( My story for the contest reached a point where I thought it deserved a better editor than myself. I have left it in the hands of a person I know, I can only hope she will have the time to get it back to me before the contest ends. Maybe she will. I wrote this for fun and hope it can bring a bit of winter cheer to any that read it. Enjoy and happy holidays.)
*
The PA system in the mall needs to die. Not a quick death I decide but a long slow tortuous death of piteous screams.
The type I want to be making as I come back into this mad house for the third time.
Two trips out to the car, my arms loaded with packages and my wife and daughters are still shopping. Lords let this day end!
"Enough." I say softly to myself as I walk past the little water pond. I stop and look down into its tiled depths. Reaching into my pocket I pull out some change and make a quick wish.
The little coins sink into the water with slow spreading ripples. They come to settle on the bottom next to all their drowned cousins.
I look down the length of the mall. All the white garland and lights. The big hanging wreaths with their huge red bows. The winter 'Funland' with the little mechanized villagers. At the far end I can make out the long line of parents waiting for their child to see Santa.
"Well there is at least one blessing." I think as I start to walk towards where my wife said she would be. Our daughters are all old enough to not want to sit on Santa's lap anymore. The hour long wait to get them up to the leg sore, bored to death, man who would ho, ho, ho at them and listen with brain dead boredom to what they wanted.
Snap the picture, Merry Christmas!
As I get near the food court I smell the mixtures of seven different types of fast food. I'm not hungry though. I think I'm still full from yesterday's lunch at my parents and then dinner last night at the in-laws. I do stop and look at the Baskin- Robbins. 'Milk shakes half off.'
"Damn that sounds good." I think,then decide what the hell. The ladies can do without me playing pack mule for a bit longer.
The line isn't too long. The cold snap here at Thanksgiving has made most people want hot drinks not frozen. Hence the sale.
I look through the slanted glass at the round tubs and decide on the Seasonal Special. The bright red and white swirl looks good. I smile and take the Styrofoam cup then decide on a small waffle cone as well. Might as well splurge. My wife has promised dire consequences once the last of the leftovers are gone. Salads all the way to Christmas!
"I'm not a fucking rabbit." I say softly to myself as I take a seat. Thirty days of lettuce doesn't sound like fun.
"Well that's a shame. I was going to chase you down a rabbit hole."
I turn and look up at the young girl walking past me who spoke. My expression must be comical my tongue half out covered with red and white swirls of ice cream.
I don't know her, is the first though that to come to mind. She gives me a flirty smile and keeps walking.
Being a man my eyes drop to her ass of course. Encased in the latest style of skin hugging tights with knee high boots. I feel a smile tug my lips upwards.
She about the age of my oldest daughter. Maybe just out of high school. When I bring my eyes back up I see her grinning at me. Then she wraps her lips around a large peppermint stick and walks over to the low wall by the water feature. When she sits down she looks at me. Kind of a sizing me up sort of look. I see a quirky smile brush her lips then.
