Jingle bells
Jingle bells
Jingle all the way….
Singing
woman sings out of key into the locker room of Kennedy High Pool. Completely uninhibited.
Nothing unusual about that. Her earbuds in, her big bare brown rump swaying to the rhythm; she's naked and festive.
LS gives me
a look from across the bench. I start laughing. She shakes her head. Rolls her
eyes. I grin.
“Why is she
singing Christmas Song?” Z demands from the other side of me. “It’s not even
Thanksgiving!”
I shrug, “Well,
at least Christmas is close.”
Often
Singing Woman sings Jingle Bells, even in the summer. It’s August. The air is as hot
as the Bay Area gets. 78 or maybe even 81 degrees. And, she’s inside the locker
room singing Jingle Bells.
It is a
catchy tune I suppose if a little tired. I remember teaching piano lessons to
the kids out in Orinda at Christmas time. Everyone wanted to learn Jingle
Bells. The kids would bang out the melody. I’d join in with the standard chords
in the bass. I have to admit their excitement was contagious even though I wasn’t
really a big fan of Jingle Bells. There are other Christmas Carols that I prefer:
Silver Bells, Ukrainian Bells—a duet that I used to play with my mother at
Christmas. Dressed in our long red velvet dresses, we’d sit together on the
piano bench and play this lovely carol together.
But Jingle
Bells? Only with the kids.
“I will
take him to that Thai restaurant on the water. Yeah. He likes that place. It’s
one of his favorites. And we’ll go there for dinner for his birthday and it’ll
be fine.”
I overhear Singing Woman
talking to herself. Or is she taking notes over Jingle Bells? I glance over at
her as I throw my lotions, swimsuit, and masks into my bag.
“I just
figured out what I’m gonna do for my godson for his birthday. I’m gonna take
him to this Thai place that he loves. Out in San Leandro. On the water.”
“That sounds
lovely,” I offer.
“Yeah, I was gonna take him to see Mariah Carey in Vegas, but I checked the ticket prices online. $240!!!”
“Wow!”
“I’d be in
debt for the next year!” She chuckles.
“No need
for that if you can take him to Thai Food.”
“Exactly!”
She’s
almost dressed now, but the Jingle Bells have captured her again. She starts
singing more loudly, with more abandon and more out of tune.
“Jingle
Bells….Jingle Bells….” She sings.
I join in, “...jingle
all the way!”
She grins
over at me as we both sing out: “OH, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open
sleigh, HEY!”
LS heads
out of the locker room with Z. They’re chatting quietly with their heads together,
not partaking of the festive caroling.
I gather up
my swim bag, grab my fins, slip my big parka on, “Have a great Thai Dinner!” I
call out as I head to the exit.
“Thank you!”
Singing Woman says. “I’m so glad I figured that out!”
“Jingle
Bells! Jingle Bells…..” echoes after me as I open the heavy glass doors and
step into the day.
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