12.13.6 - Longview to St Helens

There's nothin' like a rainy, cold morning with the loadin'-dock forman in Longview. Honestly, I was surprised he was even out in the elements and from the looks of things, he was too.
"Grab me a cup-a-coffee Tom, willya?" he asked me in a subdued (and somewhat-shockingly) civilized manner.
And I figured, what the hell - it's the Holiday season: even a loadin'-dock foreman could catch the 'bug'.
So following his first short-sip from the hot cup-a-joe I brought him from the Dispatch-office, why was I actually surprised when he winced at me and said, "Christ T*******," (he usually calls me by my last name) "I could get used to yer brown-nosin'." (followed by his reknown cynical laugh)
I just about blew a gasket on the spot. And in fact, I actually did a few minutes later when Lorraine happened to call me on my cellphone remindin' me about pickin' something up on the way home.
"Just let it go Tom," she advised in her beautiful forgiving voice. "He always likes to push your buttons, because he knows it works...I think it's sweet you brought him his coffee this morning."
And with that, dear readers, it all went away. Poof - vanished in an instant- courtesy of my wife's angelic mind and voice.
And I'm here to tell ya that a few minutes later, I was still feelin' grateful and lucky after signin' his log-papers and handin' him back his pen with a, "Happy Holidays Jimmy, I'm glad I could getcha yer coffee this morning, not that we'll make it a habit or anything."
"Screw you T*******," was his reply.
It didn't faze me in the least as I climbed into my truck and headed off. I mean...sure, he knows how to push my buttons, mainly because he 'installed' a lot of them over the years we've worked together.
One thing y'all should all know about me: I'm a man who still believes in Santa Claus. I believe in the 'bug' of Christmas. Because as I see it, if I ever lose that, a LOT goes along with it. I always give it my best every year to reconnect with my childhood wonder. To never lose touch with my inner hopes and beliefs of Mankind's good-will, grace and love for one another.
Merry Christmas Lorraine!
Happy Hannukah loadin'-dock foreman Jimmy!
Merry Kwanzaa to the invisible mayor and shifty council!
Feliz Navidad to Muchas Gracias! (who feeds me when I'm in town)
Happy Holidays Bill, and to all of you sthelensupdate readers!
Happy Everything St Helens!
This sure is a nice little town y'all got here.
-Tom