The Brick Wall

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Every Christmas my family is sent a picture of a brick wall. It is the same brick wall and it has the same five people standing in front of it and there is hardly any change from year to year except for perhaps the height of the people and the clothes they are wearing.

This is one of those things that qualify as a grand ol' boring tradition.

Now perhaps you think that I say this in disgust.

You err. This is, after all, life in the slow lane.

Now pardon what might appear to be a digression...

I have heard that a piece of art put up on private property can, after several years, be "owned" by the public in the sense that the true owners cannot just take the art down at their whim. For instance, a fountain built in front of a place of business by the business may not be able to be taken down in five years.

I don't know where I happened to hear that nor whether it has any basis in fact, but traditions have similar properties... they become owned and if you mess with them.... too bad for you.

See... I'm not sure Christmas would be Christmas without the boring yet traditional stocking stuffers... the tooth brush and tooth paste, the big navel orange and the red delicious apple, the stick of deoderant, the brand new pen. In October I start anticipating it, wondering if I can last until Christmas with the old toothbrush, hoping that perhaps I will be like the widow of Nain and not run out of tooth paste.

Its a boring tradition, but its mine! Don't mess with it.

And so when the picture of the brick wall arrives in the mail, we laugh, calling out "its the same brick wall!" and add the picture to the pile.

But should they ever decide to remodel... to take out the brick wall and replace it with stucco, they'll need to get permission from the people on their Christmas card list, first.

Comments

caedmonstia said…
I must say a word in favor of the Brand New Pen I receive each year in my stocking. How could you call that boring?!?!?!? I love new pens. The new toothbrush I could probably get from my yearly dental visit if I didn't get one in my stocking. But a new pen... That's special! NOBODY gives me new pens.
3:54 PM
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