jg.skippingchristmas-第1节

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　The　gate　was　packed　with　weary　travelers；　most　of　them　standing　and　huddled　along　the　walls　because　the　meager　allotment　of　plastic　chairs　had　long　since　been　taken。　Every　plane　that　came　and　went　held　at　least　eighty　passengers；　yet　the　gate　had　seats　for　only　a　few　dozen。
　There　seemed　to　be　a　thousand　waiting　for　the　7　P。M。　flight　to　Miami。　They　were　bundled　up　and　heavily　laden；　and　after　fighting　the　traffic　and　the　check…in　and　the　mobs　along　the　concourse　they　were　subdued；　as　a　whole。　It　was　the　Sunday　after　Thanksgiving；　one　of　the　busiest　days　of　the　year　for　air　travel；　and　as　they　jostled　and　got　pushed　farther　into　the　gate　many　asked　themselves；　not　for　the　first　time；　why；　exactly；　they　had　chosen　this　day　to　fly。
　The　reasons　were　varied　and　irrelevant　at　the　moment。　Some　tried　to　smile。　Some　tried　to　read；　but　the　crush　and　the　noise　made　it　difficult。　Others　just　stared　at　the　floor　and　waited。　Nearby　a　skinny　black　Santa　Claus　clanged　an　irksome　bell　and　droned　out　holiday　greetings。
　A　small　family　approached；　and　when　they　saw　the　gate　number　and　the　mob　they　stopped　along　the　edge　of　the　concourse　and　began　their　wait。　The　daughter　was　young　and　pretty。　Her　name　was　Blair；　and　she　was　obviously　leaving。　Her　parents　were　not。　The　three　gazed　at　the　crowd；　and　they；　too；　at　that　moment；　silently　asked　themselves　why　they　had　picked　this　day　to　travel。
　The　tears　were　over；　at　least　most　of　them。　Blair　was　twenty…three；　fresh　from　graduate　school　with　a　handsome　resume　but　not　ready　for　a　career。　A　friend　from　college　was　in　Africa　with　the　Peace　Corps；　and　this　had　inspired　Blair　to　dedicate　the　next　two　years　to　helping　others。　Her　assignment　was　eastern　Peru；　where　she　would　teach　primitive　little　children　how　to　read。　She　would　live　in　a　lean…to　with　no　plumbing；　no　electricity；　no　phone；　and　she　was　anxious　to　begin　her　journey。
　The　flight　would　take　her　to　Miami；　then　to　Lima；　then　by　bus　for　three　days　into　the　mountains；　into　another　century。　For　the　first　time　in　her　young　and　sheltered　life；　Blair　would　spend　Christmas　away　from　home。　Her　mother　clutched　her　hand　and　tried　to　be　strong。
　The　good…byes　had　all　been　said。　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　what　you　want？〃　had　been　asked　for　the　hundredth　time。
　Luther；　her　father；　studied　the　mob　with　a　scowl　on　his　face。　What　madness；〃　he　said　to　himself。　He　had　dropped　them　at　the　curb；　then　driven　miles　to　park　in　a　satellite　lot。　A　packed　shuttle　bus　had　delivered　him　back　to　Departures；　and　from　there　he　had　elbowed　his　way　with　his　wife　and　daughter　down　to　this　gate。　He　was　sad　that　Blair　was　leaving；　and　he　detested　the　swarming　horde　of　people。　He　was　in　a　foul　mood。　Things　would　get　worse　for　Luther。
　The　harried　gate　agents　came　to　life　and　the　passengers　inched　forward。　The　first　announcement　was　made；　the　one　asking　those　who　needed　extra　time　and　those　in　first　class　to　e　forward。　The　pushing　and　shoving　rose　to　the　next　level。
　〃I　guess　we'd　better　go；〃　Luther　said　to　his　daughter；　his　only　child。
