Christmas Survivors
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2008-12-25 08:43:02 - Graham EllisThere's a genre of TV shows - the post-catastrophe ones - where small group(s) of people from many walks of life are all that are left after some event. Be it from a world-shattering physical disaster, a virus or an aircraft crash, we see and learn about people and how they learn about each other, mix, meld, and fight in amongst the lonest, quietest of environments - a backdrop of empty beaches or abandoned cities with no-one to be seen.
There's something about Christmas day. I was up and about (and out) before first light. And I was just about the only one. Hardly a vehicle moving (just me at first, as I drove up to Bowerhill, then just the occasional vehicle venturing along the usually-busy roads, as if exploring and looking for some supply, some friendly group, or to avoid some nasty gang as if in one of those "Survivor" films.
The garage, usually bustling from 06:00 through to 22:00, was switched off. And my automatic check for traffic as I walked across the entrance was more habit than necessary; but many was the safe clue - there's not been some major overnight catastrophe and everyone was tucked up safely at home. Places are shut and not vandalised. Lights remain on. And at The Manor, Chris had breakfast prepared for our over-half-full hotel. And The Internet is working too.
Look carefully, and you see signs that Santa and his helpers have been around during the night; I'm suspecting that Rudolf has something of a red nose this morning, and that Santa will be nursing the most massive headache after drinking all those glasses of sherry.
Will we survive Christmas? Of course we will - in fact we'll thrive. Because so many things change at Christmas, it can be a time of tension and events and happenings, but it can also be a time of mending bridges, and of taking just those few extra minutes to be with friends, with family - of if not able to be with them, to think, remember how you care for them.