Scrooge, Crossing the Green

As I was walking home from the coffee shop this morning (around 9), I was in the middle of the sidewalk that traverses the Village Green, when I heard sirens and saw flashing lights. Crime? Fire?

No.

Santa Claus.

I looked over on the south side of the Green (separated by a little bit of Church Street--our street) and saw the little ones and their parents clustered around the Gazebo, where Santa would soon sit and ask about goodness and promise things he probably won't deliver. (Hmmm ....)

I didn't want to get in the middle of it all, so I ... accelerated (insofar as this is possible these Unsteady Days of mine). I glanced over to East Main (which runs along the east side (duh) of the Green) and saw the Santa vehicles approaching from the north (where else!?), lights flashing: a police car, a fire engine, another safety car of some sort. All were proceeding slowly, adding fuel to the excitement of the little ones, now a-swarm. (Below, see a Google Earth image of the setting.)

I made it onto Church Street before the cortege reached the South Green (whew), hurried (?) across to my side of the street, headed home, thinking that there were probably kids on the Green who were wondering, Why is that Old Man hurrying away from Santa? [Pause.] Mommy, is that Scrooge?

Yes, Virginia, it was Scrooge--especially on this day when I've just learned the news that the actual Scrooges in the U. S. Senate have decided that lots of people less fortunate than those 51 Senators (and their donors) just don't need much help from the rest of us. In fact, it might be a good idea to take some of the little we've provided for them and return it to ourselves (and our ilk) because, you know, we deserve it. We work so hard. And, after all, it is Christmas, isn't it? A time for gifts?

But the Senate has chipped away at, you know, just unnecessary things--frills like health care, help for the elderly and indigent and what not. Merry Christmas to us! cries the echo we can all hear from the Capitol. What a victory!

To which there is only one response: Humbug!

Oh, there may be one more response: See you next November.