Christmas mirage

Of the six of us who went to the brew pub to sing Christmas carols last week, five of us came down with the flu. Only Blaine escaped it.

Group text, Christmas Eve day:
 
Kim: I'm glad you're healthy but how have you escaped this, Blaine?

Paul: He lives alone. No one is spreading their germs to him.

John: As the only one of us with a girlfriend, you would think his exposure would have been swift and complete long before the first symptoms.

Paul: <thumbs-up emoji>


It was good ol' Influenza A that took us down. I'd say I'm at 85 percent today. I hope to take it easy for another couple of days. I have my heart set on being well for New Year's Eve.

The strangest part of this is the way Christmas disappeared as if it were a mirage. I maintained my tradition of watching "Christmas in Connecticut," "Miracle on 34th Street" and "A Holiday Affair," my favorite. I ate a few peanut clusters (my dad's Christmastime favorite). One night I tried to listen to Il Divo's Christmas album, but I couldn't stay awake. Still, as this sort of holiday goes, it wasn't all bad. It's been peaceful if not pleasant.