Random day in the life.

Since I don't do it enough, here's a random travel story.

Today is Christmas eve here in Oz.  I started the day with a split shift at the grand ole roadhouse.  Unlike past Christmas', it was just another day.  I made the whole season without hearing a Christmas song, seeing a tree or decorations.  I was proud of that until today, when I remembered who I was.

A guy in a wheel chair came in looking for a room.  We weren't suppose to sell any rooms, since we're closed tomorrow, but I talked my boss into it.  It's Christmas and he's in a wheel chair, right?  Then something great happened.  A random guy came up and bought said wheel chair guy a room and steak dinner.

I know what you're thinking, it's a mini-Christmas miracle.  Well the wheel chair guy was kind of dick.  I shrugged it off because I'm a dick and a I have two legs.

I did his laundry in our pay machines.  He complained and I complained.  I thought his point about not wanting to pay the three dollars for the dryer was asinine; I summed him up by the newer car he drove.  His clothes cleaned, I passed them off with a sigh of relief.

Later that night I saw the guy getting his wet clothes off the railing and offered him a smoke.  Turns out we are both merchant mariners.  He lost his legs in the line of work.  Something I could of done a million times with my dumb ass bosses.  We had a great talk about life and how travel makes you a better person.

While it's not a Christmas miracle.  It was something I needed.  Every time I want to give up and go home, something like that happens.

This is why I travel.

*Side note.  My bosses daughter asked me if we celebrated Christmas in the U.S.  I laughed and said, 'more than you will ever know'.

I would like to salute
the ashes of American flags
And all the fallen leaves
filling up shopping bags