We were due for a rainy Holiday Stroll after a few years of decent strolling weather, but the rain came almost as a blessing, slowing us down and insisting we stay in the condo a little longer. I made some breakfast burritos and we sipped some tea as the rain descended. Christmas music played in the background; on a guitar ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ sounded after ‘Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella’ and the morning felt tranquil, surrounding us with the softest blanket of gray, the quietest fall of rain.
This, then, was how the Holiday Stroll began.
Like our wedding anniversary in May, or the BroSox Adventures with Skip, or my Broadway weekend with Mom, the Holiday Stroll with Kira is one of my favorite events of the year. While some events wax and wane with luster and sheen as certain years are shaded with sorrow or excitement, our Holiday Stroll has remained a sparkling jewel, thanks to Kira and a seasonal glow that dispels any darkness that might try to creep into the weekend.
This year we kept things light on planning, with a tentative idea of stopping in at the Boston Craft Fair to visit Meredith and Gloria. Meredith was selling her gorgeous handmade boxes – gifts unto themselves, and perfect for the holiday season. As we wound our way through the fair, we stumbled on a magnificent hat booth – Meshugenah Hats – run by a fabulous pair of twins. They were as colorful and intriguing as their fantastic millinery, and we will be revisiting their wonderful wares as soon as possible.
We found Meredith’s booth and said a quick hello before selecting a box made of gorgeous Japanese paper. It was so good to see both Gloria and Meredith, and how wonderful to have them as part of our Holiday Stroll in Boston. Nine years into our tradition, we still thrill at adding new elements and friends to our wanderings.
After our craft fair tour, we checked the weather and the rain had stopped. A happy circumstance as we walked along Boylston Street just a block or two, where we paused at Bar Boulud for some mussels and frites. As we sat looking out at the street, the Santa Speedo Sprint rushed by in a fortuitous bit of timing. Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like a bunch of guys in their Speedos. We walked a bit more, and then it was time to return to the condo for a siesta. And a holiday photo shoot in matching outfits. These zany things make the yuletide gay.
A silly siesta is just what this holiday season called for, and we certainly got silly. I will not torture you with the parade of selfies that resulted. I’ll hang onto them for when real life bogs us down again, as it surely will. But for those afternoon hours, we laughed and cracked each other up, two friends doing a whole lot of nothing and loving every minute of it.
The afternoon passed quickly, and soon it was time for our dinner out. Keeping with the casual vibe of the weekend, I’d made reservation at Southern Proper. One enjoys fried chicken for Christmas, right? We put on some street clothes and headed into the South End. Festive sights like this Christmas tree kept the darkness at bay, and as we turned onto Tremont Street, the magic of the season made the night bright.
On the way we stopped at the South End Buttery for some more sparkling water and a bemused bartender stood watch as Kira got a phone call that changed the trajectory of the night, and the whole Holiday Stroll weekend.
Since it is not my tale to tell, I won’t divulge the details. Kira handled it quite well, and after everything else that’s happened this year, it wasn’t a tragedy – just a shock. We spent dinner at Southern Proper talking it over, the way old friends tackle their lives together, sharing and commiserating, trying to make sense of the nonsensical, and doing our best to be supportive, to see each other through whatever might come.
Our Holiday Stroll may be intact, but our lives had irrevocably altered. Not just in that moment, but in the weeks and months leading up to it. We were the same people who had met each other in the fall of 1998 – and yet we weren’t. Life has a way of battering and blunting the very things you strive to protect the most. It spares nothing and no one.
Outside, the night had turned colder. The wind was picking up. I couldn’t get warm and we hurried back to the condo. It was warm there. A bouquet of eucalyptus stood sentry in the bathroom, against a brick wall. We were home for one last night before we returned to our regular lives.
{To be continued…}
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