TIS THE SEASON

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS STORY

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the
snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your
sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice,
I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl' on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram' always
remembers."

"My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her
smile."

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home".

"I can stand at my post through the rain and the
sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother."

"Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not
fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?"
"It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're
gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long."

"For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Mahalo to my sweetheart, Alissa, for forwarding this to me. Yeah, its sappy, but I am a sucker for this shit at Christmas.

BTW - Alissa and family are coming early for their annual visit. They'll be here in early January for three weeks. I can hardly wait.

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

The Four Seasons Resort

Wailea Point Condominiums

Polo Beach

The Fairmont Kea Lani

Polo Beach Club

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

THE WEEK ENDED WITH

A WHIMPER, NOT A BANG

When I logged in, we had 9 of our 12 cabs on the street. Half in Wailea, the rest in Kihei or on runs.

Sat and sat and sat, working my way to the top of the queue.

First run was a pu-pu from the Wailea Marriott to the Diamond Resort.

Back to the end of the line and start through the process again.

Grabbed a turkey wrap sandwich from the deli in The Shops.

At 8:15pm, I am dispatched to The Grand for a 2-pax going to OGG at 8:30pm. They were a no-show.

Back to the top of the queue, but by that time things were really slowing down. Most of the good runs had been given while I sat idle.

My next run was just before 10:00pm, when I took the people from my first trip back to The Marriott from The Diamond.

Our S.O.P., at 10:00pm, is to move any cars left in Wailea into Kihei. There is minimal business out of the resort community after that hour.

We still had 5 dayshift holdovers plus the 4 nightshift cabs. Since luck was not my forte for the evening, I went home. Returned to the streets at 12:45am and started helping move a large crowd from Mulligan's. That added $70 to my paltry meter. There was still one day driver working, the others had finally left. Also, one night driver had folded up shop.

The few runs I did have tipped very generously, which saved my night.

My last bar close run was a couple from Mulligan's to central Kihei. Pull in front of the requested residence, illuminate the interior and the lady reaches forward and takes my digital camera out of the ashtray cup holder and starts to exit the cab. A drunk thief. Retrieved it before she got out of ONE-NINE and then she tried to claim that I was stealing HER camera. I asked her to describe what images were in the memory. She couldn't. Then I told her that all the images were of Christmas trees and Christmas decorations, and showed them to her. Her male companion tipped $20 over the meter and apologized.

I have passed the point where drunk, pretty girls, with big boobs falling out of their dress, have any effect on me.

There is just one reservation for Sunday. Day shift is even leaner than nights, which explains why so many drivers are holding over until they are exhausted.

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

The Grand Wailea Resort

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"

TURNED OVER 60000 MILES

THAT WAS THE NIGHT'S HIGH POINT

Actually, it was a pretty decent night. I nailed 18 runs and drove 120 miles and exceeded the $1.50 per mile earnings ratio. I never left town and only had two fares over $20.

Two of the drivers were complaining about how slow it was. Both have been around the tourist industry long enough to have learned about our annual cycle of business. One came to me wondering what happened to the "busy" December that he was expecting. I updated his mental data base but I am not sure if a file error didn't occur in the process. He is definitely not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. The other one I have spoken of earlier this week. He was upset that he only had 2 runs logged since 3:30pm. He abandoned ship about 9:00pm and the phone started going crazy around 10:00pm. It stayed that way until 3:30am. Bad tactical move on his part

The night followed the pattern of the week, 8 runs, at 45% of the meter, prior to midnite and 10 runs, 55%, post the witching hour. Since it didn't start hopping until late, the vast majority of my runs were intoxicated. And boring.

Didn't get any calls from MPD but they were out in force. Every officer is actively searching for DUIs. Blue lights flashing all up and down south Kihei road and on the Pi'ilani Highway. Speed enforcement to the max.

An early fare was a young couple from North Carolina. They had lived on Mau'i four years ago and were back visiting. The were astounded by the amount of growth that had taken place since their departure. I would guesstimate our population in Kihei at about 40,000. The official estimates disagree but they are lagging at least 3 years behind. And there are still 2 major housing developments (150+ SFRs each) nearing completion plus many small ones also.

*** *** ***

A GREAT IDEA!

Bobby at Negative, Ghostrider posted this and I think it bears a repost here and on your blog also, if possible.

Please, Do your part.
Every week, there are men and women serving overseas who get no mail from home. It's time for you, my reader, to take a minute and a half out of your day and do your duty so that none of these extraordinary men and women go without a little love this holiday season. I am personally asking you to visit Let's Say Thanks, select an image and a message or create your own and submit it. Cards will be printed by the Xerox company and sent to our troops overseas. Leave a comment letting me know that you sent one. or six. or eighteen.

Bloggers, if you can, I'd appreciate you putting this(or a post similar) on your blog sometime during the holiday season to help spread the word.

And for your enjoyment, here's a great song/video written by a soldier serving in Iraq.

Mike Corrado - My Watch Tonight

Just a minute of your time can really make a difference in someone else's life. Thank you in advance, my friends.

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

The Wailea Marriott Resort

"Let's all be careful out there!"