A CHRISTMAS STORY

I have a very good friend, now retired, who spent the majority of her working life under a Communist regime. Her job was important; she taught pilots how to speak and understand English since without that vital skill they could not do their job.

Since, under that regime, Christmas was “forbidden” work continued virtually every day; no decorations, no celebrations, just work. One particular year Christmas came on Thursday and Friday and as usual she went to her work. She opened her Thursday lesson by saying “to all of you who believe, a happy Christmas to you” and then proceeded with her language lessons for that day.

At the end of the working day, the group dismissed but on their way out of the language laboratory at least half the group came up to her and whispered “and a happy Christmas to you and thank you”.

Regimes change; most often for the better as later in her life Christmas became an established part of the social fabric; those responsible for harsh regimes may think they have the power to direct but deep beneath our skin there is a core which no-one can change as this episode illustrates.

Until next time, a happy Christmas and a (more) prosperous New Year,

Peripatetic Scribe

I am going on a short vacation over this period, so the next piece of “wonderfully entertaining rubbish” will be with you around 9 January 2012. Enjoy.