Monday, December 22, 2008


2000 Miles

Seattle is nestled under a foot of snow, and my wife's long-lost mother is here. We have her cousin's two boys because she had so many aunts and uncles she didn't know about, 10 of them, that one of their kids moved out clear to near where we live, and their oldest son was born within two weeks of ours. Which means four boys are here, and as of two days ago in the maternity ward, there will soon be five. But we don't know when, because they're stranded, we're stranded, with a house full of boys. For days.

The snow has just stopped falling, and I've just stopped watching the renters across the street try to free a car from the entrance to their driveway with the help of seven to eleven young guys and the encouragement of their dolls. A party which purpose was to strand an impediment even further out into the street.

The car is dark silver, a fairly new Volkswagen Golf, and it was the sound of wheels spinning that woke me up from sleeping with my son by the Christmas tree, virrh-whrrrh-zhrrhg, which he's been begging to do and with all the snow this is a Special Night. They put chains on the back tires to greatly improve traction--but Volkswagen Golfs have front wheel drive. I watched for 40 minutes wondering whether to help or not, or if I'm from here yet. So here's a song about snow, tons of snow and the soothing voice of Chrissie Hynde. If I am to smother under an artillery barrage of diapers, I now wish you Merry Christmas, and here are the lyrics to 2000 Miles:

He's gone 2000 miles
It's very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

The children will sing:
"He'll be back at Christmastime!"

In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow sparkle
Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime

2000 miles
Is very far through the snow
I'll think of you
Wherever you go

He's gone 2000 miles
It's very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime!
I hear people singing
It must be Christmastime!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. Come on in, lie down a spell! I'll be sure to wake you when it's getting late!

MarcLord said...

My horse must think it queer to stop without a bistro near. Between the frozen woods and Greenlake, the darkest evening of the year.

Anonymous said...

That's nice MarcLord and Merry Christmas from your friends at the Cat.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas from the heathen Bee, who hasn't seen snow in temperate Virginia in years.

This was a lovely post. :)

A. Peasant said...

Wishing you a blessed Christmas.

MarcLord said...

Hi Zoey & Me,

thank you and all the holiday best to you and yours, both furry & non. ;-)

MarcLord said...

Thank you heathen Bee, so shall I say Merry Solstice to you, which is what the hubbub's about anyway. For a long time, people outside Virginia have been asking, "Will this winter ever effing end? Will the Sun-God return? We'd better hole up in furs and think about this, chew bear jerky and maybe sacrifice a goat or something just to be sure."

MarcLord said...

Lady Peasant,

And also with you. May the peace which comes from sure faith in God most high, in he who dwelt amongst us, be with you and your family this season.

Naj said...

Merry Christmas and Hanukkah too!

The white stuff dumped on us on the weekend! Glad we had a little turbo 4WD, or else, pushing and shoving and shoveling in -18C temperatures would have been uncool!

I think I have had about enough of the great North!

MarcLord said...

Dear Naj,

that's very kind and gracious coming from you, and you remembered my wife's genealogy!

Serious question--is there something I may wish you in return? Most cultures do something momentous to commemorate the season, please pardon my ignorance of Persian tradition, but I would like to know.

PS--re: Princeton, I used to commute thru Manhattan to Morristown (or AT&T Labs, near it) and the New Jersey weather can be pretty rough. Prolly not as bad as what you've got now, and I hope the little 4wd is a Subaru. Missing my WRX now big-time.

Happy Holidays, and it is good to know you.

Naj said...

WRX it is :); we call it Soobie!

When I was in Iran, Christmas was a festive event for us as well because the TV (state run) showed really cook Christmas cartoons and films; and we read the story of the little Match Seller girl and always wished we had a Christmas tree too :)

In winter, we celebrate "Yalda Night", which is 21st of December, which is the longest night of the year (winter equinox). The tradition is to gather around with family, and eat things like dried fruit, WATERMELON!!, pomegranate, salt roasted nuts, and tell stories.

Wishing you very happy holidays!

Best

(P.s. Although Princeton is still an open option, I think I am packing for Europe--anywhere BUT Germany and Italy! Experience and meeting the world is teaching me that fascism is not a top-down 'political' rain (i mean reign), but a tree that grows in CERTAIN earth.)