer waiting for me to answer. I'm tempted to hide but also eager to see her...
Yeah, sucks to be me.
I open to her smiling face. "Why so glum Chum?" she asks.
Well, it's nothing that an emergency transfusion of funds wouldn't cure , I muse inwardly. but that's as likely to happen as winning the lottery.
"Must be the usual Christmas let-down," I smile brittlely.
"Cheer up, Guy," she counters, "I come bearing glad tidings."
"Oh then, by all means, come in," I say sarcastically.
I'm really afraid she's come bearing gifts and that's a possibility approaching a certainty that makes me just want to shrivel up inside and crawl away and die.
I've never felt this miserable before—being down and out is an experience that's totally new for me and I can't stand it.
There's nothing noble about poverty.
She comes in and sits down on my couch and thankfully, her hands are empty of gifts and that's a relief.
"So, what are the glad tidings, you're proclaiming—other than, unto us a Child is born?"
Her smile fades and her voice goes soft and compassionate.
"Hey, I can see you're really struggling here. I'm so sorry. This must be really hard for you."
"Thanks," I mutter, "I've had better times, that's for sure."
She gives me a big hug. It catches me off-guard and tears well up in my eyes. I find it hard to accept kindness when I don't think I deserve it.
I try to feign nonchalance, but I'm sure she sees right through it.
"I know you must think right now things are pretty hopeless, but I meant what I said—I have good news. Are you open to hearing it?"
I nod. "God knows, I can use some hope right about now." I admit.
"Have you read the article I wrote?"
I shook my head, "No, I'm sorry, I didn’t—I've been so caught up in this mess, I forgot all about it."
"Well, William Cowper, the owner of Metro Property Holdings, read it and contacted me. He asked several probing questions about the legal status of your situation and told me he'd like to hire you on a consulting basis because of your knowledge of the corporate real estate market. He asked me to pass this along to you so you could contact him if you're interested."
"If I'm interested?, I echoed her words, "This is an opportunity that would be a life-saver. This is great news!"
"I thought you might view it that way," she smiled mischievously. Did this make your day?" she laughed.
"Actually, seeing you does that, but yes—I‘m ecstatic. My fortunes just took a U-turn. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"I've got some ideas," she grinned seductively, "but right now I'm dying for a coffee"
"I think both needs can be fulfilled," I smiled, taking her into my arms and kissing her deeply.
It was going to be a good Christmas after all.
