There's a genre of TV shows - the post-catastrophe ones - where small group(s) of people from many walks of life are all that are left after some event. Be it from a world-shattering physical disaster, a virus or an aircraft crash, we see and learn about people and how they learn about each other, mix, meld, and fight in amongst the lonest, quietest of environments - a backdrop of empty beaches or abandoned cities with no-one to be seen.
There's something about Christmas day. I was up and about (and out) before first light. And I was just about the only one. Hardly a vehicle moving (just me at first, as I drove up to
Bowerhill, then just the occasional vehicle venturing along the usually-busy roads, as if exploring and looking for some supply, some friendly group, or to avoid some nasty gang as if in one of those "Survivor" films.
The garage, usually bustling from 06:00 through to 22:00, was switched off. And my automatic check for traffic as I walked across the entrance was more habit than necessary; but many was the safe clue - there's not been some major overnight catastrophe and everyone was tucked up safely at home. Places are shut and not vandalised. Lights remain on. And at
The Manor, Chris had breakfast prepared for our over-half-full hotel. And The Internet is working too.
Look carefully, and you see signs that Santa and his helpers have been around during the night; I'm suspecting that Rudolf has something of a red nose this morning, and that Santa will be nursing the most massive headache after drinking all those glasses of sherry.
Will we survive Christmas? Of course we will - in fact we'll thrive. Because so many things change at Christmas, it can be a time of tension and events and happenings, but it can also be a time of mending bridges, and of taking just those few extra minutes to be with friends, with family - of if not able to be with them, to think, remember how you care for them.
(written 2008-12-25, updated 2008-12-26)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
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[377] A Strengthened City - (2005-07-14)
[614] News in Ireland - (2006-02-20)
[1214] New Serieses for the summer on TV - (2007-06-02)
[1275] Incident in Melksham - (2007-07-24)
[1987] One Cheer for Local Democracy - Asda in Melksham - (2009-01-11)
[2112] Whatever next ... the joys of being an employer - (2009-04-01)
[2128] Wiltshire - where everybody matters - (2009-04-13)
[2289] pre-Inaugural briefing - Melksham Community Area Partnership - (2009-07-15)
[2508] Community Area Partnership - inaugural AGM - (2009-11-20)
[2514] The road show has been - where now? - (2009-11-27)
[2574] Summary of Wiltshire Core Strategy responses - (2010-01-13)
[2602] East of Melksham - Building Work Starts - (2010-01-28)
[2666] Random thoughts on Melksham Town Planning and development - (2010-03-08)
[2776] Regional Spatial Strategy and the next 20 years - Whence Wiltshire under the new government? - (2010-05-22)
[2852] Atworth Village Fete - on the Melksham Community Area Partnership stand - (2010-07-04)
[2904] Melksham Area Board meeting of last week - (2010-08-04)
[2982] Travel, Transport and Tourism - A vision for Melksham, 2026 - (2010-10-03)
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[3030] Liquorice allsorts and Dolly Mixtures - (2010-11-05)
[3126] Car Parking in Melksham - thoughts on the proposed scheme, and wider thoughts too - (2011-01-09)
[3183] Redevelopment on the banks of the Avon in Melksham - (2011-02-25)
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[3231] Footpath, Bridleway, Byway, Road used as Public Path - (2011-04-04)
[3265] Alternative Vote (AV) - cutting the crap - (2011-04-25)
[3282] The future of canal management and charities - Kennet and Avon Canal bias - (2011-05-08)
[3347] The Anthony trial - Orange County, Florida. Thoughts on conclusion - (2011-07-06)
[3357] Business, priorities, and volunteering - (2011-07-14)
[3385] Do university courses teach the right things for life at work later on? - (2011-08-10)
[3467] Charities v Charitable. The cost of collecting your donation. - (2011-10-06)
[3646] Exploring Melksham with a film maker - (2012-03-09)
[3720] Melksham ATC - freedom of the town - (2012-05-05)
[4429] Wind Turbines - beauty or menace? - (2015-02-17)
[4599] Happy Christmas - and a Christmas thought - (2015-12-24)
[4637] People matter - but there is a tradeoff between different people in there - (2016-02-01)
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