Todays Daily Prompt is the stroke of midnight, where were you and is that where you wanted to be.
One thing I have recently noticed as I age, is besides the fact that it really, really sucks. But besides that I have started to realize that there are a whole lot of things I will never get to do. I’m not talking bucket list here, just ordinary things that will never happen. One of them is cheering in the new year in Times Square. Luckily, I never particularly wanted to freeze my patootie off crunched in with a bunch of drunken strangers. Plus it used to be freaking cold on January Uno. Now-a-days you cannot even get blitzed and besides there are no bathrooms. HORRORS!
So, I had to work. I normally get off at 11:30 pm and get home near midnight. That would just not do. I wanted to get home well before midnight. Just for fun I like to think that what you are doing on the stroke of midnight, is what you will be doing all year. This is why we like to kiss our sweetie at the stroke of midnight and guzzle champagne and generally have a carefree party.
I asked the boss if I could leave at 11 pm and he said no problem. So all night we were listening to the local rock station (not that I particularly like rock music, but that is what was on) count down the top 104 songs of all time. I kept cracking dumb jokes like I hadn’t heard any Earth, Wind, and Fire (look them up). One of my coworkers loves to sing and I love to listen. I wish I could sing, but, alas, I am tone deaf. It us quite painful, both for me and for anyone unfortunate enough to have to hear me. Even my kids would cry and beg me not to sing – in baby talk! Except Little Amy, one of my precious bulldogs. She is not quite wired right, but she does “get” my singing. She even dances to it.
Anyway, it was getting near 11 and the count down was still going. Steve and I were trying to guess what would be #1. I chose Zeppelin, he Queen. So at 11 I yell that I will be really mad if I do not make it to my car by the number one song. Steve was just standing by the radio because he couldn’t leave. Wouldn’t you know I parked my car far away and I hobbled on my arthritic knees and feet and caught the end of number 2, so I was not mad.
I drove home and Ferdinand was surprized even though I do it every year. We watched the ball drop, kissed, drank a little champagne (okay, it was Cava, but it is so good), and life is good. It is especially important for me to get home since Ferdinand is so ill. In April it was touch and go. By May he had 2 months. He is improving every day. So I was right where I wanted to be.
I was right. Number One was “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Queen was Number Three. I did not recognize the end of Number Two.