　They　hugged　again　and　fought　back　the　tears。　Blair　smiled　and　said；　〃The　year　will　fly　by。　I'll　be　home　next　Christmas。〃
　Nora；　her　mother；　bit　her　lip　and　nodded　and　kissed　her　once　more。　〃Please　be　careful；〃　she　said　because　she　couldn't　stop　saying　it。
　〃I'll　be　fine。〃
　They　released　her　and　watched　helplessly　as　she　joined　a　long　line　and　inched　away；　away　from　them；　away　from　home　and　security　and　everything　she'd　ever　known。　As　she　handed　over　her　boarding　pass；　Blair　turned　and　smiled　at　them　one　last　time。
　〃Oh　well；〃　Luther　said。　〃Enough　of　this。　She's　going　to　be　fine。〃
　Nora　could　think　of　nothing　to　say　as　she　watched　her　daughter　disappear。　They　turned　and　fell　in　with　the　foot　traffic；　one　long　crowded　march　down　the　concourse；　past　the　Santa　Claus　with　the　irksome　bell；　past　the　tiny　shops　packed　with　people。
　It　was　raining　when　they　left　the　terminal　and　found　the　line　for　the　shuttle　back　to　the　satellite；　and　it　was　pouring　when　the　shuttle　sloshed　its　way　through　the　lot　and　dropped　them　off；　two　hundred　yards　from　their　car。　It　cost　Luther　7。00　to　free　himself　and　his　car　from　the　greed　of　the　airport　authority。
　When　they　were　moving　toward　the　city；　Nora　finally　spoke。　〃Will　she　be　okay？〃　she　asked。　He　had　heard　that　question　so　often　that　his　response　was　an　automatic　grunt。
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Do　you　really　think　so？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Whether　he　did　or　he　didn't；　what　did　it　matter　at　this　point？　She　was　gone；　they　couldn't　stop　her。
　He　gripped　the　wheel　with　both　hands　and　silently　cursed　the　traffic　slowing　in　front　of　him。　He　couldn't　tell　if　his　wife　was　crying　or　not。　Luther　wanted　only　to　get　home　and　dry　off；　sit　by　the　fire；　and　read　a　magazine。
　He　was　within　two　miles　of　home　when　she　announced；　〃I　need　a　few　things　from　the　grocery。〃
　〃It's　raining；〃　he　said。
　〃I　still　need　them。〃
　〃Can't　it　wait？〃
　〃You　can　stay　in　the　car。　Just　take　a　minute。　Go　to　Chip's。　It's　open　today。〃
　So　he　headed　for　Chip's；　a　place　he　despised　not　only　for　its　outrageous　prices　and　snooty　staff　but　also　for　its　impossible　location。　It　was　still　raining　of　course　she　couldn't　pick　a　Kroger　where　you　could　park　and　make　a　dash。　No；　she　wanted　Chip's；　where　you　parked　and　hiked。
　Only　sometimes　you　couldn't　park　at　all。　The　lot　was　full。　The　fire　lanes　were　packed。　He　searched　in　vain　for　ten　minutes　before　Nora　said；　〃Just　drop　me　at　the　curb。〃　She　was　frustrated　at　his　inability　to　find　a　suitable　spot。
　He　wheeled　into　a　space　near　a　burger　joint　and　demanded；　〃Give　me　a　list。〃
　〃I'll　go；〃　she　said；　but　only　in　feigned　protest。　Luther　would　hike　through　the　rain　and　they　both　knew　it。
　〃Gimme　a　list。〃
　〃Just　white　chocolate　and　a　pound　of　pistachios；〃　she　said；　relieved。
　〃That's　all？〃
　〃Yes；　and　make　sure　it's　Logan's　chocolate；　one…pound　bar；　and　Lance　Brothers　pistachios。〃
　〃And　this　couldn't　wait？〃
　〃No；　Luther；　it　cannot　wait。　I'm　doing　dessert　for　lunch　tomorrow。　If　you　don't　want　to　go；　then　hush　up　and　I'll　go。〃
