Scary Christmas

Okay, so the title is a little off, but it sounds good.

I had a really good Christmas with my family. We had dinner again at my step-mom's house. It was my dad, my brother Brian, his lady Anne and myself. Charlie spent the holiday with his father and grandmother. We had ham, candied yams/apples, green bean casserole, cranberry jello stuff and a roll. It was all very delicious, washed down with a nice white wine. I don't normally drink wine, so I was a little fuzzy by dinner time.

The Scary Christmas story actually is about the day after. Known in some countries as Boxing Day, but not observed here in the U.S.

I spent the day pretty much in my usual day off mode: in bed, napping and playing my video game. I would get up once in a while and go potty, or get a snack, then back to bed.

Around three in the afternoon I woke up to pounding at my door. It was not a nice little knock... it was POUNDING. The cat and I both bolted upright. My heart was pounding for a bit until I realized it was someone at the door.

I don't answer my door, because it usually is someone asking for money for one charity or another... or someone looking for someone else. When I have actual guests, they notify me before they show up, and they certainly don't POUND on the door.

So, I waited.

And, waited...

The POUNDING continued.

I finally got up out of the bed, wearing my typical around the house wear, shorts and a little tank top. I approached the door cautiously, looking out the patio door to see if there was anyone lurking there looking in... my blinds were not shut. I didn't see anyone. I tried to go to the door quietly. POUNDING, POUNDING.... I was just to the door and almost getting in front of it to look out the peep. B....A....N....G...... the door blew in a few inches, I literally saw daylight, and the door buckled inward.

My heart almost stopped. My first thought was that someone had shot my door, and thank GOD I was not in front of it... I looked for a hole in the door but there was none. He had kicked the door almost in. Thanks to the dead bolt it didn't open.

I have to preface this with I AM STUPID AND STUPIDER when I get upset.

I then went to the peep and looked through it to see who was on the other side of the door.

It was a big, black man, with a white beanie, carrying a backpack. I yelled through the door "I THINK YOU HAVE THE WRONG PLACE." He answered, "I am sorry, I am looking for my brother and he lives in apt # XX ..... " I yelled back... AS I OPENED THE DOOR, "WELL HE DOESN'T, YOU HAVE THE WRONG PLACE.... YOU GONNA PAY TO FIX MY DOOR? GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE." He apologized again and walked off.



I then went back to the bedroom and watched him walk away as I was closing the blinds, went back to the living room and closed the blinds there too. I didn't finish my afternoon nap.

and, NO I didn't call the cops, though in hindsight I should have.

In Jesus' Loving Arms

In-opportune Opportunity

I had a wonderful opportunity arise this past week, which I had to turn down.

Heather said she is looking to move, knows of a duplex that is in a nice neighborhood, but the rent would be $1200, and she needs to have a housemate. Currently my rent for my apartment is $929 per month, so $600 a month would be real nice. Seems like a slam-dunk in decisions, but of course, nothing is that simple.

It’s a three bedroom duplex, with her sister living next door. It has been recently fixed up and looks “awesome.” The third room the boys would share, she has her son part of the week, and my son is with me only occasionally lately. We both have a cat each. So, what more could I want?

I just signed a year lease for my apartment on Oct 31st. While this could pose a problem, it would be worth the monetary damages in the long run. That was my first, slight concern. Saving $329 per month on rent would be nice. I would be able to get some bills paid off that really, really need to be paid. I would be able to get cable, internet, etc. I would be able to “save” some??

My next concern was packing and moving. I hate it, hate it, hate it… don’t really know anyone who likes it, likes it, likes it. I still have a lot of the “stuff” packed and sitting around, so most would just have to be hauled away, either to the new place or the dump/trash. I know the adage that if you haven’t used it in a year, you really don’t need it. I should get rid of it, but you know – it is MY STUFF, whether or not I NEED it or not. I was telling Heather that I just have “so much stuff” – she said, “that’s good, I only have the 2 beds, clothing and not much else” or something to that effect.

The big problem is Charlie. He has another 6 month of school, and basically uses my apartment as a crash pad after school. Most days he goes to his fathers, dad picks him up from my place usually before I get home. But it is very convenient, just a couple blocks from school. If I moved he would have to take first 1 bus to the light rail station, then the train to the end of the line, then another bus from there to his dad’s apartment. He would be on the bus from 3 – 4:15 or so, which would get him to his dad’s place about 30 minutes before dad gets home.

Charlie still takes naps some days because he gets home from school exhausted. He generally uses his time at my house to eat (doesn’t eat at school during the day), rest, watch TV, basically chill out before doing homework. If he rode the bus for an hour and a half each day he would not get this relaxation time that he really needs. This change in his routine would be very hard for him to adjust to, not to mention the harm it would cause to his school-work.

I took a while to think and pray about this and then I had to make one of the hardest decisions. I had to say no to Heather.