Jean Marie's Domain

Christmas gets all the press, but December 26--Boxing Day or St. Stephen's Day (the Feast of Stephen in "Good King Wenceslaus")--was the celebration for working stiffs like me.  With that in mind, I've posted a present of free fiction on The Samhellion, the newsletter/blog for Samhain Publishing.  "Clear as Glass" is one of my very short stories (653 words), which means it came out of nowhere.  All I know is it woke me up at 8 a.m. on Christmas Eve demanding to be written. 

The toast is for an old friend who isn't here to enjoy it.  Stuart, one of only two teachers who became true friends, and John, his significant other, are the reason Greg and I still celebrate the holidays.  As my dad got sicker and sicker through the Nineties, our holiday trips home became exercises in familial penance.  The only thing which got us through was the knowledge that no matter how hard and cruel the Christmas, we would be enjoying dinner with Stuart and John the very next day.  Boxing Day was our celebration. 

Stuart left us this October.  But tonight I'll be raising a glass of sherry (his favorite libation) and sending good thoughts--and maybe a phone call--John's way.  They deserve all the thanks we can give.

Happy Boxing Day!