A World Apart - Prologue
A little reflection leads into the story that Matthias wants to tell you all.
There has always been something about this time of year that has bothered me. I have never been able to put a finger on exactly what it is that makes me so upset with it, though I know a few of the contributing factors. Something does not add up.
I mean, sure, I hate the cold. Growing up in the desert made me used to some cold, sure, but when the temperature drops enough for frozen water to fall from the sky, I start to desire having a few nasty words with Mother Nature. And I do not like using those kinds of words. It is not just the fact that I am not used to snow and below-freezing temperatures and the ice and wind and everything that just makes going outdoors miserable, it is that my people were not built for this kind of weather. My family grew up in the depths of Africa, for crying out loud! If that is not quite the polar opposite of Bartle City, I am not sure what could be. Nowhere that I have been, that is for sure. Even after living here for nigh twenty five years, the cold still bites deep into me.
On top of the cold, there is the cramped feeling to the city during the holidays. Everyone is out and about - shopping, meeting friends and family, shopping, walking to and from the many coffee shops and cafes in the area, and mostly shopping. I swear, with the sales that stores around here give, I am surprised they make a profit off of anything.
Now, I do not dislike the people, do not get me wrong. I love people. I love these people in particular. Bartle City has always felt comfortable for me since leaving my family. But there is a difference between enjoying the atmosphere and being stifled by it. Throngs of bodies pressing in on all sides when I am trying to get to work is less than ideal, not to mention they are all crazy about finding everything for their friends and loved ones. It is one of the main downsides to working retail during this time of year. People become a touch mad.
Finally, there is the holidays themselves. Once again, I do not mean to insinuate that the ideals and customs behind the celebrations are flawed or even unpleasant. Any day that I can take off to spend with my friends in good cheer is one that I am most thankful for. But the general idea that I tend to be inundated with while away from them is one of commercialism and greed. Far from the spirit that I find so heartwarming and pleasurable. No, if I had my way I would sit inside from Thanksgiving to Christmas and enjoy a few much needed drinks and a book between visits from loved ones. A good brandy is never far away at this time of year for me.
Those things in and of themselves, I feel, are not enough to make the whole of the season as uncomfortable as it is to me, so I tend to blame it on Northeastern sensibilities. Since I am not fond of the season in public, I get a lot of "Scrooge" comments, which baffle me. I do not think I am greedy, but rather simply perturbed. It might be the touch of an accent that I have as well; nothing specific after all of this time, just enough of a difference from their own that I am immediately labelled a foreigner and outsider. This leads the already crazy shoppers to treat me less kind than I would experience other times during the year. Yes, that might be it after all.
Or is it possible that I am still affected by old memories? It has been a long time, but the stories and sadness remain in my head. There was a bookstore, I remember that much. And a cafe? Yes I believe so. Let us see...