　He　slammed　the　door。　His　third　step　was　into　a　shallow　pothole。　Cold　water　soaked　his　right　ankle　and　oozed　down　quickly　into　his　shoe。　He　froze　for　a　second　and　caught　his　breath；　then　stepped　away　on　his　toes；　trying　desperately　to　spot　other　puddles　while　dodging　traffic。
　Chip's　believed　in　high　prices　and　modest　rent。　It　was　on　a　side　alley；　not　visible　from　anywhere　really。　Next　to　it　was　a　wine　shop　run　by　a　European　of　some　strain　who　claimed　to　be　French　but　was　rumored　to　be　Hungarian。　His　English　was　awful　but　he'd　learned　the　language　of　price　gouging。　Probably　learned　it　from　Chip's　next　door。　In　fact　all　the　shops　in　the　District；　as　it　was　known；　strove　to　be　discriminating。
　And　every　shop　was　full。　Another　Santa　clanged　away　with　the　same　bell　outside　the　cheese　shop。　〃Rudolph　the　Red…Nosed　Reindeer　rattled　from　a　hidden　speaker　above　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　Mother　Earth；　where　the　crunchy　people　were　no　doubt　still　wearing　their　sandals。　Luther　hated　the　store…refused　to　set　foot　inside。　Nora　bought　organic　herbs　there；　for　what　reason　he'd　never　been　certain。　The　old　Mexican　who　owned　the　cigar　store　was　happily　stringing　lights　in　his　window；　pipe　stuck　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　smoke　drifting　behind　him；　fake　snow　already　sprayed　on　a　fake　tree。　
　There　was　a　chance　of　real　snow　later　in　the　night。　The　shoppers　wasted　no　time　as　they　hustled　in　and　out　of　the　stores。　The　sock　on　Luther's　right　foot　was　now　frozen　to　his　ankle。
　There　were　no　shopping　baskets　near　the　checkout　at　Chip's；　and　of　course　this　was　a　bad　sign。　Luther　didn't　need　one；　but　it　meant　the　place　was　packed。　The　aisles　were　narrow　and　the　inventory　was　laid　out　in　such　a　way　that　nothing　made　sense。　Regardless　of　what　was　on　your　list；　you　had　to　crisscross　the　place　half　a　dozen　times　to　finish　up。
　A　stock　boy　was　working　hard　on　a　display　of　Christmas　chocolates。　A　sign　by　the　butcher　demanded　that　all　good　customers　order　their　Christmas　turkeys　immediately。　New　Christmas　wines　were　in！　And　Christmas　hams！
　What　a　waste；　Luther　thought　to　himself。　Why　do　we　eat　so　much　and　drink　so　much　in　the　celebration　of　the　birth　of　Christ？　He　found　the　pistachios　near　the　bread。　Odd　how　that　made　sense　at　Chip's。　The　white　chocolate　was　nowhere　near　the　baking　section；　so　Luther　cursed　under　his　breath　and　trudged　along　the　aisles；　looking　at　everything。　He　got　bumped　by　a　shopping　cart。　No　apology；　no　one　noticed。　〃God　Rest　Ye　Merry　Gentlemen〃　was　ing　from　above；　as　if　Luther　was　supposed　to　be　forted。　Might　as　well　be　〃Frosty　the　Snowman。〃
　Two　aisles　over；　next　to　a　selection　of　rice　from　around　the　world；　there　was　a　shelf　of　baking　chocolates。　As　he　stepped　closer；　he　recognized　a　one…pound　bar　of　Logan's。　Another　step　closer　and　it　suddenly　disappeared；　snatched　from　his　grasp　by　a　harsh…looking　woman　who　never　saw　him。　The　little　space　reserved　for　Logan's　was　empty；　and　in　the　next　desperate　moment　Luther　saw　not　another　speck　of　white　chocolate。　Lots　of　dark　and　medium　chips　and　such；　but　nothing　white。
　The　express　line　was；　of　course；　slower　than　the　other　two。　Chip's　outrageous　prices　forced　its　customers　to　buy　in　small　quantities；　but　this　had　no　effect　whats