December

The much feared year of 2009, introduced as a harbinger of bank closures and economic downturn, is finally at its end.  Never mind that the economic and political challenges are all very much alive to welcome us in 2010.  For a moment, stop thinking that after two months, we are still rearing from the ebbing throes of Ondoy, still feeling the consequences of the mighty deluge that fell towns and cities and brought people not to their knees but struggling painfully, gasping, grasping for air.  It's December.

Car parking is just a bit more difficult in the the malls bustling with families gifts-a-hunting.  The up scale villages impress with proportionally impressive decors.  People flocking at festive bazaars jumping all around town every 3 days.  The church adorned with more colors and symbols than ever before.  It's Christmas season.

And our office is in dire need of renovations.  Just a few days ago, one of the office light gave up on us and brought Amici nights a dingy mood.  Since the Florida bus (who have conveniently forgotten us) wrecked our only signage of 7 years, a wall painted blue with the letters a-m-i-c-i, our office gate has been uncooperative to less energetic tugs.  Population growth remains unabated, and tables grow smaller.  Our garage is yet again teeming with junk and a family of cats (much better than those days of rodents and roaches).

But there's hope.  Always.  There's the security guard cleaning the front, hopefully with a smile to greet you.  And a bundy clock showing some premature aging.  The repaint of a year back is still the vibrant blue, albeit now accompanied by cozy corner webs.  An emergency light hangs by the center clock glowing pristine antiquity.  And then, there are the smiles.  People.  MWF still bring imagined terrors and then some actually terrifying moods.  But with a little help from cuddly babies, a lighter, springier surround can still be had, if we can wait the while.

We still have our problems.  I mean challenges.  Let's not hope for more scammers from the side of the government.  Let's not make too many faces, wondering where to get funds for the Christmas spirits of our customers.  We hope they can be more forthcoming with our receivables.  We still have our own little party at the haunted house to prepare.  And we still have an office to shade green and red.  And white and gold and all the colors of Christmas be.

It's December.