I stared out at the empty street and sighed. Everyone else was off celebrating the holiday with their families, and here I was working second shift, because...I had no family. Somehow every holiday I got suckered and guilted into this, but this one was particularly hard for me.
No one ever came to the store or to the station for gas even on Christmas night, but Jock insisted it stay open in case someone was stuck and in need. He'd always say he wasn't going to say there was no gas in the town or no coffee for the cold. Nope, he was a 24 hour gas station and people had come to rely on it. Might be true might not, but I was the one that was always sitting here in the dead of night alone....always.
I went to the packaged food aisle and pulled off a two pack of Hostess Cupcakes and went back to the register to pay for them. There was a little box of tiny candles in the drawer and I pulled one out and slipped it into the top of one of the cupcakes. "Happy Birthday to me..." I said looking at it a bit pathetically.
The bell on the door dinged just as i'd said it, "Hey...Happy Birthday!" he said as he brushed snow off the arms of his jacket. "it's really coming down out there. Roads are getting bad."
I peered out the window feeling pretty stupid that I hadn't noticed, "You going far?" I asked.
"I ... not going anywhere in particular...no...mind if I wait out that storm here?"
"I can't promise comfortable accommodations, or lively entertainment, but there's fresh hot coffee and plenty of food."
"Hot anything sounds good about now. Got stuck a mile back and had to push myself out of a snow drift..." he held up his arms, "The drift won."
I covered my mouth and chuckled, "Yeah...they usually do." I pointed to his right, "Coffee is right there , sugar and creamer too if you take it."
I rang up his coffee and paid for it herself, "On the house...get yourself warm."
"Hey thanks..." he said rubbing his hands together and then pouring the coffee into a large paper cup and adding the holder around it. No creamer or sugar I noted. He took a few sips and closed his eyes, "That feels so good..."
"Coffee is the elixir of life..in more ways than one."
"I couldn't agree more," he said crossing over to where the register, "Mark Lewis." he said extending his hand, "What's the birthday girl's name?"
"Chris Jackson." She had never told ANYONE her real name was actually Christmas, and she didn't intend to start now.
"Well Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Chris Jackson."
"Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too Mark."
"So..why are you working? Thought places like this gave off for birthdays..."
"Well...they do...but....everyone else that works here has family..."
"OH...I see...sorry. That sucks."
"So why are you going nowhere in particular on Christmas night?"
"Nowhere to go," he shrugged. "I hate sitting in my house alone so I go looking at lights and pretend it's not so bad."
I handed him the second cupcake, "Want some birthday cake?"
"Only if you light that candle and make a wish."
I laughed but did it while he sang happy birthday. I think maybe this might be the start of a good thing...I do know this. Best Birthday ever!